Fly over newly-opened Lijiang-Shangri-La railway

KUNMING, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- A railway linking the cities of Lijiang and Shangri-la, two well-known tourist destinations in southwest China's Yunnan Province, opened to traffic on Sunday.

With the operation of the Lijiang-Shangri-la railway, the fastest travel time between the two cities will be 1 hour and 18 minutes.

The 139-km railway also connects Shangri-la, in the Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, to the provincial capital Kunming.

The new line will help improve transportation in ethnic minority areas, which will promote national unity, consolidate border stability, and promote Yunnan's high-quality development.

This aerial photo taken on Nov. 26, 2023 shows a train running along the Lijiang-Shangri-la railway in southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Xinhua/Xing Guangli)

This aerial photo taken on Nov. 26, 2023 shows a train running along the Lijiang-Shangri-la railway in southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Xinhua/Hu Chao)

This aerial photo taken on Nov. 26, 2023 shows a train running on a major bridge along the Lijiang-Shangri-la railway in southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Xinhua/Hu Chao)

This aerial photo taken on Nov. 26, 2023 shows a train running on a major bridge along the Lijiang-Shangri-la railway in southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Xinhua/Xing Guangli)

This aerial photo taken on Nov. 26, 2023 shows a train running along the Lijiang-Shangri-la railway in southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Xinhua/Xing Guangli)

This aerial photo taken on Nov. 26, 2023 shows a train running along the Lijiang-Shangri-la railway in southwest China's Yunnan Province. (Xinhua/Hu Chao)

A train runs along the Lijiang-Shangri-la railway in southwest China's Yunnan Province, Nov. 26, 2023. (Xinhua/Hu Chao)

Attendees at the ceremony marking the opening of the Lijiang-Shangri-la railway show their commemorative train tickets in front of the Shangri-la railway station in Shangri-la, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Nov. 26, 2023. (Xinhua/Chen Xinbo)

Attendees holding commemorative train tickets pose for a group photo at the ceremony marking the opening of the Lijiang-Shangri-la railway at a square in front of the Shangri-la railway station in Shangri-la, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Nov. 26, 2023. (Xinhua/Chen Xinbo)

Passengers show their commemorative train tickets on the first passenger train running on the Lijiang-Shangri-la railway, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Nov. 26, 2023. (Xinhua/Chen Xinbo)

Attendees pose for a group photo at the ceremony marking the opening of the Lijiang-Shangri-la railway in front of the Shangri-la railway station in Shangri-la, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Nov. 26, 2023. (Xinhua/Chen Xinbo)

Attendees pose for a photo at the ceremony marking the opening of the Lijiang-Shangri-la railway in front of the Shangri-la railway station in Shangri-la, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Nov. 26, 2023. (Xinhua/Chen Xinbo)

A passenger (L) asks conductors about souvenirs on the first passenger train running on the Lijiang-Shangri-la railway in southwest China's Yunnan Province, Nov. 26, 2023. (Xinhua/Chen Xinbo)

Passengers and staff members pose for a group photo with the first passenger train about to run on the Lijiang-Shangri-la railway in Shangri-la railway station in Shangri-la, southwest China's Yunnan Province, Nov. 26, 2023. (Xinhua/Chen Xinbo)