Railway Brings Trade, Tourism and Development to Yunnan

By Asian Development Bank

February 24^th, 2016

Yunnan Province is one of the most picturesque and unspoiled places in the People’s Republic of China. Its remote location and difficult terrain means that it is also one of the least developed.

云南省是中华人民共和国境内风景最美且未遭破坏的地区之一。但由于地处偏远内陆，地形复杂，它又是最不发达的省份之一。

The Three Pagodas of Chongsheng Temple, the symbol of Dali, Yunnan Province, PRC.

Dali-Lijiang Railway Project

In 2003, to reduce the province’s isolation and promote development, the West Yunnan Railway Company together with the Ministry of Railways and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) began construction of 167 kilometers of railways to connect the cities of Dali and Lijiang.

2003年，亚行与中国铁道部（MOR）及滇西铁路公司（WYRC）携手合作，启动建设大丽铁路项目，帮助云南省改善偏远落后的状况，促进经济发展。项目共修建铁路167公里，将大理和丽江相连接。

The exterior of Lijiang Railway Station.

Railway track near the Heqing Railway station.

This single-track railway follows the shortest overland route between Dali and Lijiang, Yunnan Province, PRC.

The railway opened in 2009 and now links the once remote areas of Dali and Lijiang to Kunming, the capital of Yunnan province, as well as to the major cities of Shanghai and Beijing.

自2009年开始商业化运营以来，该铁路使曾经偏远的大理和丽江与云南省会昆明、乃至上海和北京等主要城市相连接。

Passengers from Kunming arriving at the Dali Railway Station.

Passengers boarding a train at Dali Railway Station.

Train conductors at the Dali Railway Station.

A view of the Erhai Lake from the train on the Dali to Lijiang route.

Shuanglang, a small fishing village, has recently become a magnet for tourists seeking relaxation and recreation around Erhai Lake in Dali.

The Dali-Ligiang railway line passing through Shuanglang, a small fishing village on the eastern bank of Erhai Lake in Dali.

BOOST to TOURISM

The new railway has increased tourism in Dali and Lijiang, a UNESCO world heritage site, boosting the local economy and increasing the income of many local residents in the area.