Impacts of the Qinghai–Tibet Railway on Accessibility and Economic Linkage of the Third Pole

摘要: Constructing the Qinghai–Tibet Railway (QTR) was a landmark project and beneficial to sustainable development of Third Pole. To understand remote regions by provision railway, we studied QTR’s impact on accessibilities economic linkages for four cities in Pole, Xining, Golmud, Nagqu, Lhasa, between these 29 capital mid-eastern China. First, employing average shortest travel time (ASTT) weighted (WATT) as indicators, calculated railway-based June 2006 January 2013. Then, using gravity model, were determined. The results demonstrate that: (i) ASTT Xining–Golmud decreased 4.14 h from Both WATT indicated that China improved significantly, spatial disparity accessibility decreased, which increased balance sustainability transportation system; (ii) contribution rate QTR improving six routes among 25.29%, with Xining–Nagqu Nagqu–Lhasa most significantly; (iii) strengthened cities. Because QTR, 27.58% average. interurban also decreased. Transporting products Tibet should be promoted strengthen growth.