The Qinghai-Tibet Railway

Railroad to the Sky:

Reaching a maximum altitude of just over 5,000m, the new Qinghai-Tibet railway passenger carriages pump oxygen inside compartments and have UV filters on the windows to cut the glare in the thin air.

The new track, which began operating on July 2, links Lhasa to the existing network of railroad tracks in China. Now passengers can depart Beijing by rail and arrive in Lhasa 48 hours later.

World's highest railroad:

• 960km tracks are above 4,000m
• highest point is Tanggula Mountain Pass at 16,630 feet (5,072m). This is 200m higher than the Peruvian railroad in the Andes, former title holder of the world's highest railroad.

Route:
The route links Lhasa with Golmud, Qinghai Province and existing rail network. See map.

Speed:

• Max 100km/hour on frozen earth
• Max 120km/hour on un-frozen earth

Passenger cost:

One way from Beijing to Lhasa

• $50 for hard seat
• $160 for soft-sleeper in 4-person compartment

Photos:
See photos courtesy of BBC.

(Complied from People's Daily Online, BBC Online and USA Today)