Menu
“Mystical, distant and impenetrable on lofty plateau”, the old image of Tibet was long gone with the birth of Tibet train, also known as Lhasa Express. Completed and opened for travelers in July, 2016, Tibet train, topping out 5072m and covering 1956km from Xining to Lhasa, became the world’s highest, safest and most reliable alternative to flight and treacherous road trip to holy Tibet.
With 86% of the railway running over 4000m across sublime Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Tibet train tour promised epic scenic ride and got the title as “ Sky Train”.
As the insider of China Tibet Train tour and the sole partner of China Railway, we will give you an encyclopedic knowledge of Tibet train.
There are many trains running on a high plateau in the world, but the Lhasa Express Train is indeed a unique one which is also called the “Sky Train”.
From Xining to Lhasa, Lhasa Express train runs as far as 1956 km along the world’s highest railway, Qinghai-Tibet Railway. With 86% of the railway running over 4000m across sublime Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Lhasa Express Train has promised epic scenic ride and got the title as “Sky Train”.
The Qinghai-Tibet Railway is an engineering wonder in the history of rail transport and was completed under harsh conditions like extreme altitude and massive permafrost.
By taking the Lhasa Express Train, you will enjoy incredible natural scenery along the rail line of Qinghai-Tibet Railway. From the vast green prairie to golden Gobi desert, from the snow-capped mountain ranges to turquoise alpine lakes, the Tibet train runs through a world-class diverse landscape you will not see in other places of the planet.
The most highlighted attractions of the Tibet train journey include Qinghai Lake, the largest water lake in China located about 130 km from Xining city; Qarhan Salt Lake, which is famous for “Long Salt Bridge”, a wide over-bridge made of salt over the lake; Kunlun Mountains, where the Mount Yuzhu remains capped by snow even in summer season; Kekexili Nature Reserve, China’s biggest and the world’s third biggest uninhabited ranges where you will see uncommon wild creatures like Tibetan antelope and wild yak; Lake Namtso, one of the three holy lakes in Tibet, with limpid lake water and breathtaking lake view.
Once you got your Tibet train ticket, you just need to take your luggage, your passport, and your Tibet Travel Permit with you to get on the train to Tibet by following the guide in the station.
You are suggested to arrive at the railway station at least 2 hours in advance, for you will go through a series of check before boarding the train.
After security and luggage check, you can find your waiting room with the information shown on LED boards in the station.
When you get on the train, you need to find your berth according to the ticket information, and then get settled to wait for the train departure.
In a soft sleeper cabin, you can place your baggage in the luggage closet above the door, which is 20 inches in width and 16 inches in height. Also there is luggage space under the lower berths.
In hard sleeper carriage, you can put your luggage under the lower sleeper berths or on the luggage rack over the aisle.
While for hard seat passengers, you can only store your luggage on the shelves above your seat.
For security, it is advised to lock your baggage and suitcase, and bring your valuable items where you go.
Sorry, you CAN’T take a shower on the Tibet train, since there is no private bathroom on Tibet trains. There is also no hot water for showers inside.
Public washing facilities are provided near the toilets, discharging tap water for some cleaning and washing only.
You need to bring your own toiletries. Since it will be a long journey to take the Tibet train, it is suggested to bring some wet papers with you onboard.
There is NO Wi-Fi provided on the Lhasa Express Train. You can buy a local repaid SIM card that opens access to local 4G mobile data, or rent a pocket Wi-Fi upon you arrive in China.
For other entertainment onboard, there are televisions provided in the soft sleeper cabin, but they are only for local programs. In this case, it is suggested to prepare some entertainment for yourself to kill the time onboard.
Besides, there are plugs under the table of your sleeper cabin, so that you can get the power supply for your phone or laptops.
On the Tibet train, only the soft sleeper cabin provides private rooms with a lockable door. Each soft sleeper cabin contains four berths to accommodate four passengers at most.
There is no other luxury sleeper cabin with just two beds. If you want to book a whole private soft sleeper cabin for one or just two, you can only purchase all the four tickets in one soft sleeper cabin.
Despite its complete facilities, the Tibet train is not a hotel. So you need to bring some required items to better get through your stay onboard.
Personal toiletries including wet wipes and toilet papers should be carried. And if you are not keen on the food on the train, you can buy your own favorite food and snacks before boarding the train.
Since it is a long journey by taking Lhasa Express Train, you will also need some entertainment, like listening to music or watching movies. Then the kindles or iPads may be helpful to kill time onboard.
