By 2020, six main railway lines and some branches connecting Tibet Autonomous Region and Qinghai Province with other parts of China, are expected to be built and put into operation, thus enabling a closer economic and cultural exchange between Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and the whole nation.

According to Li Li, principal of Qinghai-Tibet Railway Company, tying with the Qinghai-Tibet Railway, the six forthcoming railways are: Xining to Zhangye of Lanzhou-Urumchi 2nd Double Line Rail, Golmud to Dunhuang, Kuerle and Chengdu and Lhasa to Xigaze and Nyingchi prefectures.

Construction of the 2nd Line of Xining-Golmud Section of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway is now in full swing and will be finished in 2012.

(eng.tibet.cn December 3, 2008)