Shigatse, the second largest city in Tibet, is also an important transfer junction that connecting the central and far west of Tibet to the outside world. Currently, there is one railway between Shigatse and Lhasa that opened for service in 2014, and other two railways are still under construction or just in the planning. One of them is the last section of Tibet Nepal railway from Shigatse to Kathmandu, and the other is a part of China India railway from Shigatse to Yadong.
Map of Shigatse Train Routes to Lhasa, Yadong and Kathmandu
Shigatse Lhasa Railway – Lhasa to Shigatse by Train
So far, the Lhasa Shigatse Railway has been the only railway that serves in Shigatse. It is the extension of the famous Qinghai-Tibet railway. Since it was opened for service in August, 2014, it has been more convenient for the locals to get to Lhasa from Shigatse, and meanwhile it makes it possible for tourists to travel from Xining to Shigatse directly. Every day, there are three pairs of trains running between Lhasa and Shigatse. It takes about 3 hours to finish the 248km’s journey from Lhasa to Shigatse.
Lhasa to Shigatse Train Schedule
Train Z8801 departs from Lhasa Railway Station at 11:07 in the morning and arrives at Shigatse Railway Station at 14:00. It takes 2 hours and 53 minutes to complete the journey, with stopovers at Qushui, Nyemo, and Rinbung. Train Z8803 is a non-stop train from Lhasa to Shigatse. It departs at 15:05 from Lhasa Railway Station and arrives in Shigatse at 17:52. The whole journey takes 2 hours and 47 minutes. The third train from Lhasa to Shigatse is Train Z6811, which originates from Xining. It departs from Lhasa Railway Station at 18:10 and arrives at Shigatse Railway Station at 20:58. Since it is too late, this route is not recommended for tourists.
Timetable of Lhasa to Shigatse Train
| Train Number | Departure Time | Arrival Time | Duration | Stopover | Distance | Soft Sleeper | Hard Sleeper | Hard Seat |
| Z8801(Lhasa-Shigatse) | 11:07 | 14:00 | 2h 53min | Qushui, Nyemo, and Rinbung | 248 km | ¥169.5 | ¥111.5 | ¥40.5 |
| Z8803(Lhasa-Shigatse) | 15:05 | 17:52 | 2h 47min | Non-stop | 248 km | ¥169.5 | ¥111.5 | ¥40.5 |
| Z6811(Lhasa-Shigatse) | 18:10 | 20:58 | 2h 48min | Qushui, Nyemo, and Rinbung | 248 km | ¥169.5 | ¥111.5 | ¥40.5 |
Shigatse to Lhasa Train Schedule
There are also three trains back to Lhasa from Shigatse every day. Train Z8802 departs from Shigatse Railway Station in the early morning at 07:50 and arrives at Lhasa Railway Station at 10:27. The returning journey only takes 2 hours and 37 minutes. Another train back to Lhasa from Shigatse is Train Z6812, which departs at 14:40 and arrives in Lhasa at 17:31. This train will continue the journey to Xining and arrives at Xining Railway Station at 14:25 on the next day. So tourists can take this train to Xining directly without going back to Lhasa after their trip in Shigatse. The last Shigatse-Lhasa train, Train Z8804, departs from the railway station in Shigatse at 18:45 and arrives in Lhasa at 21:34.
Timetable of Shigatse to Lhasa Train
| Train Number | Departure Time | Arrival Time | Duration | Stopover | Distance | Soft Sleeper | Hard Sleeper | Hard Seat |
| Z8802(Shigatse-Lhasa) | 07:50 | 10:27 | 2h 37min | Rinbung, Nyemo, and Qushui | 248 km | ¥169.5 | ¥111.5 | ¥40.5 |
| Z6812(Shigatse-Lhasa) | 14:40 | 17:31 | 2h 51min | Rinbung, Nyemo, and Qushui | 248 km | ¥169.5 | ¥111.5 | ¥40.5 |
| Z8804(Shigatse-Lhasa) | 18:45 | 21:34 | 2h 49min | Non-stop | 248 km | ¥169.5 | ¥111.5 | ¥40.5 |
Note for Shigatse Lhasa Train Ticket:
There are three kinds of tickets for each Lhasa Shigatse Train. The ticket price of the soft sleeper berth is from 169 RMB, which is the most comfortable seat onboard. The second class is the hard sleeper berth, which is from 111.5 RMB each. And the cheapest one is the hard seat, which is 40.5 RMB.
Shigatse Gyirong Railway to Kathmandu – Shigatse to Nepal by Train
Shigatse Gyirong Railway to Kathmandu is the further extension of the famous Qinghai-Tibet railway. It is still under construction now and is said to be completely finished in 2024. According to the plan, the Shigatse Gyirong Railway is 540km in total. The rest section of Tibet Nepal railway from Gyirong to Kathmandu is 120 km. Once the Shigatse Kathmandu railway is finished, it will be more convenient and faster for both local people and international tourists to visit the best Himalaya regions.
How to Travel from Shigatse to Nepal Before the Railway Finished?
Currently, the most popular way to get to Kathmandu from Shigatse is by overland through the famous Sino-Nepal Friendship highway with a tour to the Everest Base Camp. As a popular overland route in the world, the overland journey from Shigatse to Kathmandu will take you to explore the different landscapes of the Himalaya from the northern side in Tibet to the southern side in Nepal.
Generally, it takes about 3 days to travel from Shigatse to Kathmandu by road. On the first day, you can visit the famous Tashilunpo Monastery in the morning, and drive to the Everest Base Camp after lunch. On the way to the popular EBC at 5200 meters, you will pass the Gawula at 5198m, from which you can enjoy a panorama view of the Himalayas with five peaks over 8000 m, including Mount Makalu (8463m), Mount Lhotse (8516m), Mount Everest (8844.43m), Mount Cho Oyu (8201m) and Mount Shishapama (8027m).
After one night at the Everest Base Camp, you can enjoy a stunning sunrise from the peak of Mount Everest and visit the Rongbuk Monastery, the world’s highest monastery at 4980m, where there are still monks living. Then you will drive from the Everest Base Camp to Gyirong and stay overnight in Gyirong. On the next day, you will cross the China-Nepal border through Gyirong port and take a transfer to Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal.
If you don’t have enough time for the 3-day journey by overland, you can get back to Lhasa, within 3 hours by Shigatse Lhasa train, and take a flight from Lhasa to Kathmandu.
Lhasa to Kathmandu Flight Schedule
| Air Number | Departure Time | Arrival Time | Duration | Schedule |
| MU8719 (Lhasa to Kathmandu) | 11:10 | 10:30 | 1h 35min | Every Wednesday and Friday |
| MU 8719 (Lhasa to Kathmandu) | 11:35 | 11:00 | 1h 40min | Every Monday and Sunday |
| CA 407 (Lhasa to Kathmandu) | 11:50 | 11:10 | 1 h 35min | Every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday |
Please Note:
1. All the time shown on the table is the local time.
2.Lhasa is 2 hours and 15 minutes ahead of Kathmandu.
Shigatse Yadong Railway to Bhutan and India
In the future, there will be a third extension route of Lhasa Shigatse Railway to South Asia. The railway from Shigatse to Yadong, a small county southwards in-between India and Bhutan, is just in the planning stages. It is arranged as a further extension of the Lhasa Shigatse railway that goes southwards towards India. Before the Shigatse Yadong Railway finished, tourists can only get to Yadong county from Shigatse by car. The road from Shigatse to Yadong is about 300km, which takes about 5 hours to drive.
Currently, How to Get to Bhutan from Shigatse?
Since there is no direct train and flight between Tibet and Bhutan, tourists can only get to Nepal first, and then transfer to Bhutan. If your Tibet tour ends at Shigatse, you can take an overland journey from Shigatse to Kathmandu via Gyirong border for 3 to 4 days or go back to Lhasa first and then take a non-stop flight from Lhasa to Kathmandu. Once you arrive in Nepal, you can take a direct flight from Kathmandu to Paro International Airport.
Kathmandu to Paro Flight Schedule
| Airline | Departure Time | Arrival Time | Duration | Stopover |
| Druk Air (Kathmandu to Paro) | 08:45 | 10:20 | 1h 20n | Non-stop |
| Bhutan Airlines (Kathmandu to Paro) | 15:00 | 16:15 | 1h | Non-stop |
Please Note:
1. All the time shown on the table is the local time.
2. Paro is 15 minutes ahead of Kathmandu.
Recently, How to Get to India from Shigatse?
Before the Shigatse Yadong Railway is completed, tourists can only get to India from Shigatse via Nepal. As an important transfer hub in South Asia, Nepal offers the only international flight to Lhasa and many flights to India, Bhutan, and surrounding countries. If you plan to get to India after your trip in Shigatse, you can go back to Lhasa first, take a daily flight from Lhasa to Kathmandu, and move on to India from Nepal. However, to fully explore the best of the Himalayas, it is highly suggested to take an overland journey from Shigatse to Kathmandu via Gyirong border. Once you arrive in Nepal, you can easily get to India by air or by land.
Conclusion
1. Shigatse Lhasa Railway is the only railway that serves in Shigatse now. Every day, there are three trains from Shigatse to Lhasa (Z8801, Z6811 and Z8803), and another three trains from Lhasa to Shigatse (Z8802, Z6812 and Z8804).
2. The ticket price of Shigatse Lhasa Train is 169 RMB for the soft sleeper, 111.5 RMB for the hard sleeper and 40.5 RMB for the hard seat. You can contact us for the updated train schedule and easily book the train ticket with us.
3. Shigatse Gyirong Railway is an extension of the Qinghai-Tibet railway and an important part of the China-Nepal railway. It is still under construction. Once it finishes, it is more convenient to travel from Shigatse to Nepal by train. But now, tourists can take an overland trip from Shigatse to Kathmandu via the Everest Base Camp, or get back to Lhasa and take a flight from Lhasa to Kathmandu directly.
4. The last railway line in Shigatse is the Shigatse Yadong Railway connecting Shigatse to Bhutan and India, which is still in the planning stages. Currently, tourists can get to Kathmandu from Shigatse first by train or by air, and then travel to South Asia destinations from Nepal.
