The Video Of Train Passing Through Tunnels Is Not From India. It’s From China.

A train passing through tunnels near a river went viral on social media claiming it to be the railway line connecting Rishikesh and Karnaprayag. Sharing the video on Facebook, a user wrote that the video shows an Indian train from Rishikesh to Karnaprayag station.

Facebook Link | Archived Link.

However, as we investigated, we came to know that the claim was false. The video is not from India, but China. Here’s the fact check.

Fact Check 

We started our investigation by taking some screenshots from the viral video and conducting a reverse image search. This led us to a YouTube channel where a similar video was uploaded on 24 October 2024. The caption of the video reads, “Train passing through tunnels, which attracted many viewers, it’s in Cili County, Zhangjiajie, Hunan.”

Archived Link

Taking this clue, using relevant keywords we found a similar video on the official Facebook page of “People’s Daily, China“, a China state-controlled media. The caption of the video read, “The railway in Cili County, central China’s Hunan is an engineering marvel extending through the mountainous landscape, offering an awe-inspiring ride that reveals breathtaking vistas. #BeautifulChina”

Archived Link.

Another similar video was uploaded on “People’s Daily, China”, and according to the post, the video shows railway tunnels in Cili Country, Hunan Province of Central China.

Similar posts can be seen here, here and here.

A comparison between the screenshots from the viral video and the original video can be seen below.

According to reports, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that the first phase of the long-awaited Rishikesh-Karnaprayag rail project will be completed by the end of 2026. 

The Rishikesh-Karnaprayag rail line is still under construction. A YouTube video uploaded on 17 January 2025 on the official channel of the “Ministry of Railways-India” describing the progress of the project can be seen below.

This makes it clear that the viral video is not from India, but China.

Conclusion 

From our investigation, we can say that the claim is false. The viral video does not show the railway line from Rishikesh to Karnaprayag. The video is from the Cili Country of Hunan Province, China.