| Since July 2006 after the opening route of the | | | | supply for each passenger to prevent the altitude |
| Qingzang Railway between Golmud to Lhasa in Tibet, | | | | sickness. UV-protection systems make the journey |
| the Peruvian Orient Express is not the highest | | | | even more pleasant. There are a couple of options to |
| passenger train in the world anymore. The railway line | | | | be accommodated on the train. You can choose to |
| to the Lake Titicaca in Peru crosses a pass at 4,330 | | | | stay in soft sleeper beds cabin which are designed |
| meters at its highest point, La Raya. The new | | | | for business men from commercial cities of China and |
| Tibetan train crosses the Tangula Pass at 5,072 | | | | tourists from all over the world or to experience the |
| meters above sea level and thus has become the | | | | hard sleeper beds and thus travel with Chinese and |
| world's highest rail track. | | | | Tibetan locals. The last option is a complete |
| The train, also known as "Sky Train", connects Lhasa | | | | immersion into the Chinese customs and way of life. |
| with major Chinese cities such as Beijing, Shangai, | | | | On the last section from Golmud to Lhasa, you can |
| Guangzhou, Chengdu, Xining, Xian and Lanzhou. The | | | | expect to travel with yak herdsmen on hard sleeper |
| journey from Beijing to Lhasa lasts 48 hours and runs | | | | cabins. |
| every day. | | | | A restaurant is available on board and provides wider |
| On the 1st of July 2006, The Republic People of | | | | selections of delicious Chinese cuisine. It is a real |
| China President, Hu Jintao, inaugurated the section | | | | delight to discover and taste the local food while |
| between Golmud and Lhasa. The main purpose of | | | | enjoying the Tibetan landscapes. It is highly |
| this railway is to accelerate the economic growth of | | | | recommended to bring a Chinese phrasebook as the |
| the autonomous region of Tibet. Transportation of | | | | train crews don't speak English. |
| goods is expected to grow significantly over the 10 | | | | It is a captivating journey which gives you a glimpse |
| years and will lead Tibet to a new era. Tourism is a | | | | of Chinese countryside composed essentially of flat |
| crucial aspect for the development of Tibet. It is now | | | | cultivated land, brown hill and riverside valleys. You |
| possible to travel through Tibet without facing the | | | | can witness extraordinary scenes of rural life as you |
| long overland journeys. | | | | cross Mainland China. The scenery changes |
| Statistics speak by themselves concerning this luxury | | | | completely as you get closer to Tibet. The train goes |
| train traveling through the rooftop of the world. With | | | | up on the Tibetan plateau and reaches its average |
| an average of 4000 meters high, the 1,142 km | | | | altitude of 4000 meters high after passing Golmud. |
| railway from Golmud to Lhasa is an exceptional | | | | The green hills are replaced by huge mountain range |
| accomplishment of Chinese engineers. It required | | | | with 7000 meters peaks dominating the entire |
| hundreds of thousands of workers to lay the track | | | | landscape. The polluted industrial Chinese cities |
| across the Tibetan plateau under harsh conditions. | | | | disappear to let you discover the purity of Tibet. |
| The railway includes 44 stations, 675 bridges and the | | | | Nomadic settlements, ancient monasteries, high |
| highest rail tunnel in the world located at 4,905m | | | | mountain passes, turquoise Lakes and deserts will |
| (Fenghuoshan tunnel). In 2001, an earthquake of 8.2 | | | | fascinate and conquer your imagination. You will |
| Richter scale warned engineers of possible risks and | | | | encounter Yaks herds, itinerant Tibetans, wild |
| challenges. Nevertheless, engineers stuck to their | | | | donkeys and horses while going through the Tibetan |
| missions and eventually five years of great work and | | | | grassland. |
| $3.68 billion triumphed over this great challenge. | | | | After 48 hours of a fantastic trip, you arrive at the |
| Building the railway through the Tibetan Kunkun range | | | | train station of Lhasa which is located 45 minutes |
| of mountains was a huge challenge due to the | | | | away of the town itself. Your next adventure will be |
| presence of permafrost at such altitude. About | | | | to discover the highlights of the Tibetan capital |
| 600km of the railway was built on this unstable | | | | including the Potala Palace, home of the Dalai Lamas, |
| ground and implied to the Chinese engineers to come | | | | the Norbulingka monastery, the Jokhang temple and |
| up with a long lasting and safe solutions. It was | | | | the Barkhor Market. |
| thought to be impossible... | | | | Traveling on the Sky train is the most enjoyable way |
| The skepticism of the international geological | | | | to reach Lhasa from mainland China. But the visit of |
| community didn't slow down the Chinese | | | | Tibet is not complete until you get a bit more |
| expectations to come up with a long term solution. | | | | adventurous and drive through the Tibetan plateau |
| They developed a technique that elevates the track | | | | by 4WD land cruiser. Exploring typical Tibetan cities |
| with strong foundations sunk into the ground and | | | | such as Shigatse, Gyantse and Lhatse while driving |
| that injects liquid nitrogen into pipes in order to keep | | | | towards Nepal are a must-do experience. Tibet has a |
| the rail bed constantly frozen. Nevertheless, the | | | | lot to offer and a trip on the roof of the world will |
| international community remains frightened due to | | | | convince you that Tibet is the most accessible land |
| global warming and many fear to see the railway | | | | despite of its location. |
| collapse within 10 years. | | | | When to go |
| Tibet is a land of extraordinary environmental | | | | The best time to go on this tour is from April to |
| diversity and the impact of the train is a tremendous | | | | November in order to avoid the cold winter season. |
| concern for the Chinese authority. More than $192 | | | | Despite the high altitude of the Tibetan Plateau, the |
| million have been granted for environment protection. | | | | daytime temperatures are actually quite mild. |
| Many endangered species such as the Tibetan | | | | Between April and November the average |
| antelopes are vulnerable to the brutal modification of | | | | temperature ranges form 15-25 degrees Celsius and |
| their habitat. In order to avoid such trouble and to let | | | | the skies are generally clear and blue. From July to |
| them cross the railway, 33 overpasses were | | | | August though there can be the odd shower during |
| constructed at various locations along the route. | | | | the day, the nights, however, can be very cold and |
| The train is specially built to face the difficult | | | | temperatures can drop below 0 degrees Celsius. |
| environment of high altitude and provide oxygen | | | | |