The local branch of the Tibetan Tourism Bureau said it doubts Shanghai will be part of the planned Qinghai-Tibet railway route.

Passenger trains will begin running along the route in July. They will set out from two cities - Beijing and Chengdu, to Lhasa, capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region.

Shanghai travelers will have to take a train to Xi'ning, a 22-hour trip, then switch to the Qinghai-Tibet railway from Xi'ning to Geermu City, Qinghai Province. The ride takes about 14 hours. From Geermu, the train will arrive at Lhasa in another 36 hours. Thus the entire Shanghai-Lhasa journey will take three days and nights in total.

(Shanghai Daily March 9, 2006)