A railway linking the cities of Lijiang and Shangri-la, two well-known tourist destinations in southwest China's Yunnan Province, opened to traffic recently.

As an important part of Yunnan-Tibet railway network, 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, China Railway said.

Such a plateau railway navigates through a region marked by robust crustal tectonic activity, intricate topography, and complex geological conditions, earning it the title of a "geological museum."