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According to the in situ measured data of the air temperature and ground temperature inside of Kunlun mountain tunnel on Qing–Tibet railway, China, the thawed extent of the permafrost surrounding the tunnel is very large, caused by the latent heat of the cast in situ concrete lining insulation during excavation in winter and other artificial activities. In this paper, taking the coupled effects of moisture transfer and heat conduction into account, a finite element formula of this problem is derived from the governing differential equations with phase change and moisture transfer equations using Galerkin''s solution. Using the computer program, predictions for the refreezing of Kunlun mountain permafrost tunnel are made. The analysis results show that the vault of Kunlun mountain tunnel would have been refrozen by 31 March 2004, the arch bottom by 30 September 2004 and the total tunnel by 30 September 2005, without insulation material. On the other hand, if the tunnel is fitted with insulation material, whose thermal conductivity is equal to 0.03 W/m.K and thickness of 0.05 m, the vault of Kunlun mountain tunnel would have been refrozen by 31 March 2004, the arch bottom by 31 December 2004, the left wall by 31 March 2006, and the right wall by 30 September 2006. Thus, insulation material will delay the refreezing of Kunlun mountain permafrost tunnel. The thawed extent of the permafrost surrounding the tunnel in cold regions caused by construction must be considered, and the time of the field observation should be extended, or observational results, such as their temperature and stress field, will greatly be different from results in stability. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]