China National Highway 109

National Highway 109
109国道
Route information
Part of AH42
Length	3,901 km (2,424 mi)
Major junctions
From	Beijing
To	Lhasa
Location
Country	China
Highway system
National Trunk Highway System Primary Auxiliary
← G108 → G110

China National Highway 109 connects Beijing with Lhasa. It runs westwards from Beijing via Datong, Yinchuan and Xining to Golmud before turning southwest to Lhasa. The portion of the highway from Xining to Lhasa is known as the Qinghai-Tibet Highway. The total length of the route is 3,901 km.

Fushi Road or Jinglan Road forms the stretch of G109 in Beijing, as it begins from Fuchengmen and traverses through Shijingshan. The majority of the Beijing section is in Mentougou District.

The section of the highway within western Qinghai and Tibet, from Golmud to Lhasa, is paralleled by the Qinghai-Tibet Railway. The highway reaches its highest elevation of 5,231 meters (17,162 ft) at Tanggula Pass. Construction of this section started on 11 May 1954.

"Tasked with carrying upwards of 85 per cent of goods in and out of Tibet, the Qinghai-Tibet Highway has been dubbed the "Lifeline of Tibet." ... Since it was opened to traffic in 1954, the central government has spent nearly 3 billion yuan (US$362 million) on three major overhauls. It was asphalted in 1985."

The route also holds importance as one of the main coal transport routes in southern Inner Mongolia.

Route and distance

The Dongfanghong Tunnel in Mentougou District, Beijing

G109 in Qinghai

G109 to the north of Lhasa.

Route and distance

City Distance (km) Elevation(m) Beijing 0 100 Yangyuan, Hebei 292 900 Datong, Shanxi 375 1100 Zuoyun, Shanxi 432 1200 Youyu, Shanxi 456 1300 Qingshuihe, Inner Mongolia 567 1100 Dongsheng, Inner Mongolia 794 1300 Shizuishan, Ningxia 1142 1100 Huinong, Ningxia 1157 1100 Pingluo, Ningxia 1187 1100 Helan County, Ningxia 1235 1100 Yinchuan, Ningxia 1249 1100 Yongning County, Ningxia 1269 1100 Qingtongxia, Ningxia 1303 1100 Zhongning, Ningxia 1382 1100 Jingyuan County, Gansu 1597 1300 Baiyin, Gansu 1663 1700 Gaolan, Gansu 1706 1600 Lanzhou, Gansu 1753 1500 Xigu District, Gansu 1782 1500 Minhe, Qinghai 1873 1700 Ledu District, Haidong, Qinghai 1920 1900 Ping'an District, Haidong, Qinghai 1948 2100 Xining, Qinghai 1984 2200 Huangyuan, Qinghai 2033 2600 Dulan, Qinghai 2407 3100 Golmud, Qinghai 2739 2600 Tanggula Pass, Tibet 5231 Amdo, Tibet 3435 4600 Nagqu, Tibet 3575 4400 Damxung, Tibet 3739 4200 Doilungdêqên District, Lhasa, Tibet 3889 3600 Chengguan District, Lhasa, Tibet 3901 3600

See also

• China National Highways
• AH42