During the past four years, the construction workers have dealt with various difficulties for this tunnel, including high seismic intensity as well as high geothermal and high hydraulic pressure, said Zhao Fan, a manager of the project department.

The successful construction of the tunnel will provide rich experience and technical guidance for the following construction of railways linking Sichuan province and Tibet autonomous region, as well as those linking Yunnan and Tibet, Zhao said.

The Dali-Lincang railway, with a length of 202 kilometers, is a key part of the international rail line linking China and Myanmar. It will require only three hours by train from Kunming, the capital city of Yunnan, to Lincang, after the railway is put into operation.