Usually, travelers spend 1-2 days on the train to Tibet. The food choices available are very important during the train riding process. There are several ways you can eat during your train journey, and you'll find some detailed information about where and what to eat while traveling through the world's highest railway below.
Most people will buy some snacks or convenience foods like biscuits, breads, cakes, fruits and instant noodles before they board the train. Each compartment has a small table, where you can place your drinks or food there. Also, there are some tables and fold-down seats along the aisle on the train. You could also sit there to enjoy the scenery or the food.
The train provides boiling water 24 hours a day, free of charge. So, it is very convenient to have instant noodles or make your own cup of coffee on the train. But please note that you need to bring your own cup or bottle to get the drinking water. The hot water dispenser is located at the connection between each of the two carriages on the train. Just be careful of being burned by the boiling water as the train sways when it is running at high speed.
Hot Water Dispenser on Tibet Trains
Like all the long-distance trains in China, every Qinghai-Tibet train has a dedicated dining car or restaurant carriage. Consisting of a kitchen and a dining room, the dining car is usually somewhere in the middle of the train for the convenience of the passengers from all the carriages. You can order meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner in the dining room, and the chef will prepare a variety of delicious meals to tempt your taste buds. All the dishes are freshly cooked and served quickly, so you won't go hungry very long. Breakfast always includes porridge, bread, milk, eggs, pickles, and noodles. The lunch and dinner menus make no difference because Chinese cuisine is the main choice.
Dining Room on Tibet Trains
The dining environment in the dining car has been greatly improved. There is tablecloth that covers the table, and you can enjoy some nicely prepared meals by the large windows. This would surely spice up your train trip immensely.
There is even a tiny bar in the dining car on the train. You could get some soft drinks like coke, tea or freshly ground coffee there. Also, you could get some light snacks to go with your drink too. But it's not advisable to order any alcoholic beverages on the train because any alcohol that you consume will make it more difficult for you to adapt to the high altitude.
Note: The dining car can only be used for travelers who order food here. Any food not ordered here cannot be brought here.
For those who do not wish to eat in the dining car, there are staff members on the train that pull a trolley full of box meals. You could get your breakfast around 8:00AM, lunch around 11:30AM and dinner around 6:00PM for the price of about 15 RMB to 30 RMB for each box meal.
Breakfast on Tibet Trains
There are several dishes to choose from, and they are usually very popular Chinese dishes, such as Kung Pao Chicken, Scramble Egg with Tomato, shredded potatoes, stewed beef, tofu, and a few noodle dishes are also available. The type of cuisine served on the train is slightly different, depending on where you depart from (Beijing, Shanghai, Xi'an, Chengdu or Xining). Each box meal has 2 to 3 different foods that are nutritionally balanced with rice, meat and fresh vegetables. You don't need to worry whether you will miss the chance to get the box meals, as the food trolley travels through the train several times during mealtime.
Box Meal on Tibet Trains
If you did not prepare any food in advance, and you're not interested in the box meals either, then you can also check the snack trolley for other food choices. It sells bottled water, coke, beer, coffee, canned juice, instant noodles, peanuts and ham sausages at reasonable prices. Usually, fruits like apples, pears and plums are also available. So, you wouldn't have to worry about there not being enough food choices for you.
Snack Trolley on Tibet Trains
The train stops for a few minutes at major stations (such as Xi'an Railway Station, Lanzhou Railway Station and Xining Railway Station, etc.) along the route to Lhasa, and you may find some vendors on the platforms who are selling their foods and snacks to train passengers. Please note that you will need to take a quick walk to get off the train, buy some food or snacks and get back on board before the train departs again. This can be a little cheaper than buying the snacks on the train from the food trolley because you can get them for a bargain elsewhere. Just remember to prepare some money in small currency notes.
1. Mealtime on the train: Breakfast is served from 7:30AM to 08:30AM; Lunch is served from 11:30AM to 2:00PM; Dinner is served from 5:30PM to 7:30PM.
2. The prices of meals on the train are higher than the prices of other meals outside the train. A good meal in the dining car for two people can cost $15 or more.
3. Boiling water dispensers are available for preparing pot noodles or packet foods, but there's no microwave oven or other facilities for cooking on the train.
4. The dining car can usually accommodate 48 people at the same time, so it is recommended that you get there early to avoid the crowds.
5. Cash is king for consuming anything on the train. Credit cards are not acceptable.
