shanghai to Calcutta by land

lightning · Jun 17th, 2004, 14:42

I hear ya too Vasko,

sigh... what you say is true...

what can we do...

the railway as you say is certainly not being made with any benefit for Tibetans in mind, but thinking from the dissempowered minority viewpoint of the Tibetans it may have beneficial side-effects for them.

The overal impression here is of a stalemate of aspirations with everyone just having to get on regardless. What is interesting is that both sides share an interrest in preseving the taditional culture now. Noone is going to visit Lhasa to see the new Chinese shopping mall! there is a bizzare inter-dependence emerging where the tibetans are valued as performing bears.

I still say come and visit by whatever means and see for yourselves. lhasa is a fairly opulent modern city with a special extra vibe, -not dissimilar to New York.

-L

vistet · Jun 19th, 2004, 16:02

Phayul quotes a official chinese newsstory , saying that the longest tunnel , 80 kms from Lhasa , at 4200 meters , just have been finished.
Story & comments here

vistet · Apr 14th, 2005, 17:38

A Xinhua story yesterday announced that the tracks should be finnished by the end of the year and "trial operations" should start July 1st.

Wocca · Apr 14th, 2005, 18:18

I live in Kunming. There are tours available to Lhasa. You may have to consider getting on a tour in order to get a group visa for Tibet. I have travelled overland from Kathmandu to Lhasa by car. It's possible to do it in the opposite direction.

Good luck

Vasko · Oct 17th, 2005, 19:47

Just to follow up on this thread: the railway line between Golmud (China) and Lhasa is finally finished. The last bit of track was laid down ceremoniously the other day.

The line should be open to the public sometime next summer. China are expecting a massive boost in tourism to Tibet. Tibetans fear the extinction of their culture. Sigh.

See here for more

vistet · Oct 19th, 2005, 12:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vasko

J
The line should be open to the public sometime next summer.

Latest issue of Tibetan Review says re timeschedule :

Quote:

The final tracks to Lhasa will be laid by Oct 2005, which will be followed by a test ride in by Jul 2006. ...slated to be fully operational by mid 2007

(Uninformed guess : the big delay between completion and test runs is made to test the track once the thawing effect have shown themselves)

Chinese TAR authorities cite breaking the back of transportation costs as a key to developing the region. Singapore paper Lianhe Zaobao quotes TAR official Xu Jianchang mentioning the export of Tibets " magical water" (mineral) as an export opprtunity. As a bitter ironic twist an official of the Jokhang monastery , Nyima Tsering, at the same time mentions that the water of the Lhasa River , the not-so-happy-anymore Kyi Chu (Kyi means happy in Tibetan) , is no longer drinkable because of the railway and other development projects.

Vasko · Oct 19th, 2005, 13:55

Hi vistet,

I guess it is a bit optimistic to think it would be fully up and running by next summer. I heard it on the news but who knows?

Well, that gives me more time to save money for the (possible) journey and ponder the moral issues related to using this track...

Jun 19th, 2004, 16:02	#17
vistet Maha Guru Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Umeå , Sweden Posts: 1,820	Longest tunnel finished Phayul quotes a official chinese newsstory , saying that the longest tunnel , 80 kms from Lhasa , at 4200 meters , just have been finished. Story & comments here

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Jun 17th, 2004, 14:42	#16
lightning wanderer Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Karnataka Posts: 103	I hear ya too Vasko, sigh... what you say is true... what can we do... the railway as you say is certainly not being made with any benefit for Tibetans in mind, but thinking from the dissempowered minority viewpoint of the Tibetans it may have beneficial side-effects for them. The overal impression here is of a stalemate of aspirations with everyone just having to get on regardless. What is interesting is that both sides share an interrest in preseving the taditional culture now. Noone is going to visit Lhasa to see the new Chinese shopping mall! there is a bizzare inter-dependence emerging where the tibetans are valued as performing bears. I still say come and visit by whatever means and see for yourselves. lhasa is a fairly opulent modern city with a special extra vibe, -not dissimilar to New York. -L

Apr 14th, 2005, 17:38	#18
vistet Maha Guru Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Umeå , Sweden Posts: 1,820	A Xinhua story yesterday announced that the tracks should be finnished by the end of the year and "trial operations" should start July 1st.

Apr 14th, 2005, 18:18	#19
Wocca Ephemeral Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: In Transit Posts: 103	I live in Kunming. There are tours available to Lhasa. You may have to consider getting on a tour in order to get a group visa for Tibet. I have travelled overland from Kathmandu to Lhasa by car. It's possible to do it in the opposite direction. Good luck

Oct 17th, 2005, 19:47	#20
Vasko Non-speaker fruit-eater Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: State of Contemplation Posts: 498	Just to follow up on this thread: the railway line between Golmud (China) and Lhasa is finally finished. The last bit of track was laid down ceremoniously the other day. The line should be open to the public sometime next summer. China are expecting a massive boost in tourism to Tibet. Tibetans fear the extinction of their culture. Sigh. See here for more

Oct 19th, 2005, 13:55	#22
Vasko Non-speaker fruit-eater Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: State of Contemplation Posts: 498	Hi vistet, I guess it is a bit optimistic to think it would be fully up and running by next summer. I heard it on the news but who knows? Well, that gives me more time to save money for the (possible) journey and ponder the moral issues related to using this track...

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