Soon, you can board a bullet train to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Jiuzhai Valley National Park. China is launching a line to enhance connectivity to two of its UNESCO Sites! The Chengdu to Jiuzhai Valley bullet train will also improve travel to the UNESCO-enlisted Huanglong. The bullet train operates from Huanglong Jiuzhai Station to Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province of China, reducing the travel time to just 1 hour and 39 minutes.
Chengdu to Jiuzhai Valley bullet train: Key details
With the launch of a new railway section in southwest China, bullet trains began service on Friday, offering direct access to the UNESCO World Heritage Site Jiuzhai Valley. #XinhuaNews pic.twitter.com/iUvZ40BynC
— China Xinhua News (@XHNews) August 30, 2024
The new line is a part of the Chengdu-Xining Railway, spanning Sichuan and Qinghai provinces through 836 kilometres of rail track. It crosses the Sichuan-Tibet Plateau’s difficult and steep terrain as it rises significantly, from 2,503 metres at Zhenjiang Pass to 3,156 metres at Huangsheng Pass. The bullet train operates at the top speed of 200 km/hr and reaches the destination in 99 minutes.
Jiuzhai Valley National Park and Huanglong are popular global tourist sites due to their remarkable natural beauty and cultural value. These locations are now conveniently accessible by bullet train. Before the train’s launch, visitors would have had to choose between flying or taking the road, which was made difficult by the challenging terrain. The road journey took 6 hours, and flights faced frequent cancellations due to extreme weather conditions.
Jiuzhai Valley and Huanglong
Jiuzhai Valley, also known as Jiuzhaigou or Jiuzhai Valley National Park, means the ‘Nine Village Valley’. It is named after the nine Tibetan villages scattered throughout the national park. It is blessed with a magnificent landscape ranging from narrow conic karst landforms to breathtaking waterfalls. This rare biosphere is home to Sichuan golden monkeys, giant pandas and over 220 bird species.
Huanglong is famous for its Chinese glaciers, hot springs, the most pristine blue natural pools and lush forests. Huanglong translates to ‘Yellow Dragon’, and the valley’s travertine formations resemble a golden dragon from afar. The valley is the habitat of rare animals like the Sichuan golden snub-nosed monkey and giant panda.
(Feature image credit: Jiuzhai Valley)
This story first appeared here.
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Priyaja took her love for reading to the next level by majoring in English and minoring in Journalism at Lady Shri Ram College For Women (DU). She is extremely curious about the world and wishes to visit all the countries once in her life. She identifies as a foodie and loves to spend her free time exploring different cuisine and curating new dishes. As a former Food Writer at NDTV, she can help you find the best places to eat in Delhi!
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