China opened the first railway to Tibet on saturday, celebrating China's strength and etnic harmony while critics have decried it as a threat to Tibet's culture and environment.
The trains will pass spectacular icy peaks on the Tibetan highlands, touching altitudes as high as 5,000 metres (16,400 feet) above sea level. Lhasa, which leaves many visitors gasping for breath, lies at about 3,650 metres (11,976 feet).
The railway, sometimes referred to as the "Sky Train'' in Chinese, is the world's highest, crossing mountain passes at speeds of 100 kph (60 mph).
To counter the harsh conditions, passengers will have pressurised cabins and the option of oxygen masks, and double-layer glass windows that cut harmful ultra-violet rays.
The 33.9 billion yuan (US$4.2 billion; euro3.3 billion) rail line, which took four years to build, links Tibet's capital of Lhasa to Golmud, a small city in Qinghai province already connected to China's vast rail network.
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