You might have known about Chengdu because of the adorable Giant Panda. The northern suburb of Chengdu is home to the Breeding Research Base of Giant Panda. And as the capital city of Sichuan Province, Chengdu is also where you can take convenient transport to further visit other Giant Panda reserves in the West of Sichuan.
Chengdu Breeding Research Base of Giant Panda
Apart from being a charming city itself, Chengdu is the largest transport hub in southwest China and has the busiest airline routes into Tibet. And both the train journey and the overland trip(by vehicles or bicycles) from Chengdu to Tibet are convenient and commonly taken by domestic or international travelers. Read on to have a glimpse of the three main means of traveling from Chengdu to Tibet.
As Chengdu locates in a relatively short distance from Tibet, many flights between Chengdu and Tibet offer great deals. The lowest airplane ticket can be just hundreds of Chinese yuan, which is usually available if the booking is made one month or even earlier ahead. Plus, the average duration of a direct flight between Chengdu and Lhasa is only 2 h 30m. This fast and budget friendly airline route is hence a very popular option for domestic and international travelers.
Facts of Chengdu Airport and Airlines between Chengdu and Tibet
Airport Info: There is only one airport that is under operation in Chengdu, the Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport (CTU). It is located in the southwest suburb of Chengdu, in Shuangliu County, 16 kilometers away from the city center.
Getting to the airport: You can get to the airport by taking public transport. Both efficient air shuttle buses and punctual metro lines are easy and cheap options. And the stops to board the bus or metro have a wide distribution. It takes about 30 minutes to 1 hour to get to the airport from the city center by taxi. And traffic jam in busy hours in Chengdu is very common.
Chengdu airport terminals: There are two terminals in CTU Airport, abbreviated as T1 and T2. T1 serves international airlines and Sichuan Airlines, while the remaining domestic flights depart and arrive at T2.
Chengdu-Tibet flights: Besides the most commonly used Lhasa Gonggar Airport (LXA), with Lhasa as destination, there are another four airports in Tibet. They are Shigatse Peace Airport (RKZ), Nyingchi Mainling Airport (LZY), Ngari Gunsa Airport (NGQ), and Chamdo Bangda Airport (BPX).
You may refer to Chengdu to Lhasa Flights for more details (schedule and price).
Train No.: Z322
Departs: every other day
Duration: 36h18m
Stops along the route:
| List | Stops | Arrival | Departure | Duration of stay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chengdu | ---- | 21:37 | ---- |
| 2 | Guangyuan | 2:18 | 2:40 | 22m |
| 3 | Lanzhou | 9:11 | 9:28 | 17m |
| 4 | Xining | 12:06 | 12:26 | 20m |
| 5 | Delingha | 16:31 | 16:33 | 2m |
| 6 | Golmud | 19:17 | 19:42 | 25m |
| 7 | Nagqu | 6:05 | 6:11 | 6m |
| 8 | Lhasa | 9:55 | 9:55 | ---- |
Ticket prices:
| Ticket Types | Soft Sleeper | Hard Sleeper | Hard Seat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ticket Prices | 997.5 RMB | 627.5 RMB | 302.7 RMB |
How to book a train ticket: The booking is open only one month prior to the departure date. However, due to the high demand of the tickets into Tibet, they often sell out in several minutes after the booking becomes available, especially so in high season.
Two ways to book a ticket:
Train stations in Chengdu
There are 4 train stations in Chengdu. They are located respectively in the four directions, namely Chengdu North Railway Station (or commonly/initially called as Chengdu Railway Station), Chengdu South Railway Station, Chengdu East Railway Station, and Chengdu West Railway Station.
The distance between each random two of them can be 30 minutes or 1 hour away by taxi, depending on how busy the traffic is. Therefore, it is important to make sure you get to the right station to board on the Chengdu-Tibet train.
Note: You’re supposed to take the Chengdu-Tibet train in the Chengdu North Railway Station, the address of which is at the North No.2 Section of 2nd Ring Road, Jinniu District, Chengdu. It is home to the terminal station of Chengdu Metro Line 1.
You may refer to Chengdu to Tibet Train for more details.
Road trip from Chengdu to Lhasa was reopen to foreign tourists since April, 2019. The policy for foreign tourists traveling in Tibetan-inhabited areas also applies to the Tibetan autonomous prefectures in Sichuan Province. Therefore, complete free self-drive for foreign travelers is still not possible. Instead, they can have a contract with a licensed travel agency, who can arrange all required travel documents in Sichuan and Tibet and assign a tour guide and a driver to accompany them during the entire journey.
Landscape along Sichuan-Tibet Overland Trip
The Chengdu-Lhasa road trip runs along the famous G318, renowned as the most beautiful scenic road in China. Therefore, it is very popular among overland lovers, intrepid cyclists and photographers.
The best time to go on the road trip is autumn, when the natural landscape is believed at its most beautiful with autumn foliage, clear days, and stable weather for safer driving or cycling.
Overlanding is the best way to experience the diversity of cultures of Han Chinese, Tibetan people and other minority groups such as Yi people, Qiang people, and more. The journey itself is as precious as the eventual trip in Tibet.
It is still not permitted for foreign travelers to do an independent tour in Tibet Autonomous Region and some Tibetan autonomous prefectures/counties in other provinces. The only way to travel Tibet is to book an organized tour with a licensed travel agency. And the travel agency will help with applying for all the required travel documents including the mandatory Tibet Travel Permit (issued by Tibet Tourism Bureau) and other optional permits for some remote regions. In addition, there is only one international flight into Tibet, which is the Kathmandu-Lhasa airline route. Therefore, many international travelers have to get to gateway cities of inland China first and then travel to Tibet.
Tibet Travel Permit
The norm is foreign travelers collect their Tibet Travel Permit when they arrive in the gateway city. The permit will be sent to their accommodation (either hotel or friends’ household) from Lhasa by their contracted travel agency. With the permit, they can collect the actual train ticket (if applicable) at a train station and board train or airplane to Tibet.
Below are some Chengdu to Tibet Tours you may be interested in:
6 Days Chengdu and Lhasa Highlights Tour
8 Days Chengdu to Tibet Train Tour
9 Days Chengdu & Tibet to Nepal Overland Tour
10 Days Chengdu Lhasa Everest Expedition Tour
13 Days Sichuan-Tibet Overland Tour (South Route)
