The municipality of Chongqing, the capital of Ba kingdom in ancient times, is now one of the fastest-growing cities on earth. Whist, as the important transport hub in the southwestern China, it’s also one of the convenient gateway cities to get to Tibet either by train or flight.
There is a train going to Lhasa that originates in Chongqing departing every other day, and the train ride takes 35.5 hours with two nights stay on the train.
There are about 10 flights between Chongqing and Lhasa everyday from morning to afternoon with cheaper airfare compared to other cities such as Beijing and Shanghai, and the flying takes around 2 hours 50 minutes.
At least 1 day sightseeing in Chongqing is suggested, and for those who are interested in the Yangtze River Cruise, Chongqing can be planned behind your Tibet tour.
Explore the featured highlights of Beijing (Great Wall & Forbidden City), Xi’an (Terracotta Warriors), Chengdu (Pandas & Hot Pot), enjoy the winding cruise of Yangtze River, and meet the devout pilgrims on the holy land of Lhasa. You’ll discover the diverse beauties of the country.
All foreign tourists are required to get a Tibet Tourism Bureau (TTB) permit for visiting Tibet. Furthermore, an Alien Travel Permit is additionally needed for the trip to Everest Base Camp, as well as a Military Permit for the trip to Mt. Kailash or other sensitive border areas. All the permits will be organized by travel agencies on our side as part of our service, and the permit application process generally takes 15-20 work days depending on different routes of your Tibet tour. You can see more details below.