We have compiled a few of the questions that we are commonly asked about the Tibet train travel and trust that the answers are useful in helping you to arrange the trip better. Please don't hesitate to contact us with any questions you don't find answered.
1. From which cities can we travel to Lhasa by train?
There are several cities where you can take the train from into Lhasa, such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Chongqing and Xining. Also, the train would pass through cities like Xi'an, Lanzhou or Zhengzhou.
2. Why do we propose to enter from Xining?
The train into Lhasa is very famous. Lots of people choose to take the train into Lhasa in order to experience the marvelous views along the way. But the train seats and especially the hard and soft sleeper bunks are quite limited. All the trains into Tibet pass by Xining, which is the starting point of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway.
So if you enter Tibet from Xining, you'll have a better chance of getting a train ticket. The best scenery starts from this location anyway, so you will not miss a thing. Also, staying one or two days in Xining would help you get used to the high altitude since the altitude in Xining is 2260m. If you could spend 1-2 days before you enter Tibet, and let your body gradually adapt to the altitude, then the possibility of you having acute mountain sickness is very slim.
3. Can train journey help to adapt to high altitude?
A lot of travelers think that the 1-2 days they spend on the train is actually the process for them to adapt to the high altitude. However, this is not guaranteed.
Firstly, the train carriages are fully enclosed and will start to supply oxygen from Golmud. Also, the train is going up and down while it's going forward and there are some places even higher than the altitude of Lhasa city, like Kunlun Range and Tangula Pass.
If you suffer from serious altitude sickness, then you could ask the train staff for some free plastic tubes to insert into the oxygen outlets for oxygen. The train is equipped with professional medical staff to provide you with expert medical assistance and other related programs.
4. What can I eat on the train?
You could buy some convenient food like noodles or rice and take it on the train. The food is easy to prepare because the train serves hot boiled water all day. If you do not want to bring food by yourself, you could also buy lunch box here on the train or purchase some light food like noodles, beer, and peanuts from the trolley that moves from one compartment to another.
If you would like a more comfortable dining environment, you could go to the dining carriage (usually it is on the 13th carriage) and order your own food. All the food on the menu is freshly cooked and served.
5. What kinds of seats are there on the train?
There are three kinds of train tickets for each train, hard seat, hard sleeper and soft sleeper. The difference between the hard sleeper and soft sleeper is the difference in space. There are four beds in each cabin for the soft sleeper and six beds in each hard sleeper cabin.
Generally speaking, the train traveling into Tibet takes 1-2 days. If the conditions permit, it is better to choose a sleeper bunk. Better rest can also help your body to adapt to the plateau climate well.
In the off-season, all the tickets are generally not very difficult to get, but it is not that easy in the peak season. Train tickets are usually available for booking one month before departure date, so let us know as early as possible what you want so that we can book them for you in the first place.
6. How to upgrade my berth while on the train?
Generally speaking, you can upgrade if you buy a hard seat or hard sleeper ticket and find it not as comfortable as your present seat/sleeper. As long as there is a hard sleeper or soft sleeper available on the train, you could consult the staff on the train and see whether it's possible to upgrade your ticket. All that you need to do is pay the price difference for upgrading.
7. What kind of equipment does the train have? Such as refrigeration or heating equipment, oxygen equipment, charging socket, charging treasure or hot water, etc.
The train features a water heater which provides boiled water all day long, allowing you to get hot boiled water anytime you want. Therefore, it would be convenient for you to bring a thermal bottle with you on the train.
Also, the train would supply oxygen to the carriage from Golmud. There are several oxygen outlets in public spaces along the aisle and at the conjunction area between two carriages. You'll also find an oxygen outlet in each sleeper bunk. For any travelers who are suffering from severe mountain sickness, they could stay in bed and inhale oxygen to relieve their symptoms.
8. Can I take a bath on the train?
There is only a public toilet and washing sink at the common area of the two carriages, but there is no shower room on the train. Since there are too many people on the train and the water consumption is enormous, the water storage on the train is extremely precious.
However, we also suggest that you do not take a bath on the day upon your arrival. The temperature difference in Lhasa will be apparent. Please remember to bring a winter jacket and try to keep yourself warm to avoid colds.
9. Do they provide laundry service on the train?
The train does not provide laundry service. You can get the laundry service as soon as you check in to your hotel in Lhasa.
10. Is Wi-Fi or internet access available on the train?
There is no Wi-Fi and internet access on all Tibet trains. If you need to use the internet during the train ride, you can bring a portable Wi-Fi device or get a Chinese SIM card. You could get a SIM card for China Telecom, China Unicom and China Mobile at any phone service office of any telecommunications operation. But the phone signals might fluctuate from time to time or get unstable because the signals would be blocked when the train travels through mountain ranges or tunnels.
11. Can I smoke, or is there a smoking area on the Tibet train?
Starting from the Golmud train station, the train begins to supply oxygen. Please note that the Qinghai-Tibet railway is a fully enclosed oxygen supply compartment. So Chinese laws strictly prohibit smoking in the train compartments, seating areas, dining cars and toilets when the train starts to supply oxygen. Otherwise, smoking might put everyone on the train in danger.
Violators will face a fine of about 500 to 2,000 RMB and be dealt with by the legal authorities accordingly. But you are allowed to smoke on the platform by getting off the train while it pulls over for other passengers to get on and off. Also, before the train supplies oxygen, the connection area between the two carriages allows passengers to smoke too. Just in case, please pay attention to the announcement broadcast on the train.
12. Can I get off the train while the train stops at the train station along the way?
Usually, the train would stop for 2 to 10 minutes at the train station along the way for the passengers to get off and on the train.
Before the train stops, broadcast announcements are made to inform the passengers of how many minutes the train will stop. Once it does stop, you could get off the train at the top and walk a bit or do some stretching on the platform. Just make sure to keep an eye on the watch, and the announcement on the train. Do not walk too far, so you can get back on the train before it leaves.
Please note that once you miss the train, your original train ticket would be revoked and then you'll need to get another train ticket to Lhasa.
13. Is there any limitation of the weight of my luggage?
According to the relevant provisions, each passenger can bring up to 20 kilograms of luggage each time for free. For the passengers bringing over 20 kilograms, extra fees would be charged for the overweight part.
Children (including children free of charge) have a free baggage allowance are of 10 kilograms, diplomatic personnel 35 kilograms, and ordinary passengers 20 kilograms.
Each piece of luggage must be no more than 160 cm in length, width and height, and no more than 200 cm for rod-shaped goods. The folding wheelchair used by people with disabilities is not included in the above scope.
If the goods exceed the free weight, the overweight part of the goods shall be charged for parcels. If you are carrying any dangerous goods, the goods shall be handed over to the nearest parking station for disposal or handed over to the public security department.
14. Where can I place my luggage?
If it's a hard berth, the luggage should be placed on the rack above the aisle. The space for the luggage corresponds to your own bed number.
There is a door for each four-person soft sleeper cabin, so you can have more privacy and financial security. The luggage rack for soft sleepers is above the ledge of the cabin's door.
No matter whether it's a hard sleeper or soft sleeper, the space under the lower bunk could also be used for placing luggage too.
In order to secure the safety of your properties, make sure that you lock your suitcase. For valuable stuff like mobile phones, cameras, and wallets, you could put them in your backpack. That way, you can carry them around while you go to the dining carriage or bathroom.
