Written by Ivy Dong |
Train is a hotter choice for manyĀ domestic and foreign travelers planning a Tibet tourĀ compared with plane.Ā It brings youĀ the untouched Kunlun Mountain, Hoh Xil Mountain, Tanggula Mountain,Ā and Nianqing Tanggula MountainĀ above 5000m, and reach the roof of the world.Ā With its slow-travel ambiance, this world-class rail ride appeals to adventurers and eco-conscious people because of its breathtaking landscapes and vistas, which are unmatched anywhere else on Earth.
Why Travel to Tibet by Train
What is the allure of the Tibet train travel? Spanning from the different cultural cities, through diverse landscapes and distinctive towns & villages, to the Tibet PlateauĀ and Lhasa, the holy city, the train to Tibet is truly one-of-a-kind experience.
The Most Scenic Route
A Tibet trainĀ journeyĀ basks in the abundant typical views of Chinese northwest region and west highland. A plane travel just takes a few hours to get you to Lhasa, leaving little time and opportunity to truly enjoy the stunning countryside. In contrast, a train trip takes 20 to 40 hours to take you through the breathtaking sight views of vast northwest and west regions of great China. Riding a train from a bustling inland city to the vast expanse of Chinese west region is itself an amazing journey.
A lower Cost
A Tibet trainĀ travelĀ is cheaper than a trip by flight. Tours to TibetĀ usually take up more budget due to its long line journey, higher cost and relatively meager resources, the space allowing lower budget on transportation by train thus would be a thing worthy travelerās favor.
Better Acclimatize to High Altitude
Trains move more slowly as they ascend from the beginning plain to the Qinghai-Tibet highland.Ā Thus, there is a lower chance of experiencing altitude sickness, making trains a more benign mode of transportation to Tibet.
Qinghai-Tibet Railway
Tibet train travel with the Xining to Lhasa trainĀ on the Qinghai-Tibet Railway undertakes the largestĀ foreignĀ tourist volume from inland to TibetĀ highland at present. Hailed as a wonder of human wisdom, it has firstly built a great connection between Lhasa and inland and has opened a great travel channel covering many beautiful cities from northwest China to the west highland Lhasa, for the travelers holding interestĀ and passion for the holy land.
It starts from Xining of Qinghai Province and ends at the Lhasa of Tibet Region, havingĀ 45 train stations, containing lots of attraction sites along its track for 1142 kilometers. More than three fourth rails of Tibet Railway maintain the altitude more than 4000 kilometers and 550 kilometersāĀ frozen earth.
The 10 Main Stations on Qinghai-Tibet Railway
Stations |
Mileage (km) |
Xining |
Departure Station |
Qinghai Lake |
133 |
Wulan |
406 |
Golmud |
830 |
Hoh Xil |
1072 |
Tanggula |
1421 |
Naqu |
1650 |
Damxung |
1808 |
Yangbajain |
1881 |
Lhasa |
1956 |
Tibet Train Travel from Xining, Beijing, Chengdu, Shanghai,Ā and Other Cities
The direct trains heading to Lhasa at present take their starting stops from Xining, Beijing, Chengdu, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chongqing and Lanzhou. And cities, such as Xian, Lanzhou, Xining and Chengdu are the hot stops they pass by.
If you are planning a trip to Tibet by train from the above cities, make sure you get the information from our Beijing-Lhasa Train travel guide, Chongqing-Lhasa Train Travel Guide, Lanzhou-Lhasa Train Travel Guide, Guangzhou-Lhasa Train Travel Guide, Chengdu-Lhasa Train Travel Guide, and Shanghai-Lhasa Train Travel Guide.
The Main Tibet Trains
Train Z232/Z917/Z21/Z165/6811
The Z164/Z165 departs from LanzhouĀ to Lhasa via Xining, Delingha, Golmud, Amdo, Nagqu, Lhasa.. The 2,614-kmĀ trip takes 24hours and 30Ā minutes.Ā The cost of the ticket is 240Ā yuan for a hard seat, 552Ā yuan for a hard sleeper, and 823Ā yuan for a soft sleeper.
Train Z164/Z165
The Z164/Z165 departs from Shanghai to Lhasa via Suzhou, Wuxi, Nanjing, Bengbu, Xuzhou, Zhengzhou, Luoyang, Xi ‘an, Xianyang, Baoji, Lanzhou, Xining, Golmud, Amdo and Naqu. The 4,373-km trip takes 44 hours and 32 minutes.Ā The cost of the ticket is 402.5 yuan for a hard seat, 793.5 yuan for a hard sleeper, and 1,262.5 yuan for a soft sleeper.
Train Z223
The Z164/Z165 departs from ChongqingĀ to Lhasa via Chongqing North, Nanchong North, Guangyuan, Lanzhou, Delingha, Golmud, Nagqu. The 3,654-kmĀ trip takes 35.5Ā hours.Ā The cost of the ticket is 302.5 yuan for a hard seat, 627.5 yuan for a hard sleeper, and 997.5 yuan for a soft sleeper.
Train Z21
The Z21Ā departs from BeijingĀ to Lhasa via Shijiazhuang North, Taiyuan, Zhongwei, Lanzhou, Xining, Delingha, Golmud, Naqu. The 3,756-kmĀ trip takes 40hours40 minutes.Ā The cost of the ticket is 360Ā yuan for a hard seat, 720Ā yuan for a hard sleeper, andĀ 1144Ā yuan for a soft sleeper.
Train Z322
The Z322Ā departs from Chengdu to Lhasa via Deyang, Mianyang, Jiangyou, Guangyuan, Longnan, Minxian Weiyuan, Lanzhou, Xining, Delingha, Golmud, Nagqu. The 3,360-kmĀ trip takes 36Ā hoursĀ and 28 minutes.Ā The cost of the ticket is 302.5 yuan for a hard seat, 627.5 yuan for a hard sleeper, and 997.5 yuan for a soft sleeper.
Tips on Tibet Train Tickets Booking
The popularity of Tibet Train ToursĀ and for the connection of inland and Tibet leads to enormous demand for the train tickets. It is difficult, especially in the July to October, for the individual customers to buy a hard seat ticket, let alone a hard and even soft sleeper. However, a travel agencyĀ like Chinaxiantour would be an easier channel to get tickets for the travelers as they pay special attention and effort on the tickets booking.
