May 1984: With a total length of 845 kilometers, the 1st phase of Qinghai-Tibet Railway was open to traffic.

March 1993: At the first session of the Eighth National People's Congress, the Tibetan delegation proposed a motion for construction of the railway. The Central Government gave the proposal high priority and efforts were made to choose the best route from several candidates including Qinghai-Tibet, Yunnan-Tibet, Sichuan-Tibet and Gansu-Tibet Railways.

December 2000: The official project proposal of Qinghai-Tibet Railway was delivered to the State Council.

November 2000: Jiang Zemin, the former Chinese President urged to start the construction project of Qinghai-Tibet Railway as soon as possible.

February 8, 2001: At the regular meeting of the State Council, the Premier of the time Zhu Rongji said it was the best time for construction of the railway!

June 29, 2001: Opening ceremonies of construction of Qinghai-Tibet Railway were held in Golmud in Northwest China's Qinghai Province and in Lhasa of Tibet to mark the start of construction of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway. Full Text>>

May 2002: The high-tech world-class problem of frozen earth along Qinghai-Tibet Railway was solved by the scientific researchers.

September 2, 2002: An 800,000-Yuan oxygen production station was set up at a construction sub-headquarters in the Amdo area, which is 700 km from Golmud and some 400 km from Lhasa. It has state-of-the-art equipment to produce 20 cubic meters of oxygen per hour. Experts believe oxygen produced in 12 hours can satisfy the one-hour need of 2,000 builders on a daily basis.

September 26, 2002: Qinghai-Tibet Railway sucessfully entered Kunlun Mountain Tunnel.

January 17, 2003: The trial diesel locomotive especially designed and developed in China carried out its first pilot-run at Wangkun Railway Station with an elevation of 4,500 meters.

April, 2003: Frozen earth projects across the Tanggula Mountain begins and the construction of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway, known as the highest railway in the world, has entered a crucial period. Full Text>>

June, 2003: Archaeological working in Tibet sector during the Qinghai-Tibet Railway started. Archeologists have unearthed 37 groups of Tibetan relics along the Qinghai-Tibet Railway. The relics, including stoneware, tombs and military watchtowers, provided important clues for the study of ancient Tibetan culture. Full Text>>

July 5, 2003: Construction on a railway station began in Lhasa, capital of southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, ushering in full-swing work on the line linking Lhasa and Xining, capital of neighboring Qinghai Province. Full Text>>

August 24, 2003: The Qinghai-Tibet Railway, the highest of its kind under construction in the world, emerged from the Hoh Xil area, a harsh nature reserve on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Full Text>>

June 22, 2004: At about 11:30 a.m., two 25-meter-long rails were laid down at the Amdo Station, some 440 kilometers from Lhasa, at the foot of the Tanggula Range in Amdo County of Tibet. Full Text>>

May 13, 2005: The construction of the Lhasa River Bridge, a landmark project of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway, the highest railway in the world, was completed. Full Text>>

May 18, 2005: Qinghai-Tibet Railway entered Damxung County on May 18. Among the 1,142-kilometer Qinghai-Tibet Railway, China Railway 1st Bureau has completed 588 kilometers track-laying for Golmud-Amdo section while China Railway 11th Bureau has finished 290 kilometers for Amdo-Lhasa section. Full Text>>

August 24, 2005: The rail of Qinghai-Tibet Railway lays on the Tangula Mountain.

August 25, 2005: Lhasa Railway Station, a mark project of Qinghai-Tibet Railway finished its roof sealing. Full Text>>

October 15, 2005: The construction of the world's highest railway was completed. The Qinghai-Tibet Railway stretches 1,956 kilometers from Xining to Lhasa cities in western China. Full Text>>

October 15, 2005: Chinese President Hu Jintao hailed the completion of track-laying for Qinghai-Tibet Railway, the world's highest railway, in a letter to the builders. Full Text>>

December 10, 2005: A framework agreement signed between the Qinghai-Tibet Railway Corporation and the Rail Partners Inc. The two firms will set up a joint venture on operation of the tableland tour scheme. People are expected to view the beautiful scenery of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, dubbed "roof of the world", in luxurious train by 2007, according to this agreement. Full Text>>

March 1, 2006: China has started its first-ever railway cargo service to Tibet, four months ahead of launching a highly-economical passenger train trip along the world's highest railway line to the remote Himalayan region. Full Text>>

July 1, 2006: The entire line is due to start operations.

China Tibet Information Center