Q & A:Tibet Train Travel
- Is it easy to purchase a train ticket to Lhasa now?
- Purchase Tibet train tickets & Tibet entry permit
- Could you please give me some information on train conditions?
- How long in advance can I purchase train ticket to Lhasa?
- Where can I take a train to Lhasa?
- I have heard that there are nine scenery-view platforms along the way. What are they and how long does each place stay?
- How long it will take to travel to Lhasa by train?
- I have been told that it is difficult to get sleeper cars on the train to Tibet. Is this correct?
- How many tickets can I buy one time?
- Do I need a heath report when I travel by train to Tibet?
- Where will the train depart from in Beijing? How long is the train journey from Beijing to Lhasa?
- Can the staff on the train speak some English?
1.Is it easy to purchase a train ticket to Lhasa now? - Top
The popularity of train travel to Tibet has resulted in the huge demand for train tickets among visitors. It's very difficult for individual travelers to get a ticket on their own. Reliable travel agencies can not guarantee successful booking. Chinahighlights recommends you fly into Tibet and return by a train.
2.Purchase Tibet train tickets & Tibet entry permit - Top
DIY China Tours will purchase train tickets and arrange Tibet entry permits for customers who purchase a Tibet Tour package. Those services are only availabale when you book a Tibet tour through us.
3.Could you please give me some information on train conditions? - Top
Trains to Tibet are specially equipped for highland traveling. Each car is equipped with an oxygen-supply system to maintain the air pressure at a suitable level. Each seat will be equipped with an oxygen mask which can be used by individual passengers if needed.
All railway cars are equipped with double-layer glass which is covered with anti-ultraviolet radiation film.
Trains from all destinations including Beijing, Chengdu and elsewhere will be fitted with the equipment to ensure oxygen supply from Golmud.
4.How long in advance can I purchase train ticket to Lhasa? - Top
Train tickets to Lhasa begin to sell 10 days in advance.
5.Where can I take a train to Lhasa? - Top
There are currently five train services to Lhasa from Beijing, Xining/Lanzhou and Chongqing/Chengdu,Guangzhou and Shanghai.
6.I have heard that there are nine scenery-view platforms along the way. What are they and how long does each place stay? - Top
There are 45 stations along the 1972 km long Qinghai-Tibet railway from Xining to Lhasa and every station has unique scenery. To provide travelers better opportunity to enjoy the stunningly beautiful scenery on that way, scenery-viewing platforms have been set up at nine stations, which includes: Yuzhu Peak Station, Chumaer River,Tuotuo River, Buqiangge, Tanggula Mountain, Lake Namtso, Nagqu, Damshung, Yambajan. The train will stay for around 15 minutes in each station.
7.How long it will take to travel to Lhasa by train? - Top
Beijing West-Lhasa: around 48 hours
Xining-Lhasa: about 27 hours
Lanzhou-Lhasa: 30 hours
Chongqing-Lhasa: 47 hours
Chengdu-Lhasa: 50 hours
8.I have been told that it is difficult to get sleeper cars on the train to Tibet. Is this correct? - Top
DIY China Tours recommends that all our customers book a soft sleeper for all train travel. The popularity of the train service to Tibet does mean that confirmed tickets are difficult to obtain and we will not know until a few days before travel if our requests have been filled. We also recommend that couples book a 2-berth soft sleeper. We cannot guarantee that groups will be able to be kept together in 4-berth cabins. Ticket allocation is at the complete discretion of the train operators.
9.How many tickets can I buy one time? - Top
Every passenger can only purchase at most two berth tickets or three seat tickets once.
10.Do I need a heath report when I travel by train to Tibet? - Top
All travelers are required to complete a heath report on the train to Tibet.
11.Where will the train depart from in Beijing? How long is the train journey from Beijing to Lhasa? - Top
The train will depart from the Beijing West Railway Station and the journey takes about 48 hours.
12.Can the staff on the train speak some English? - Top
Yes, unlike staff on trains on other routes, whose English is very limited, staff on trains running on the Qinghai-Tibet railway can all speak some English. Simple communication is ok
