Lijiang-Yulong sightseeing train begins trial operation in SW China

The first phase of the Lijiang-Yulong sightseeing train project is about 20.8 kilometers long, with a designed speed of 70 kilometers per hour. /CMG

A sightseeing rail began trial operation on Mondayfrom the Old Town of Lijiang, a popular tourist destination in southwest China's Yunnan Province, to the Yulong Snow Mountain.

The first phase of the project is about 20.8 kilometers long, with a designed speed of 70 kilometers per hour. It connects major tourist attractions and popular vista points along the way.

Aerial photo of the Old Town of Lijiang, Yunnan Province, southwest China, November 18, 2020. /CFP

The Old Town of Lijiang, the route's starting point, is a captivating destination away from the chaos of China's megacities. It is backed by pristine natural scenery and the unique beauty of Chinese architecture.

The night view of the Old Town of Lijiang, Yunnan Province, southwest China, February 9, 2019. /CFP

The end of the route, Yulong, is a snow-capped mountain located in the northwest of Lijiang City with the main peak towering 5,596 meters above sea level. There are 19 glaciers on the mountain, which was listed as a key national scenic spot in 1988.

The Yulong Snow Mountain, Yunnan Province, southwest China, July 5, 2022. /CFP

As Yunnan's most popular scenic spot, it is also known as China's best ice and snow cultural tourism scenic spot and the country's most popular tourist destination in 2018.

Blue Moon Valley at the foot of Yulong Snow Mountain, Yunnan Province, southwest China, July 5, 2022. /CFP

The railway project started in September 2020. During the construction, the project team overcame many difficulties, such as unfavorable geology, high-altitude construction, and protection of the fragile ecological environment of the snow-capped mountains. Despite the challenges, it completed the construction goals and tasks ahead of schedule.

Tourists can reach the Yulong Snow Mountain Scenic Area from the tourist distribution center in Lijiang in 20 minutes, which will effectively alleviate the problems of insufficient transportation capacity of existing roads in the scenic area, reduce exhaust emissions and protect the ecological environment.