Tibet Train Trip FAQs

Taking a train to Tibet may be one of the most exciting and brave decisions for you in your entire life. So, it is for sure that you will have many questions to ask about the Tibet train tour. Here we have compiled some frequently asked questions from our customers along with the most useful answers for you to check.

1. A Tibet train tour is a good choice or not?

For tourists who are in a good healthy condition, traveling by Tibet train is absolutely a great choice for them to enjoy the splendid scenery along the railway. Passengers need to spend 40 - 50 hours on the train and the life on a Tibet train is not easy. But all tourists will have enough time to see different views out of the window on the high plateau and chat with other tourists about their travel stories. And for budget tourists, taking a train to Tibet will be much cheaper than a flight ticket.

2. Which city is the best departure city to take the train to Tibet?

Currently, there are 7 departure stations in major cities of China running trains to Lhasa, including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Chongqing, Lanzhou and Xining. But those Tibet trains will make a stop in other cities like Xi’an, Wuhan, and etc. Tourists can also board the train to Tibet as long as they can purchase a ticket successfully. It also depends on your travel plan. If Beijing is your arriving city and you plan to stay there for a few days, then you can choose trains from Beijing to Lhasa. However, most Tibet travel agencies will recommend you to fly to Xining and then take the train from Xining to Lhasa. Thus, tourists can spend less time on the train and enjoy the spectacular scenery along the Qinghai-Tibet Railway.

3. How far in advance to book a Tibet train ticket?

On www.12306.cn, the tickets for the Tibet train can only be booked 15 days in advance. And the train tickets to Tibet will be soon sold out, especially in peak season. So, in the peak season of Tibet tourism, the sooner you contact a Tibet travel agency, the bigger chance for you to book a Tibet train ticket successfully according to your travel schedule.

4. How to book the Tibet train ticket and how to get it?

It is possible for foreigners to book a train ticket on the official website of the China Railway Bureau (12306.cn). They can register an account with their passport number. But they need to have a Chinese registered phone number for verification and receiving confirmation code. If they don’t have an available phone number, they cannot get an account successfully. If they are in China, they can go to the train stations to purchase a Ticket train ticket. But they may be disappointed since the tickets to Tibet might have been sold out already. The most recommended way for foreign tourists to get a Tibet train ticket is to contact a Tibet travel agency in advance. Tibet Tourism will try its best to make sure that you can get the train tickets that match your travel schedule. We will inform you in time if we have booked a train ticket for you successfully. Once you are arriving in mainland China, we will send the Tibet train ticket to your hotel to make sure you can board your train.

Tibet Train

5. What train seats should I choose?

When purchasing a Tibet train ticket, tourists have three options to choose from, including hard seats, hard sleepers and soft sleepers. The hard seat is the cheapest among those choices. But it is also the most uncomfortable for foreign tourists to choose. Sitting on the seat for more than 40 hours is not a good option for passengers who want to have a better experience on the Tibet train. Hard sleeper is more comfortable than hard seat because you can at least lie down when you want to sleep. But there will be 6 people in one cabin, which means that it is less private and it will be crowded. The most recommended option for foreign travelers is soft sleeper. Even if it is the most expensive, they can be more comfortable on the train and enjoy the beautiful views outside of the window.

6. How to cope with the high altitude sickness on trains?

Taking a train to get to Tibet will allow you to acclimate the high altitude slowly. But when the train takes you to places that are above 4000m, many passengers will experience high altitude sickness. That’s why Tibet trains will provide oxygen supply systems to help passengers release their sickness. When the train reaches Golmud, oxygen will release into the cabins. Besides, passengers can also take advantage of the individual oxygen outlets near them to help them feel better. However, if you feel worse and worse, please turn to the attendants on the trains for help. It can be dangerous if you don’t cope with it wisely.

7. Are there electric outlets on the train to Tibet?

Yes, Tibet trains are equipped with electric outlets for passengers to recharge their cell phones, cameras and laptop computers. But you may need a voltage converter to make it match with your devices.

8. What kind of food the dining car provide on Tibet trains?

There are one dining car on the train to Tibet and tourists can get to it during meal time. In order to avoid enjoy your meal time, you can get to the dining car ahead of meal time or after meal time. You can get both Chinese and Western style food for breakfast. But for lunch and dinner, you can only get Chinese dishes. Besides, an attendant will travel from car to car to sell snacks, fruit, bottled water and boxed instant noodle. You can purchase some food from the attendant.

9. Is boiled water available on the Tibet train?

Yes, there is a hot water dispenser on each car and you can get boiled water for free on the train. It will work 24 hours every day to make sure passengers can get boiled water anytime.

10. Can I get off the train when the train stops at train stations?

Yes, you can get off the train while the train fully stops at train stations. The stop time varies at different train stations. You need to pay attention to the broadcast announcements and board the train in time. The train will depart on time and it will not wait for you. So, just do not walk too far to miss the train. Or you will purchase another train ticket to get to Tibet. And it will be troublesome to get your luggage back.