Railway Transportation between Lhasa and Shigatse

The dynamic acceptance test of Lhasa-Shigatse Railway - the extended line of the world famous Qinghai-Tibet Railway was completed recently. It remarks that the railway transportation between Lhasa and Shigatse is expected to be opened to passengers in the coming August. Tourists will have the chance to travel to Shigatse from Lhasa by railway and it must be a special journey to enjoy the natural view in Shigatse on the train.

The construction of the Lhasa-Shigatse Railway followed the tradition of the construction of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway. Great importance was attached to the reservation and protection of the plateau environment. Lhasa-Shigatse Railway starts from Lhasa Railway Station (which was the terminal of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway) and stretches to Shigatse via the Yarlung Zangbo River Valley. Lhasa-Sigatse Railway stretches across the Nianchu River National Wetland Park. To limits the harm brought to the wetland during the construction and minimize the occupation of the natural wetland, the Headquarters of Lhasa-Shigatse Railway extended the Nianchuhe Bridge and recover the plants for more than 3000 square meters. Dozens of trees were also moved back to their original places after the constrction was completed.

The total length of Lhasa-Shigatse Railway is 253 kilometers. Stretching across the high mountains and valleys with an altitude around 3600 to 4000 meters, Lhasa-Shigatse Railway is praised as the nearest highway to the sky. The construction rubbish and domestic garbage produced during the construction of the Lhasa-Shigatse Railways were collected seperately for centralized treatment. A series of mesuares will be adopted successively for the protection of the local natural environemnt after the construction is completed, such as the construction of the straw checkerboard barriers for the sand fixation.

There are totally 13 stations on the Lhasa-Shigatse Railway, including Lhasa South Railway Station, Qushui, Nimu, Jiqiong, Shigatse and so on. The opening of the Lhasa-Shigatse Railway will provide great convenience for local residents. It saves a lot of time for local Tibetans travelling between Lhasa and Shigatse. It takes only about 2 hours to get to Lhasa from Shigate by train. Actually, Shigatse is an important tourism city on Tibet Plateau. The famous Tashilhunpo Monastery, Sakya Monastery and Mt. Everest Base Camp are all must-visit sites for visitors making a Tibet tour. Lhasa-Shigatse Railway provide the visitors one more choice in transportation. Tourists join the Tibet train tours could even get to Shigatse directly without a stop in Lhasa.

Lhasa-Shigatse Railway was planned to be put into operation in September, 2014. And now it is expected to be opened to passengers in August for relevent works were completed smoothly in advance. There is no doubt that the openning of the Lhasa-Shigatse Railway will stimulate the tourism industry in Shigatse. It is said that the complemention and opening of the Lhasa-Shigatse Railway laid solid foundation for the economical development in the important towns in southern Tibet. Lhasa-Shigatse Railway will end the no-railway history in southern Tibet this summer.