An expressway opened Sunday linking Lhasa and Nyingchi, the two major cities and tourist attractions in Tibet Autonomous Region.
The 409-km toll-free expressway cuts Lhasa- Nyingchi travel time from eight to five hours at a speed limit of 80 km per hour. The construction cost 38 billion yuan (5.8 billion U.S. dollars), according to the local government.
Heavy trucks are temporarily banned from using the expressway.