• Tibet Railway

• The Tibet Railway is also known as the Qinzang Railway as it connects the provinces of Qinghai and Xizang (the Chinese name for Tibet). This amazing engineering feat has overcome many environmental obstacles, not just an altitude of some 5000 metres (over 16 000 feet), to link Beijing and Lhasa by rail. Plans are even in place to extend the railway further, eventually joining up with the network in India.

  Work began on a rail link in the late 1950's. However, the technology to overcome the various obstacles on the proposed route did not exist at that time and financial and political issues meant that all progress was hard-won. By 1984 the line only reached as far as Golmud in Qinghai Province.

  Work on the section from there to Lhasa began in July 2001. Much of the necessary technology had already been developed and progress was now incredibly quick. The 600 kilometre section taking only 4 years to complete.

  Since its debut service in 1 July, 2006, the Tibet Railway has gone from strength to strength. The number of passengers who have taken the trip is now measured in millions and the number of trains has had to increase considerably as extra cities vie for direct-link services.

  The main obstacle to be overcome was not so much the absolute cold experienced at altitude in winter as the change that then occurred in summer. Frozen land would have been easy to lay track on - but the route crossed land that defrosts in summer and forms soft bogs. Special piers were developed to cope with the deepest bogs whilst refrigerator bars keep the land frozen in less susceptible sections. The fortitude required by the construction workers implementing these design ideas is hard to imagine.

  Several environmental issues were taken into account during the construction. Migration routes were added to the design to allow Tibetan Antelope and other species to go under the route safely. Policy has also required all garbage generated on the trains to be returned to Golmud, not dumped up on the plateau.

  Our Services For Travellers

  We do not currently offer a standard journey option on the Tibet Railway. We are able to arrange tailor-made itineraries which include tickets on this route but advance planning is normally required as tickets are in heavy demand. We can provide other services within Tibet and on to Nepal if required.

  The special trains, with an oxygen supply for passengers, run from Golmud to Lhasa. This section takes some 17 hours. Connections from Golmud all pass through Xining and Lanzhou.

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• Current Comments

  2 comments so far (post your own)

  Monty
  
  There are in fact two systems. Supplementary oxygen is released into cabins so as raise the level available to all passengers. Each passenger also has an individual supply available via a pipe & mask. The second system is intended for those that begin to experience breathing difficulties.

  Posted by China Journeys on Thu 12 Apr, 2012

  You mention the supply of oxygen for passengers. Could you expand on this feature - I assume the carriages are sealed allowing oxygen levels to be increased.

  Posted by MontyL on Thu 12 Apr, 2012

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