Tibet to launch two more tourism trains

Two new tourism trains will start operating in the Tibet autonomous region from July 1, the Tibet Tourism Development Commission said.

One of the new trains, Z68112/2, will run between Xining, capital of Qinghai province, and the start point of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway, and Tibet's second-biggest city, Xigaze. The other one, Z8808/7, will link Lhasa with Tibet's northern Nagqu city.

The region already has two trains targeted at tourists in operation since last July, both linking Lhasa and Xigaze.

Different from regular passenger trains, the tourism trains are decorated Tibetan style and provide unique ethnic catering and services, which let passengers and tourists to learn more about Tibetan culture and its beautiful sceneries, said Wang Songping, director of the region's Tourism Development Commission.

Wang said the trains have greatly promoted the region's tourism market, especially during the peak tourism season.

The 1,956-kilometer-long Qinghai-Tibet Railway opened in 2006, and extended to Xigaze in 2014.

"Tourism is Tibet's pillar industry, the regional government has been attaching great importance on tourism for many years, and the opening of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway has greatly propelled the region's overall development," said Dorje Tsedrup, deputy chairman of the regional government.

"The railway has efficiently solved the problem of the difficulties of going in and out of Tibet, and it has played a key role in promoting the region's social and economic development," said Tsedrup.