A new direct air route has been launched, linking Lhasa, the capital city of Xizang Autonomous Region in China, and Pokhara, the second-largest city in Nepal.
On Monday, the maiden flight left Lhasa with 107 passengers on board. It is the second direct passenger air route from Lhasa to Nepal, with the other linking Lhasa to Kathmandu.
The air service is operated by Himalaya Airlines, with the outbound trip occurring on Monday and the return flight on Tuesday.
"I guess that will increase the tourism for both Lhasa and Pokhara, Nepal," said Umesh Budhathoki, a tourist.
The year 2025 marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Nepal.
As a new achievement in boosting the interconnectedness between China and Nepal under the Belt and Road Initiative, the inauguration of the Lhasa to Pokhara flight route is an important measure to enhance Xizang's high-level opening-up.
"The primary significance to launch the flight route between Lhasa and Pokhara is to set up an air bridge between people of China and Nepal. Next, we will continue deepening cooperation with other agencies, so as to jointly promote the construction of airline network among countries along the Belt and Road," said Huang Shan, marketing development assistant of Xizang Airport Group's aviation marketing department.
New direct air route links China's Lhasa, Nepal's Pokhara
New direct air route links China's Lhasa, Nepal's Pokhara
China ushered in a travel rush on Friday, the first day of the three-day Qingming Festival holiday, as millions of people either returned to their hometowns for traditional tomb-sweeping rituals or headed for other cities for spring outings.
The Qingming Festival, also known as the Tomb-Sweeping Day, is a traditional Chinese festival observed to honor ancestors by visiting their graves to clean the tombstones, offer sacrifices, and pay respects.
China's national railway system is expected to handle 19.85 million passenger trips on Friday, with 1,009 additional trains added to meet the surging demand.
From Thursday to Monday, the railway departments across various regions will implement a peak-period operational schedule, adding extra capacity on popular routes and during high-demand times to accommodate more travelers.
Many travelers opt for self-driving during the holiday, contributing to increased traffic on expressways.
It is predicted that about 62 million vehicle trips will be made on nationwide expressways on Friday, nearly 1.8 times the usual daily volume.
Domestic air travel is also seeing a significant uptick, with the number of domestic air passenger trips projected to reach 1.48 million on Friday, marking a 7 percent year-on-year rise.
To meet this heightened demand, around 12,000 domestic flights have been scheduled.
With the holiday underway, authorities are closely monitoring transportation networks to ensure safe and efficient travel for the millions of people on the move.
China ushers in travel rush on first day of Qingming Festival holiday
