High-speed Rail to Shangri-La to Open to Public
Source: InKunming | 2023-11-23 | Editor:Amy
Recently, as the Lijiang-Shangri-La section of the Yunnan-Xizang Railway entered its dynamic testing phase, all staff members have gradually taken their positions. The opening of the Lijiang-Shangri-La section of the Yunnan-Xizang Railway is about to open to public, and it is expected to reduce travel time from Kunming to Shangri-La to approximately 5 hours.
The section starts from Lijiang, traverses the hinterland of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau and Hengduan Mountains, and ends in Shangri-La City. It spans a total length of 139 kilometers and includes 13 stations such as Lijiang, Lashi Lake, Tiger Leaping Gorge, Xiaozhongdian, and Shangri-La. This railway line will connect famous attractions such as Lijiang Ancient Town, Yulong Snow Mountain, Haba Snow Mountain, Tiger Leaping Gorge, and Shangri-La National Park. It passes through areas inhabited by dozens of ethnic groups including Tibetan, Naxi people, Yi people, and Bai people. Like a pure white ceremonial scarf (Hada), it stretches freely amidst blue skies, meadows, and snow-capped mountains.
A train on the Yunnan-Xizang Railway, running at the foot of snow-capped mountains. By Li Xin
Overcoming Challenges, Creating Miracles in China's Railway Construction History
The Lijiang-Shangri-La section of the Yunnan-Xizang Railway is located in a highly active tectonic zone where the Indian Plate meets the Eurasian Plate. It is one of the areas with the most intense crustal movement in China, characterized by extremely complex terrain and geological conditions. The construction difficulty is rare within the country. Since its commencement in December 2014, the section has seen the construction of 34 new bridges and 20 tunnels, with a total length of bridges and tunnels reaching 102.5 kilometers, accounting for 73.4% of the entire line. A total of 18 national invention patents, 34 national utility model patents, and 39 provincial-level construction methods have been applied along the route.
A train approaching head-on in a tunnel. By Yang Mengqi
Among them, the Yulong Snow Mountain Tunnel is the longest tunnel on the entire line, spanning 14.7 kilometers. Located in the longitudinal valley zone of Hengduan Mountains, it passes through six fault zones. Since its construction began in 2014, there have been 238 incidents of mud bursts, water inflows, and landslides inside the tunnel. In sections with significant deformation of surrounding rocks measuring a total length of 7,719 meters, maximum single-side deformation reached as much as 2.3 meters—an exceptionally rare occurrence both domestically and internationally.
The Haba Snow Mountain Tunnel spans a length of 9.5 kilometers with a maximum burial depth of 1,155 meters—making it a high-risk tunnel project. Although trains can pass through this less than ten-kilometer-long tunnel in just three minutes, builders worked tirelessly for nine years since its groundbreaking in 2014. The completion of the Haba Snow Mountain Tunnel represents a significant breakthrough in the construction of complex geological tunnels on plateaus in China, accumulating valuable experience for future similar tunnel projects.
Tiger Leaping Gorge Jinsha River Railway Bridge. By Luo Yang
The Jinsha River Grand Bridge is the world's first large-span railway suspension bridge built domestically. It overcame the geological challenges of high ground stress and deformation in the Yulong Snow Mountain Tunnel and Haba Snow Mountain Tunnel on both sides of the Jinsha River. A set of world-leading techniques for controlling large deformations was developed, setting three world records. This achievement has accumulated valuable experience for China's plateau railway construction and created one miracle after another in China's and even the world's railway construction history.
Comfortable Riding Experience: High-altitude EMU Ensures Comfort
To adapt to the special operating conditions of high altitude, low air pressure, and strong ultraviolet radiation in the region, the upcoming CR200J1-D model Fuxing high-speed train is specifically designed for the plateau and high-cold environment along the Yunnan-Xizang Railway.
The train has a total length of 236.7 meters and a maximum operating speed of 160 kilometers per hour. It uses a power car with a traction power of 7200 KW (compared to the normal EMUs with 5600 KW), providing better performance in terms of power.
CR200J1-D model Fuxing high-speed train adorned with "China White" as its base color, "China Red" as its waistband, "Sophora Green" as its window band, and embellished with accents of "Great Wall Gray." By Chen Chang
To ensure passenger comfort, the train windows are made of UV-resistant materials with a UV transmission rate of less than 1%, greatly reducing harm from high-altitude UV radiation. The train is also equipped with an electric heating system to meet demands even at temperatures minus 25 degrees Celsius.
Social Benefits: Supporting High-Quality Local Development
Diqing is located in the transitional zone between the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau and the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, with abundant biological and mineral resources. The opening and operation of the Lijiang-Shangri-La section of the Yunnan-Xizang Railway will accelerate the flow of economic factors, as well as facilitate the movement of personnel, materials, and information.
In the forests above 3,000 meters in Diqing, there grows the world's freshest ingredient—matsutake mushrooms. In recent years, with logistics upgrades and e-commerce development, a complete industry chain has formed around matsutake mushrooms here. Data shows that Diqing produces over 1,400 tons of matsutake mushrooms annually, with a value close to 140 million yuan.
Freshly picked matsutake mushrooms from Diqing. By Wang Junyan
With the opening of the Lijiang-Shangri-La section of the Yunnan-Xizang Railway, railway cold chain transportation will be available for matsutake mushrooms. This will greatly enhance the development of Diqing's matsutake mushroom industry and allow these precious "mountain treasures" to reach wider markets. Additionally, local products such as highland barley beer and ice wine can be exported to Southeast Asia and Europe through international freight trains connected to China-Laos Railway and China-Europe Express trains—making Shangri-La's fragrance spread worldwide.
Exterior of Shangri-La Station. By Zhao Zhenlei
Multi-Ethnic Coexistence: Painting a Picture of Ethnic Unity
As one of the newly constructed stations along the section, Shangri-La Station is designed with the concept of "snow-capped mountains in layers." The overall architectural design takes inspiration from the magnificent and towering Shika Snow Mountain opposite the station. The buildings on both sides resemble mountains embracing the station, incorporating elements of Tibetan architecture such as wooden components and eaves. This creates a picturesque scene reminiscent of "colorful clouds under flying eaves, windows reflecting rosy hues." Tibetan-style watchtowers, borderma wall decorations, and trapezoidal windows are also applied to architectural details, preserving ethnic characteristics while showcasing a new era's style.
Hand-painted mural at Shangri-La Station representing ethnic unity. By Liu Xinlin
In terms of services, the station is committed to improving and optimizing its own services by providing Mandarin Chinese, Tibetan language, and English trilingual services. This better meets the needs of local multi-ethnic populations and provides better service to passengers passing through.
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(Editors: Rachel, Amy)
