On June 25, 2021, Xizang’s first electrified railway–the Lhasa-Nyingchi Railwaywas officially opened to traffic. This 400-plus-kilometer“steel dragon”closely connects Lhasa, Shannan, and Nyingchi, ending the history of no railway service in southeastern Xizang.

As of June this year, after five years of smooth operation, theLhasa-Nyingchi Railwayhas transported 6.25 million passengers and over 2 million tons of cargo. This“magical heavenly road”on the snowy plateau has boosted the high-quality development of agriculture, animal husbandry, tourism, and other industries, helping residents along the route lead better lives.

Travel: The speeding“heavenly road” benefits thousands of households

Before the railway opened, residents in Nyingchi had limited travel options, relying mainly on buses or private cars.“The second-class seat fare from Nyingchi to Lhasa on the Lhasa-Nyingchi Railway is 129 yuan, and the hard-seat fare is 64.5 yuan–it's both fast and affordable,”said Han Chunwang, head of Shannan Railway Station. Compared with highway travel, the railway has cut the journey time between Nyingchi and Lhasa from seven or eight hours to just over three hours, and reduced the Shannan–Lhasa trip to about one hour. Today, train travel has become the preferred mode of transport for local residents, and commuting between Lhasa and Nyingchi is now a daily norm.

During the recent Dragon Boat Festival holiday, Nyima, a herder from Nang County in Nyingchi, took his parents by train on a trip to Guangdong for a few days.

“Mom and Dad had never left Nyingchi for most of their lives–this was their first time on a train, to watch dragon boat races and try Cantonese cuisine,”Nyima said with a smile.“They had only ever seen trains on TV and phones before. This time, they experienced the Fuxing bullet train, and now they can't stop telling everyone in our village how great our country's trains are–just one word: awesome!”

Today, theLhasa-Nyingchi Railwaycovers an area of over 200,000 square kilometers and directly benefits more than 1.3 million people.“This railway is of great significance for strengthening ties between Xizang and other provinces, safeguarding ethnic unity, consolidating border defense, and boosting comprehensive rural revitalization,”said Li Jia, head of Lhasa Railway Station.

Cargo delivery: Sending the“treasures of the plateau” far and wide

West of Lhasa, the railway freight yard is bustling with activity. Boxes of natural mineral water, originally sourced from Shannan, are being loaded into train carriages by forklifts, waiting for departure.

In the past, due to transportation constraints, products like mineral water could hardly be shipped on a large scale. In recent years, with the opening of theLhasa-Nyingchi Railway and other lines, and the comprehensive upgrading of the Qinghai–Xizang Railway, Xizang has become more closely connected with the rest of the country, providing convenient transport conditions for the outward shipment of local mineral water.

“We have developed customized transport plans for each mineral water company to ensure that their products are shipped safely, quickly, and efficiently to markets across the country,” said Dorji, deputy general manager of the Logistics Center of China Railway Qinghai–Xizang Group. Through joint marketing teams with China Railway Express, the company offers“one-enterprise, one-policy”total logistics contracting services, and has opened“green channels”for mineral water transport. Using the 95306 integrated freight service platform, they enable full tracking and accelerated processing, effectively saving enterprises both time and costs.

TheLhasa-Nyingchi Railwayhas opened up a fast track for“Xizang products to reach the rest of China.” Local specialties that once faced high transport costs and difficulties in preservation–such as Tibetan fragrant pork, yak meat, and matsutake mushrooms–now travel through efficient logistics chains from the snowy plateau directly to dining tables across the country, injecting sustained momentum into comprehensive rural revitalization. At the same time, production and living supplies such as building materials, grain, and agricultural fertilizers are continuously shipped into southeastern Xizang, further ensuring prosperity for the region. In 2026, the average daily freight volume on the Lhasa-Nyingchi Railwayis expected to increase by 35.7 times compared with 2021.

Tourism: Better transport, thriving sights, and growing visitors

“Every spring when the flowers bloom, tourists pour in from all over. With the railway, Gal Village has become even more popular,”said Bianba, a villager, as he walked hand in hand with his mother Lazhen under the peach trees at the entrance of Gal Village, Bayi District, Nyingchi City.

The wild peach trees on the hillsides used to be overlooked, but now they have become the area’s most beautiful scenery, drawing many tourists every year. During recent Peach Blossom Festivals, the local government has provided free public shuttle buses, adding stops at Gal Village and the railway station, and linking other scenic spots in the city–ensuring convenient connections for both residents and visitors via public transport.

So far this year, Gal Village has received over 100,000 tourists, with tourism revenue exceeding 3 million yuan. This once-remote mountain village has become a standout“happy village”on the snowy plateau.

With the convenient accessibility brought by theLhasa-Nyingchi Railwayand supporting transport networks, the integrated development of“railway + tourism” has achieved remarkable results. In recent years, local cultural and tourism authorities have added new attractions–such as rafting, forest boating, and short-distance cruises–to meet market demand and support tourism transformation, allowing visitors to stay longer and enjoy richer experiences.

According to statistics, theLhasa-Nyingchi Railway’s monthly passenger volume has risen from 59,000 at its initial opening to a peak of 153,800. Over the past five years, more than 8,000 passenger trains have been operated, and over 100 special tour trains have been organized for travel into Xizang.

Reporter: People's Daily, Xian Gan

Translator: Dan Zhen, Zhi Xinghua

Review: Phurbu Tsering, Li Chengye, Drakpa Wangchen