The Qinghai-Tibet railway project is expected to go into trial run by July 1, 2006, Chinese Vice-Premier Zeng Peiyan said.
Zeng was attending a working conference on the project. The rail link will be completed by the end of the year.
Zeng urged builders to adhere to the principle of quality to make the project a good model that will be able to stand the test of the time.
He added that a comprehensive plan should be worked out for the future operation of the Qinghai-Tibet railway, which is sure to play a big role in promoting tourism in the region.
The Qinghai-Tibet rail connecting Xining, capital of Qinghai province, and Lhasa, the capital of Tibet autonomous region, covers 2,040 km.
The construction of the first phase of the railway project, between Xining and Gormud in Qinghai, began in 1958 and ended in 1984. In 2001, the building of the second phase for the remaining 1,142 km was launched.