A RAILWAY linking Nyingchi and Lhasa in the Tibet Autonomous Region is expected to open by the end of June. It is a section of a line that will eventually connect Sichuan Province and Tibet. The Lhasa-Nyingchi railway is 435 kilometers long, 75 percent of which are bridges and tunnels. It starts from Lhasa South Railway Station, travels along the Lhasa River, passes through Shannan City, Nang County, and Mainling County, spans over the Yarlung Zangbo River and finally reaches Nyingchi. The highest altitude along the railway is 5,136 meters above sea level. The railway will shorten the trip between Nyingchi and Lhasa from one day to three hours. In addition, it will treat you a visual feast on any kind of beautiful landscape that you can imagine: snow-capped mountains, rivers, lakes, villages, temples … Stop 1: Lhasa When people travel in Lhasa, the world-famous Potala Palace is always at the top of their must-visit list. The magnificent building, located at the altitude of 3,700 meters above sea level, is the highest “castle” in the world. The palace is composed of two parts, the Red Palace as the center and the White Palace as two wings. With a construction area of 130,000 square meters, it has 13 stories with more than 1,000 rooms. In terms of architecture, it is a palace holding ingenious Tibetan architecture with stone and wooden structures that have withstood centuries. Some people say that, as long as Barkhor Street is there, Lhasa is always the city it used to be. On this street, which is not very long, you will see the original Lhasa. Barkhor Street is a scenic spot in Tibet with the Jokhang Temple at its center. The Barkhor neighborhood is the site of the old city of Lhasa. Jokhang Temple, originally built in the 7th century, is a Buddhist temple. The temple is home to many historical relics and typical Tibetan architecture. It is widely considered to be one of the most sacred and important sites in Tibet. Buddhist pilgrims prostrate themselves in front of the temple every day. It was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2000. Stop 2: Konggar County Among Tibetans, there is an old song that goes: “Wonderland in the heaven, Yamdroktso on Earth; stars in the sky, cattle and sheep around the lake.” The Yamdroktso Lake is like a sapphire on the Shannan Plateau. In Tibetan, the Yamdroktso Lake means “lake of jade.” Mainly located in Nagarze County, Yamdroktso Lake has its middle section located between Nagarze County and Konggar County. The lake is one of the three holy lakes in Tibet, together with the Namtso Lake and the Mapam Yumco Lake. This 675-square-kilometer body of water is the largest inland lake on the northern slope of the Himalaya Mountains. Due to Yamdroktso’s mesmerizing natural scenery, it attracts numerous visitors every year. Stop 3: Tsetang Most people may not know that the first palace in the history of Tibet is Yongbulakang, which means “mother-son palace” in Tibetan. Located on the Zhaxiciri Hill in the southeast of Tsetang Subdistrict in Shannan, it’s also one of the most ancient establishments in Tibet. The palace enjoys a time-honored history of over 2,100 years. During the 7th century, Princess Wencheng always came to spend the summer here when she first came to Tibet. Later the fifth Dalai Lama expanded it and modified the palace into its current structure that serves as a temple. (Chen Xiaochun) | 