News on the Tibetan Qinghai Railway Linking Lhasa to Beijing
A look at Lhasa, the newly completed Tibet Qinghai Railway, Imperial Tours news, and cultural projects connected to Tibet and the Himalayas.
Dear Guy,
Lhasa, the capital of Tibet, is a beautiful and inspiring city. Visiting it, however, requires a compromise. Sue Trotter of Sterling Travel was somewhat bemused by this: “So you are saying that the food and accommodation are disappointing, altitude sickness is a concern, and yet Lhasa is a must-see destination?” Yes, that is what we are saying. Luxury travelers who prioritize cultural exploration will love Lhasa.
But why write about Lhasa now?
On October 15, about three weeks ago, the world’s highest train line, linking Beijing to Lhasa in a 48-hour train journey, was completed. This raises questions about how Lhasa will change and when luxury travelers should visit it — before the changes or after?
This newsletter looks at:
- Associate Professor David Germano’s Tibetan Himalayan Library Project
- Diego Azubel’s trek through the Himalayas
- An introduction to the new Tibet Qinghai Railway
Industry News
Aviation
A step towards peace — In a historic political development, Taiwan’s commercial planes were permitted to fly over China, marking an end to the no-fly policy imposed in 1949.
Despite increased fuel costs, China’s aviation market grew at 16%, twice the world average over the past year. As a result, four Chinese airlines recently agreed to purchase another 42 Boeing 787 jets.
To accommodate some of the new jets, Hong Kong and China signed a new air services agreement facilitating an immediate 57% capacity increase on all routes.
Market News
Trips abroad by mainland Chinese visitors increased by 10% in the first six months of this year. Foreign travel agencies and properties are starting to take notice of the growing purchasing power of the Chinese outbound market. Seeing its potential, Travel + Leisure launched its China edition.
Between 2003 and 2004, Americans visiting overseas markets increased by 12%, with China ranking as the fourth most popular overseas destination. More strikingly, travel to China grew by 72% over this period, making it the destination with the highest growth.
Events
The combination of Sino-US tourist ties can hardly be better represented than by the September opening of Disney’s Hong Kong theme park, attended by Chinese Vice-President Zeng Qinghong.
Macau is being strongly marketed these days. The former Portuguese colony — the only territory in China where gambling is permitted — is hosting the fourth East Asian Games this year. It is also being promoted as a gambling and golf destination by various international gambling and hotel companies.
Zhongdian, recently renamed Shangrila, is another Chinese destination receiving significant investment. Ben Wood, the architect behind Xintiandi projects in Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Chongqing, is the driving aesthetic force behind the renovation of its old town.
Health News
Travelers are concerned about Avian Flu. We recommend consulting websites run by the World Health Organization, the Centers for Disease Control, the US government, and the UK Department of Health.
- Bird flu was first identified in Italy in 1878.
- Bird flu does not normally affect humans.
- There have been no human infections of Bird Flu in China.
- The concern is the remote possibility that the virus develops into a form transmissible from human to human.
Hotel and Restaurant News
In tribute to Departures magazine’s China-dedicated issue, Imperial Tours provides comments on some of the hotels, restaurants, and bars mentioned in that edition.
Restaurants
RBL, Restaurant & Bar, Beijing. RBL is the latest Handel Lee project following Three on the Bund. We are disappointed by the restaurant but enjoy the bar’s live music.
Family Li Cuisine, Beijing. The owner claims to be the grandson of the head of the Imperial Bodyguard. It is a great story, but when we visited, the supposedly fresh Peking Duck pancakes were covered in mold.
Li Qun Roast Duck Restaurant, Beijing. On hygiene grounds, we would not recommend this hutong restaurant.
Le Quai, Beijing. This restaurant is popular with the hip crowd, foreign and Chinese. The food has declined since opening, and the decor is a strange mix of design concepts.
South Silk Road, Beijing. These restaurants offer decent, informal lunch venues, with one location on Qianhai Lake and another inside the SOHO office building.
Laris Restaurant, Shanghai. Laris can disappoint at lunchtime, but the evening fare is high quality and recommended.
Yong Foo Elite, Shanghai. A stylish mansion with a garden and curious antiquities, though we were disappointed by the quality of its food.
Ye Shanghai, Shanghai. Like Crystal Jade, this restaurant is part of a stylish East Asian restaurant group and offers good quality food in a unique environment.
TMSK, Shanghai. TMSK offers a fantastic dining venue, though the shortfall lies in the quality of its food.
T8, Shanghai. T8 offers good fusion food in Xintiandi, though in our opinion neither the food nor the venue compares to Jean-Georges, Laris, M on the Bund, or Sens and Bund.
Hotels
JW Marriott, Shanghai. The location has advantages, but the quality of the furniture and fittings disqualifies it from consideration among the city’s best hotels.
Fuchun Resort. Nestled in tea fields west of Hangzhou, Fuchun Resort is one of China’s early luxury destination resorts. Unfortunately, it is located too far on the wrong side of Hangzhou to be easily incorporated into a touring itinerary.
Hyatt Hotels, Lhasa. Hyatt Hotels are in preliminary talks to open a new five-star hotel in Lhasa. The project remains in its early stages.
Imperial Tours News
New Shopping Venues
Agnes Tamissier is a French jewelry designer we recently discovered in Beijing. She does not have a shop but sells her objects d’art from her home by appointment.
Younik is a new craft store in Shanghai, one of whose designers is responsible for jewelry for Dolce & Gabbana.
Tour News
Imperial Tours can now offer whitewater rafting near Lhasa for adventurous clients. One half-day trip visits Class II and III rapids. Another full-day trip features Class III and IV rapids.
Foodies should note our Culinary Tour, departing May 12, 2006. Visiting the four centers of Chinese cuisine, the tour includes lessons, lectures, and dining.
Company News
On November 23, Imperial Tours expands its forays into Chinese culture by sponsoring a philosophy lecture series in Beijing. Our first lecture looks at Zhuangzi, a disciple of Laozi.
We are excited to introduce two new tour directors: Jamie Greenbaum, who has a PhD in Chinese History, and Jordi Morell, a native speaker of both Spanish and English.
Odds N Ends
Retracing the Footsteps of Nain Singh: An Expedition by Diego Azubel
Our November 2004 newsletter introduced Diego Azubel’s second expedition, in which he recreated the trek of Nain Singh, a nineteenth-century Indian mapmaker, across 2,000 miles of the Himalayan mountain range.
He has now completed his second solo trek. He negotiated his way past Maoist guerrillas in the Nepali jungle, lost a chunk of his calf to a fierce mastiff guard dog in the Himalayas, suffered severe frostbite, and was laid up for four weeks with acute tendonitis. Despite it all, Diego returned to Beijing 34 pounds lighter than when he left.
The Tibetan Himalayan Digital Library
The University of Virginia is a world leader in Humanities Computing. David Germano, Associate Professor of Tibetan Studies based in Lhasa, is applying information technology to Tibetan studies in an attempt to contribute to Tibet’s development.
The Tibetan Himalayan Digital Library is a project in which he is engaged together with Tibet University and the Tibetan Academy of Social Sciences. As well as serving as an encyclopedic depository and publisher of Tibetan culture, the website aims to channel economic benefits to the Tibetan community.
Discovery: Tibet Qinghai Railway
This article is based on a lecture on October 26 by Li Guo Cheng of the China Academy of Sciences.
Since 1975, the Chinese government has been planning to link Lhasa to Beijing by train. In 1985, the first phase was completed with a 530-mile rail link from Golmud on the Tibetan border to Xining in Qinghai province. On October 15, 2005, the second phase was completed when tracks were laid between Golmud and Lhasa.
One of the primary motivations for this rail line is said to be tourism. The government projects 900,000 new tourist arrivals per year along the single-gauge railway line, with passenger service planned to begin in July 2006.
Tourists will travel on normal and luxury trains, with a top speed of 100 km/h. Like a jet airplane, the carriages will be sealed and pressurized. This is necessary because 80% of the US$3 billion rail line is at an elevation of over 13,000 feet.
The major technical challenge was permafrost. Around 340 miles of the recently laid track lie on a bed of melting ice. Chinese engineers are confident they have addressed this through various methods, including bridging the areas of permafrost most liable to melt.
Environmental protection has also been incorporated into the project. Migratory routes of species unique to the Tibetan Qinghai plateau, including the endangered Tibetan antelope, were studied and incorporated into the design of the track and its 34 stations.
What will this train line mean for Lhasa and Tibet? Goods in Lhasa may become cheaper, facilities may improve, tourism will likely increase, and the most famous tourist sites may become more crowded and more expensive. There may also be pressure to liberalize the current restrictive permit system in Tibet.
We hope you enjoyed this newsletter. As always, please write back with any feedback you would like us to incorporate.
With best regards,
Guy Rubin
Managing Partner, Imperial Tours