Z164 is the only train departing from Shanghai to Lhasa. It departs daily at 20:08, and after 47.5 hours, it arrives at Lhasa at 19:35. This is the second longest railway route to Lhasa, and it can be quite gruelling if you don’t have a sleeper ticket. The experience of witnessing the dramatic change of landscape from the evergreen broad-leafed forests to the Gobi desert and snowy mountains is something you won’t want to miss.
Please note that there are three railway stations in Shanghai, and the Shanghai to Lhasa train departs from the Shanghai Railway Station.
| Train No. | From / To | Dep. / Arr. | Duration | Distance | Hard Sleeper | Soft Sleeper |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Z164 | Shanghai/Lhasa | 20:08/19:30 | 47:20 | 4373km | CNY793.5 | CNY1262.5 |
| Station | Altitude | Arrival | Departure | Stop Time | Distance | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shanghai | 16m | -- | 20:08 | -- | -- | Day 1 |
| Suzhou | 5m | 20:55 | 20:58 | 3min | 84km | Day 1 |
| Wuxi | 8m | 21:20 | 21:23 | 3min | 126km | Day 1 |
| Nanjing | 5m | 22:56 | 23:05 | 9min | 301km | Day 1 |
| Bengbu | 25m | 00:37 | 00:40 | 3min | 485km | Day 2 |
| Xuzhou | 36m | 02:09 | 02:15 | 6min | 649km | Day 2 |
| Zhengzhou | 108m | 05:07 | 05:14 | 7min | 998km | Day 2 |
| Xi’an | 385m | 11:14 | 11:24 | 10min | 1509km | Day 2 |
| Lanzhou | 1520m | 18:17 | 18:34 | 17min | 2185km | Day 2 |
| Xining | 2200m | 21:07 | 21:27 | 20min | 2401km | Day 2 |
| Delingha | 2982m | 01:29 | 01:31 | 2min | 2718km | Day 3 |
| Golmud | 2780m | 04:21 | 04:46 | 25min | 3231km | Day 3 |
| Nagchu | 4500m | 14:56 | 15:10 | 14min | 4051km | Day 3 |
| Lhasa | 3650m | 19:30 | -- | -- | 4373km | Day 3 |
| Train No. | From / To | Dep. / Arr. | Duration | Distance | Hard Sleeper | Soft Sleeper |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Z166 | Lhasa/Shanghai | 11:30/11:51 | 48:21 | 4373km | CNY793.5 | CNY1262.5 |
| Station | Altitude | Arrival | Departure | Stop Time | Distance | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lhasa | 3650m | -- | 11:30 | -- | -- | Day 1 |
| Nagchu | 4500m | 15:08 | 15:14 | 6min | 322km | Day 1 |
| Golmud | 2780m | 01:23 | 01:48 | 25min | 1142km | Day 2 |
| Delingha | 2982m | 04:15 | 04:17 | 2min | 1478km | Day 2 |
| Xining | 2200m | 08:55 | 09:15 | 20min | 1972km | Day 2 |
| Lanzhou | 1520m | 12:11 | 12:26 | 15min | 2188km | Day 2 |
| Xi’an | 385m | 20:34 | 20:44 | 10min | 2864km | Day 2 |
| Zhengzhou | 108m | 02:50 | 02:58 | 8min | 3375km | Day 3 |
| Xuzhou | 36m | 05:43 | 05:58 | 15min | 3724km | Day 3 |
| Bengbu | 25m | 07:17 | 07:22 | 5min | 3888km | Day 3 |
| Nanjing | 13m | 08:54 | 09:00 | 6min | 4072km | Day 3 |
| Wuxi | 5m | 10:26 | 10:30 | 4min | 4247km | Day 3 |
| Suzhou | 5m | 10:56 | 11:01 | 5min | 4289km | Day 3 |
| Shanghai | 16m | 11:51 | -- | -- | 4373km | Day 3 |
1. Which compartment is better: soft or hard sleeper?
It depends. The soft sleeper is more comfortable since there are only 4 beds in each compartment while there are 6 beds in a hard sleeper cabin. You cannot sit straight on the upper and middle beds of the hard sleepers. Besides, you can have more privacy if you stay in the soft sleepers since there is a door to close. However, if you want to get to know the local people on the train, then the hard sleeper will be a better choice.
2. It is unbearable to stay 47 hours on the train from Shanghai to Lhasa. Is there any other option? .
If you’re tired of the 47-hour train ride from Shanghai to Lhasa but you’re interested in enjoying the landscape of the Qinghai Tibetan Plateau, then you can fly from Shanghai to Xining and take the train there. Xining is the starting point of the Qinghai Tibet Railway, so you can still see the picturesque view along the way. It only takes about 23 hours from Xining to Lhasa while enjoying the grand scenery outside of the window.
3. What is special to take the Qinghai Tibet Train?
Xining is the starting point of Qinghai Tibet Railway. All the trains from other cities, such as Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu etc., will pass through Xining. Starting from Xining, you will first see Qinghai Lake which is the biggest salt-lake in China. After that, the train goes through the Hoh Xil (Kekexili) Nature Reserve. This is the third largest no-man's land in the world, and a haven for wild animals like the Tibetan antelope, wild Yak, wild donkey, white-lip deer, brown bear, and so on. It still has a pristine landscape with vales, glaciers, stone forests, and boiling springs. You will also see the mystic Kunlun Mountain Range, the Tuotuo River (the source of Yangtze River), the majestic Tanggula Mountains, the holy Tsonag Lake, the vast Changtang Grassland, and the Yangpachen which is renowned for its geothermic hot springs.
4. Can we charge our phone or iPad on the train?
Yes, there are electric outlets in the cabin and aisle of the soft sleeper, the corridor of the hard sleeper and near the wash-basin of the hard seats’ carriage.
5. Is there a luggage weight or size limitation for the train ride from Shanghai to Lhasa?
Each adult can take 20kg of luggage at most for free while each child can take 10kg of luggage. The size cannot exceed 160cm in total for the three dimensions. But, in reality, no one will check the weight and size of your luggage when you get on the train. You can bring all your luggage inside the train if it is not too big or heavy.
