Yanshiping Passenger Station, situated at a staggering altitude of 4,721 meters in Amdo county of the Xizang autonomous region, saw its first passenger train depart on Thursday.

Train Z9817 departed at 11 am with over 50 passengers, marking the station's official opening. The stop had been dormant since the Qinghai-Xizang Railway's launch in 2006.

Yanshiping Station is now the highest passenger station along the Qinghai-Xizang Railway. It follows the Tuotuo River and Budongquan stations along the railway's Golmud-Lhasa section.

Cheng Zengguang, deputy section chief of Golmud operations with China Railway Qinghai-Xizang Group, said that the station hadn't operated due to underdeveloped infrastructure and minimal demand.

Yanshiping township was recently designated a "characteristic town" of Xizang, paving the way for a transformation. Improvements to local infrastructure, coupled with the rise of tourist attractions, created a pressing need for passenger services, according to Cheng.

Following six months of renovations and facility upgrades, Yanshiping Station now integrates seamlessly into the Xining-Lhasa schedules.

"This contributes not only to the development of plateau tourism but also to the quality of life for approximately 10,000 residents in the surrounding area by improving access to healthcare, education, and employment," said Cheng.

Dekyi Drolkar, a local and one of the first passengers to use the service, said traveling is now much easier. What used to cost 140 yuan ($19) and 12 hours by car now takes just 4 hours by train for 57 yuan.