Xining is the capital city of Qinghai Province, which is Tibet’s neighbor to the north. The northern and eastern parts of Qinghai, including Xining belong to the ancient Amdo(one of the three traditional Tibetan regions, with the rest two being U-Tsang and Kham). There are several Tibetan autonomous prefectures plus a few autonomous counties under the jurisdiction of Qinghai Province, covering the ancient Amdo region. Amdo Tibet is home to the vast grassland and features the nomadic culture of Tibetan people. Though foreigners are not allowed to travel freely in the whole range of Tibet Autonomous Region, they can visit some parts of Qinghai Province without having to book a tour with a travel agency. The Tibetan Plateau, or called the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is made of the most of Qinghai and Tibet. Before the opening of Qinghai-Tibet Railway (starting from Xining and arriving in Lhasa), it is the Qinghai-Tibet Highway that links the Amdo Tibet and the Central Tibet. Now flying, taking a train journey or a road trip are all feasible ways to travel from Xining to Tibet.
Map of Qinghai Tibet Plateau
Three Main Ways to Travel from Xining to Tibet
Among the 8 gateway cities into Tibet, Xining is within the shortest distance of Lhasa in terms of the train route, road distance, and air travel distance. Xining, with the altitude of 2,261 meters, is also a good destination for travelers to see how well their body can adapt to the altitude of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, as it’s generally believed that the altitude above 3,000 meters is from where many people show symptoms of altitude sickness. Some spend one or two days traveling around Xining before going to Tibet, where the elevation is higher and the oxygen level is much lower. Taking a train journey from Xining to Lhasa, means that you get to ride on the highest railway in the globe and see the engineer wonder of the railway itself and the unique plateau landscape along the route; Flying from Xining to Lhasa is quick and sometimes can be very cheap too; Overlanding all the way along the Qinghai-Tibet Highway can also be an option, though you have to book an overland tour with a licensed travel agency as well. Now below follows the guide to the three ways of traveling from Xining to Tibet.
Xining-Lhasa Train Journey (Qinghai-Tibet Railway)
Xining Railway Station is located right in the city center of Xining. Out of the train station, just two blocks away, is the commercial area.
Ticket booking: The difficulty level of getting a train ticket depends on your travel period and what class of ticket you opt for. If you travel during peak months, especially in July and August, booking a ticket for soft sleeper or hard sleeper is close to impossible with your own efforts. In such case, you can contact a ticket agent prior to the opening time of booking system. We can help you contact an experienced ticket agent.
Duration: 21.5 hours to 22 hours.
Frequency: Xining-Lhasa train departs daily. There are in total five trains to choose from: Z223, Z6801, Z21, Z265, Z165. Among which, only Z6801 originates from Xining.
Benefits: Taking a train means that you depart from the central Xining and arrive in the central Lhasa. The scenery along this train route is the typical show of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau landscape. You have the chance to acclimatize to the ascending altitudes before visiting the higher elevation attractions in Tibet.
You may refer to Xining to Tibet Train for more details.
Location: Xining Caojiaopu International Airport is only 25 kilometers from the city center of Xining. And it takes about 20-40 minutes to transfer from the airport to Xining Railway Station by taxi.
Many travelers take a combined transport of flying to Xining first and then take the Xining-Lhasa train on the Qinghai-Tibet Railway. In such way, they can save the travel time, as well as get to acclimatize to the altitude in Xining.
Airlines that offer direct flights: Tibet Airlines, Sichuan Airlines, China Eastern Airlines, Western Airlines, China Southern Airlines. The direct flight has a duration of 2 hours and 20 minutes.
Ticket booking: Either through the websites of the above airlines, booking apps, the flight options are ample and booking is simple. We’re also happy to help with the ticket booking so that you can save some time on this part of prep work. Booking one month prior to your travel date is recommended to get good-priced flights.
Taking a road trip along Xining to Lhasa highway can be a memorizing experience because of the uniqueness of the scenery. Xining to Lhasa Highway is also called Qinghai-Tibet Highway, which was built far earlier than the Qinghai-Tibet Railway. Most of the Highway parallels with the Railway. So, you can enjoy most of the scenery that those train passengers can, and you get more time to stop and soak in the beauty of the landscape, the fascinating wildlife and the tough locals residing on this wilderness. Overlanding from Xining to Lhasa also requires foreigners to have the service from a travel agency. The driver and guide from the agency can help with the communication at the police check points and share the knowledge with you about the land and its people.
Landscape along Qinghai-Tibet Highway
Below are some Xining to Tibet Tours you may be interested in:
7 Days Xining to Tibet Train Tour
9 Days Xining & Tibet Golden Route Tour
10 Days Xining & Tibet to Nepal Overland Tour
11 Days Xining Lhasa Everest Expedition Tour
11 Days Qinghai to Tibet Overland Tour
