LHASA -- Drakmuk Railway Station, situated at an altitude of 4,721 meters on the Qinghai-Xizang Railway, began passenger services on Thursday, making it the highest-altitude passenger station along the railway line on "the roof of the world."

At around 11 am, more than 50 passengers boarded the Z9817 train bound for the regional capital Lhasa at the station in Drakmuk town, Amdo county, Nagchu city of the Xizang autonomous region, marking the station's opening.

Previously unattended, Drakmuk Railway Station has been upgraded to handle passenger services in response to growing travel demand and tourism development in the surrounding area, which features attractions like the Tanggula Range.

"The train cuts the trip to the county seat from over four hours by bus to just over two hours, offering a faster and safer option," said Champa, a local herder and one of the first passengers on the Z9817 train, adding that the ticket fare of 28.5 yuan (about $4) is much lower than the bus ticket cost of 70 yuan.

The station is expected to benefit more than 10,000 residents from 25 nearby villages, as well as tourists, boosting local catering and accommodation businesses, according to the China Railway Qinghai-Xizang Group Co., Ltd., the operator of the line.

In July 2006, the Qinghai-Xizang Railway linking Lhasa and Xining, capital of Qinghai province, went operational, ending Xizang's history of no railway access.