Many foreign travelers find it very difficult to obtain their own train tickets in China, especially for the trains to Lhasa. The language barrier is the main issue here because no matter if you purchase the tickets on China's official train ticket booking website or at the ticket window of the railway station, understanding at least some of the Chinese language is essential. In addition, there is a shortage of Tibet train tickets during the high season from May to October, as millions of people have a dream to experience the miraculous Tibet train tour each year, and the tickets to Lhasa are usually sold out fast.
So, basically, the securest way to get the train tickets is through the travel agency which you are currently using for your Tibet tour arrangement. Travel agencies normally have a contact with the ticket agents and hence can get the tickets much easier. Meanwhile, they know all the ticket booking regulations, and can alter, cancel and refund faster in case there is any change needed to your touring plans.
In this article, you'll find some more detailed information on how to get Tibet train tickets.
Generally, you can get to Lhasa by train from eight gateway cities of inland China, which include Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Xi'an, Chengdu, Chongqing, Lanzhou and Xining. For most tourists, they get on the train from one of these cities. And you'll find the train schedules to Lhasa below:
| Train No. | From / To | Dep. / Arr. | Duration | Frequency | Hard Sleeper | Soft Sleeper |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Z21 | Beijing/Lhasa | 20:00/12:26 | 40:40 | Everyday | CNY720 | CNY1144 |
| Z164 | Shanghai/Lhasa | 20:08/19:30 | 47:20 | Everyday | CNY793.5 | CNY1262.5 |
| Z264 | Guangzhou/Lhasa | 11:45/16:19 | 52:34 | Everyday | CNY865 | CNY1468 |
| Z265 | Xian/Lhasa | 09:45/16:19 | 30:34 | Everyday | CNY611.5 | CNY969.5 |
| Z322 | Chengdu/Lhasa | 21:37/09:55 | 36:18 | Every other day | CNY627.5 | CNY997.5 |
| Z223 | Chongqing/Lhasa | 22:25/09:55 | 35:30 | Every other day | CNY627.5 | CNY997.5 |
| Z917 | Lanzhou/Lhasa | 11:16/11:14 | 23:58 | Everyday | CNY522 | CNY823 |
| Z6801 | Xining/Lhasa | 14:01/11:20 | 21:19 | Everyday | CNY495 | CNY781 |
You can make reservations for train tickets to Tibet only up to one month in advance of your departure date. For example, if you hope to book a ticket for a train departing on August 1st, then you can book the ticket up until July 2nd.
The difficulty of getting a ticket: As there are so many domestic and international travelers planning a train trip to Tibet, the tickets for going on Tibet trains often are sold out within minutes after the booking system is accessible. This unique situation brings forth many ticket agents who are good at competing for tickets. If you're traveling during a busy time when Tibet tourism is high and you want to ensure that you'll have a ticket, you can get help by booking a tour package with a train ticket booking service.
Note: The sale time of tickets departing from different cities are also different. You can check with your tour operator or directly on the website page by typing in the city name you'd plan to depart from in order to get to Lhasa: https://www.12306.cn
Once the booking is confirmed, the passenger will receive a booking reference number. Unlike Chinese citizens, who can collect their tickets at a self-service ticket machine by typing in their reference number or scanning their identity card, foreigners traveling to Tibet need to go to the ticket counter/office and present their valid passport, Chinese visa, and the Tibet entry permit issued by the Tibet Tourism Bureau. That is the only way they can get their tickets.
Note: Passengers are entitled to apply for a Chinese visa on their own. But for the Tibet entry permit, they need to get assistance from a registered travel agency by booking a Tibet tour with them. The travel agency will be in charge of the permit application.
Ticket Counter at the Railway Station
You can collect your Tibet train ticket at your departure station or any other station that is different from the starting point of your train journey. If you need to collect your ticket at stations in Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Chongqing, Guangzhou, Lanzhou and Xi'an, then you have to prepare the original Tibet Entry Permit in addition to having your passport and visa. While in Xining, a scanned copy of the permit rather than the original paper is fine. Just make sure you have your original passport and visa.
Note: the documents required to get on board are the same as the documents for ticket collection.
Xining Railway Station
There are no rail pass or discounted ticket options available on a Tibet train, regardless of the departure destination. The fare differences depend on the various types of sleeping options and seat options for the tickets.
For example, on the Qinghai-Tibet train, departing from Xining and arriving in Lhasa, the ticket price of a soft sleeper in a four-berth compartment is 781 RMB; the ticket price of a hard sleeper in a six-berth compartment is 495 RMB; the train fare of a seat in a 98-seat carriage is 224 RMB. All the fares remain the same all year round. There is no special seasonal offer.
Note: an additional booking service fee might need to be paid to a ticket agent for guaranteeing a ticket during the high season. This happens when there is a huge possibility of the tickets getting sold out within the first several minutes after the booking system is open.
Passengers who have not collected their tickets can process any necessary ticket changes online no less than 25 minutes prior to the departure time of the train; for the passenger who has collected the ticket or whose scheduled train will depart within 25 minutes, they should go to the ticket counter with the printed ticket to complete the change.
If a refund claim is made 15 days before the departure date, you will not be charged a refund service fee. If you make a refund claim earlier than 48 hours but later than 15 days, you will be charged 5% of the original ticket price as the refund service fee. For a refund claim made within the 48 hours of departure, you will be charged 20% of the ticket price as the refund service fee.
