On November 28, the Qingbaijiangdong-Zhenjiangguan section of the Sichuan-Qinghai Railway, stretching from Chengdu to Xining, officially commenced operations. This marks the opening of the first railway in the northwest plateau of Sichuan, ending the historical lack of railway access for the Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture.
The Sichuan-Qinghai Railway starts from Chengdudong Railway Station, and connects to Xining Railway Station, with a total mainline length of approximately 836 kilometers and a designed maximum speed of 200 kilometers per hour, serving as a national Class I double-track railway. The Qingbaijiangdong-Zhenjiangguan section, with a mainline length of 206 kilometers, enables a fastest travel time of 18 minutes from Chengdudong Railway Station to Sanxingdui Railway Station and 86 minutes to Zhenjiangguan Railway Station. The route passes through tourist attractions such as Sanxingdui, the Ancient Qiang City of China, and Mounigou Valley, providing robust support for the development of tourism and other industries along the route.
The Qingbaijiangdong-Zhenjiangguan section of the Sichuan-Qinghai Railway is located in a mountainous canyon transitional zone from the Chengdu Plain to the eastern edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The geological conditions along the route are complex, presenting significant construction challenges. The project, which began in 2011, involved the construction of 33 bridges and 10 tunnels, which have been completed by constructors to ensure the project was completed on schedule.
