China has put into service the Fuxing bullet train on the Lhasa – Nyingchi railway line in Southwest China’s Tibet autonomous.
The 435 km line connecting the regional capital Lhasa with Nyingchi city in Bayi District passes through 47 tunnels and 121 bridges accounting almost 75% of the route. The line crosses the Yarlung Zangbo River 16 times and is served by nine stations. Over 90% of the line was constructed 3,000 meters above the sea level.
The Fuxing trains are designed with various top speeds being able to run at speeds of 160 km/h, 250 km/h and 350 km/h. The trains, manufactured by CRRC made their debut on the Beijing – Shanghai high speed railway line.
The Fuxing bullet train for Tibet are equipped with automated oxygen supply systems to keep optimal and constant oxygen levels, while the windows are fitted with special layer of glass withstand the region’s high UV levels.
Travelling with the Fuxing high speed train the distance between Lhasa and Shannan is covered within 70 minutes and to Nyingchi, three hours and 30 minutes.
The construction works for the line started in 2015 and needed an investment of USD 5.6 billion. The single electrified line is designed for a maximum speed of 160 km/h. The line crosses the valley of Gangdise and the Himalaya Mountains on the on the Tibetan Plateau.
Under the rail development plans, in November 2020 the construction of the new rail line connecting Sichuan province and Tibet (in Nyingchi) were launched. It is the largest railway infrastructure project and is included in the 14th Five-Year Plan period implemented between 2021 and 2025. The Sichuan-Tibet railway project covers a rail connection of 1,838 km and has been divided into three parts for construction and operation. Sichuan-Tibet line will be the second train connection of Tibet after the Qinghai-Tibet line which was constructed 4,500m above sea level.
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