Most locals seemed indifferent to a railway project currently under way to connect Shangri-La with the tourist paradise Lijiang city, which is equidistant between Kunming, the provincial capital, and Shangri-La and will link the two larger cities. However, those who have taken an interest in the 139-km-long line expect to see plenty of changes.

The journey between Kunming and Shangri-La can take as long as 12 to 14 hours by bus, even in light traffic. Flying is an option, but few locals can afford it. That means the extension to the railway is likely to become the favored choice of travelers, for reasons of safety and cost.

The new railway will cost 9.2 billion yuan ($1.5 billion). Half of the money was provided by the central and provincial governments and the other half was raised through bank loans.