Currently, highways and air routes are the major transportation links between Tibet and the rest of China. Experts believe that the railway will promote economic development along the rail route and push the development of service and building industries in project areas. Su predicted that the railway will extend to Tibet's border within two years. A 564-km section of the railway will be inside Qinghai and the other 554km will lie in Tibet. In some parts of the railway, designers have set aside areas for building special passages for wild animals.
China plans to complete the project in six years.