China Tibet Train Travel FAQs
We truly recommend that you’d better get the tickets 1-2 day prior to departure date at least, and don’t forget to bring your passport to the train station. If your schedule is too tight to get the tickets in advance, you must get the train tickets 2 hours in advance in case of emergency. Once our Tibet travel agency booked the train tickets, we will send you the ticketing reconfirmation codes with which you can get the tickets out from railway station ticketing hall. Meanwhile you will need to provide the Tibet permits photo copies when you ask for the train tickets, and when you travel on the train, the railway police may check your Tibet permits document.
Qinghai Tibet train tickets prices ranges from hard seats, hard sleeper to soft sleeper, 3 categories. And it depends on which city the train is from. Different starting station has different price. Once you send your confirmed Tibet tour schedule, we will help you arrange your train tickets.
Yes, you can book your train tickets to and from Tibet (Lhasa), but you need to know that China train ticket is difficult to book for foreigners, especially during the peak period of June to August. And the train tickets to and from Lhasa start selling 30-60 days before the departure date. The train ticketing schedule situation keeps changing always. If your schedule is flexible, you can try to wait for the tickets when it is available.
Our Tibet travel agency suggest you get to the departure point city train station around 2 hours before your departure hour and be sure you have the paper tickets in hand at least 2 hours before train leaves (we suggest our clients get tickets printed out days in advance). There are so many people waiting in line, so you may need some time to check into the train.
The train has a dining car with Chinese cuisines, instant noodles and some Tibetan dishes served. If you don’t want to eat there, a delivery cart which will serve dishes to every carriage may meet your requirements. The price will be a little expensive than usual.
Each carriage has water boiler; you can get the boiled water for free with your own bottles. So drinking water or hot water supply on Tibet train is available and you never need to worry. More over you’d better prepare some easy energy food for the long time train travel.
Experts declare that taking the train travel to Lhasa does not offer much help to against AMS (Altitude Mountain Sickness) because the train is special designed and pressurized to prevent altitude sickness toward passengers. Many Tibet tourists may have trouble sleeping on the train and feel exhausted after arrive in Lhasa, so normally we suggest our clients to spend at least 2 days in Lhasa before going to higher altitude attractions.
Electric outlets are available in the corridors of each carriages, you can charge there, but what you need to keep in mind that sockets and plugs used in China are A, C, and I.
You’d better consider to prepare some snacks and easy food; bottles for boiled water; flash light (Train lights turns off at 22:00); eyeshade and earplugs, and personal washing staff such as soap, towel, tooth brush and toothpaste, slippers, shavers and so on.
To buy Qinghai-Tibet train tickets, you need to email your valid passport photo copy to our Tibet travel agency and once the tickets are on sales (normally at least 30 to 60 days before train departure date), we will help you buy the train tickets. While to be able to get the paper tickets and board the train from mainland China to Tibet, you will need a valid physical passport, a Chinese visa and a Tibet Tourism Bureau (TTB) permit (original or photo copies). The original copy of TTB permit is needed when you board the train to Tibet from Chongqing, Xian and Lanzhou, however except for three cities, the printed photocopies of permits are fine for you to claim the train tickets and board the train from Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Guangzhou, etc. Your Tibet TripAdvisor will reconfirm to you at least 5-10 days before your arrival date in Tibet. Please follow the link to learn more about Tibet Travel Permits Documents.