Currently, there are two trains bound to Lhasa from Xian with their initial stations coming from Guangzhou and Shanghai respectively, namely Z265 (Guangzhou-Lhasa) and Z165 (Shanghai-Lhasa). Passengers can get on Train Z265/ Z165 at 9:45/ 11:24 every day, and arrive at Lhasa at 16:45/ 19:35 after 31/ 32:11 hours. And the return trains are Z266 (Lhasa-Guangzhou) and Z166 (Lhasa-Shanghai).
More Detailed Information about Xian Tibet Train
Xian is one of the oldest cities in China. It is one of the birthplaces of the Ancient Chinese Civilization in the Yellow River Basin area. As the starting point of the Silk Road and home to the famous Terracotta Warriors of the Qin Dynasty, the city has won a reputation all over the world.
Despite its vital place as one of the major gateways from inland China to Tibet, Xian is not a city that all trains have to pass. Currently, there are only two trains (Guangzhou-Lhasa Train Z264 and Shanghai-Lhasa Train Z164) that will make a stopover in Xian en route for Tibet. As obvious as one could see, Xian-Lhasa train is more an integral part of the Guangzhou-Lhasa railway and Shanghai-Lhasa railway than an independent railway route.
Should I Choose Soft Sleeper or Hard Sleeper?
Why Soft Sleeper is Better than Hard Sleeper?
Like each Lhasa-bound train, the train to Lhasa from Xian is also especially built for the high altitude environment and equipped with advanced facilities, such as air-conditioning, supercharging system, oxygen supply, altitude display, etc. The train is also tightly sealed so as to firstly keep the inside air pressure normal and secondly prevent passengers from littering. Besides, all the carriages are installed with double-pane windows and ultraviolet filters to protect passengers from ultraviolet radiation. Nowadays, the train journey is extremely popular for its breathtakingly unique scenery along the railway from Xian to Tibet.
Soft sleeper is more spacious than the hard one
In fact, there are three kinds of accommodations available on Xian-Lhasa train: soft sleeper, hard sleeper, and hard seat, of which the most comfortable one is the soft sleeper. The soft sleeper consists of 4 bunks (75cm*190cm) and promises more privacy and comfort with a sliding lockable door, which is highly recommended.
While the hard sleeper is made up of 6 bunks (60cm*180cm) and the living space varies slightly. The lowest bunks enjoy the largest living space whereas the top bunks are cramped. The cabin of a hard sleeper has no independent door to close when tourists want to sleep. Hard seat is not recommended given the long ride and nothing is more important than having a sound sleep.
Alternative Plans if Failed to Get the Soft Sleeper Ticket
There is no train bound for Lhasa from Xian as the initial railway station. Yet, Xian serves as a crucial transit station for Lhasa-bound trains. Theoretically, tourists can buy a Xian-Lhasa train ticket and head for Lhasa. However, it is virtually impossible (especially during the peak season of Tibet travel, e.g. May – October) for tourists to successful purchase the train ticket.
The reason is that the railway agency is prone to sell tickets to passengers who have longer ride than offer tickets to riders with the shorter journey and cheaper tickets. If a tourist wants to travel to Lhasa by train from Xian especially during the peak Tibet travel season, it is highly recommended to have the following back-up plans:
Option 1: Book a hard sleeper ticket on Xian-Lhasa Train.
Option 2: In fact, Tibet Vista offers a better solution, namely tourists may first take a train or plane to Xining, the real starting station of Qinghai-Tibet railway and then take Xining-Lhasa train to Lhasa as all the trains bound for Tibet will pass Xining Railway Station, which makes it easier for tourists to buy train tickets. It takes a direct flight of nearly 2 hours and a bullet train around 5 hours to reach Xining from Xian.
How to Book and Get Tibet Train Tickets?
International travelers can’t enter in Tibet as backpackers and need the help of travel agency to apply for Tibet Travel Permit in advance. You do not need the permit to book the tickets but you do need it to collect the ticket and board the train.
1. How to Book Tibet Train Ticket?
Book train ticket with us ( highly recommended)
So far the most reliable way to book train tickets to Tibet is through a trustworthy travel agency. Foreign tourists have to contact a travel agency and make the application at least one month before the departure. The bonus to tourists would be the successful booking of train tickets along with the Tibet Travel Permit which is a must for foreign tourists to travel in Tibet, and a customized travel itinerary. Tibet Vista can provide such timely tickets booking service, and also offer “Train Ticket + Tibet Tour” packages.
Book at 12306.cn or buy ticket at train station
Neither method is convenient for international travelers. The 12306.cn has no English version and the online payment is limited to Chinese bank card, Wechat Pay and Alipay. The staff in train station can’t speak English. For popular route such as Xian to Lhasa train, during the peak season and even the off season of Tibet tourism, it is difficult for foreign tourists to book train tickets.
Notice: Now there is no direct train departing from Xian to Lhasa, which makes the Xian-Lhasa train tickets booking more difficult than the starting train station to Lhasa. Therefore, we do not recommend tourists to arrange Xian to Lhasa train journey in their China tours, especially in peak tourist season like the summer holiday. It’s strongly suggested to get to Xining first and board Xining Lhasa train to Tibet.
2. How to Get the Tibet Train Ticket?
In China, you need the paper train tickets to get into your train. If you book train tickets with us, you have two ways to get your paper tickets:
1. We deliver the paper tickets to your hotel or address in China (Recommended)
2. Collect them at the railway station
If you choose the delivery service, it is advisable to inform us 4 business days before departure. If you choose to collect them at the railway station, make sure to bring the confirmation number of train tickets, your Tibet Travel Permit as well as your valid and original passport. The confirmation number will be sent to you along with related train information once the tickets are confirmed, present it and the mentioned documents to the staff behind ticket windows to get paper tickets for free.
Xian Railway Station operates 24/7, but usually there are only a few ticket windows available after 11 p.m. Considering the long queues in front of the ticket window and the language barrier, it is advisable to arrive at the train station at least 2 hours before departure if you collect tickets on the same day.
Notice: Tibet Travel Permit is needed for collecting the Tibet train ticket.
3. How to Read the Train Ticket
Here are some useful phrases you may need to read Xian to Lhasa Train ticket:
西安站：Xian Railway Station
拉萨站: Lhasa Railway Station
xx年xx月xx日: xx Year xx Month xx Date
xx车xx号: xx Carriage xx Berth
上/ 中/ 下铺：Upper/ Middle/ Lower Berth
Information guide on Xian to Tibet Train Ticket
How to Board the Train?
Below are the steps to board a train in China:
Step1: Fill in the Health History Form
Before boarding the train, tourists are expected to fill out an health history form. If one has illness such as hypertension, stroke, chronic respiratory problem, and other cardiovascular disease, he or she shall no board the train for one’s health concern.
Step2: Pass Security Check
After your arriving at the right railway station, line up for the security check to enter into waiting hall: present your passport, Tibet Travel Permit and train ticket to the staff, put all your luggage such backpacks, carry-on bags on the security scanner conveyor belt, and walk through a detector gate and wait for staff to use a scanner on you to check forbidden articles.
Notice: Tourists should put your luggage to the X-Ray scanner and things like gun, poison, explosive, and chemical substance, etc are strictly forbidden.
Step3: Find the Waiting Room
Once enter into the waiting hall of Xian Railway Station, you can find an LED screen showing Train Number (车次), Terminal (终到站), Departing Time (开点) and Waiting Room (候车室). Get your waiting room information and wait for check-in there. The train number is well marked in the correct waiting room.
Step4: Board the Train
Usually check-in starts 15-30 minutes before departure and barriers close 5 minutes before departure. After check-in, you can find Led screen hang on the way to the train telling your platform (站台) and direction of your carriage (车厢). Follow the instruction and the staff waiting at the carriage gate will check your ticket again to make sure you board the right carriage of the right train.
Step5: Find Your Berth
After getting on the train, you can find your berth according to your ticket. Put your baggage on the rack overhead or under the lower berth. Your sleeper ticket will be exchanged for a plastic berth card by staff shortly after boarding. Staff will return your ticket and get back the berth card about half an hour before arriving at your destination.
FAQs:
Q1. Is it necessary to carry Tibet Travel Permit all the time?
Make sure you have your passport, Tibet Travel Permit and ticket with you as you could be checked many times during the long journey. It is also advisable to have many copies of Tibet Travel Permit.
Q2. Is it possible to swap ticket with other people to stay with friends or family in the same cabin?
Yes. It is acceptable. You may ask conductor to swap tickets with other passengers to stay with your family or friends. Do remember your cabin and seat No.
Q3. Is It Safe on the Tibet Train?
Having a ride on Qinghai-Tibet train is relatively safe as each compartment is independent and its door will automatically be closed at night. One is forbidden to enter the compartment without ticket. Of course, nowhere is safer than the compartments of soft sleeper. The cabin of soft sleeper can accommodate 4 travellers and there is a door to shut, which is the perfect choice for a family. Besides, the surveillance cameras and 24-hours police patrol make it even safer on the train.
Life Onboard
Having a ride on Qinghai-Tibet train like Xian-Lhasa route is definitely the experience of a lifetime. Besides, the long distance and pressurized train tailor-made for acclimatization of extreme altitude make the ride different from other train journey. Following tips are suggested for tourists to better enjoy the life on Xian-Lhasa train.
1. Food and Drinks
Before the departure from Xian Railway Station, do bring enough food. It could be snacks, fruit and instant noodles wrapped in bowls. Sharing snack with roommates is the easiest way to break the silence.
Dozens of tourists are having dinner in the dinning car. Tourists can order some traditional Chinese home-made dishes.
You can get 3 meals and drinks from the dining carriage located in the middle of the train. Usually only Chinese food such as noodles, dishes and soups is available and it costs about 20 CNY/meal and accepts cash payment, Wechat payment and Alipay.
The trolleys loaded with food are served in each compartment sporadically and tourists can buy from the staff of train. Besides, tourists can get free boiled water from hot water dispenser near the sinks.
2. Facilities on the Train
Toilets: The soft sleeper carriage has one western-style toilet and one squat style toilet, while hard sleeper carriage only has two squat style toilets. Toilets are located at the end of each carriage, adjacent to the washbasin, dustbin and hot water dispenser. The toilets will be locked when the train stops. Avoid to use them when the train is about to stop for arriving at a station. The red sign on the toilet door means the toilet is occupied while the green sign means not occupied. Next small but important thing is to have enough tissue or toilet paper. Because it is used fast and one won’t find any replacement if it runs out.
Washbasin: Usually only cold water is available. Tourists need to bring their own towel, wet paper tissue and toilet articles.
Dustbin: There is a big dustbin at the end of the carriage. And you can find small dustbin in each compartment and metal plate on the table along the aisle. A cleaner will sweep the floor and collect luggage from the compartment from time to time. All the waste will be disposed by train staff when arrive at stops along the way.
Hot water dispenser: There are free boiled water all the time. Bring your own water flask and get water when the light on the dispenser turns green.
FAQs:
Q1. Where to recharge your mobile phones and electronic devices?
The power plug for chargers are located in the corridors OR under your table in the cabin with the 4 soft sleepers (in between the 2 lower bunks).
Q2. Can tourists have shower in the train?
Unfortunately, there is no shower room in the train. Do bring some wet wipes in stores and a small towel. And small but equally important thing is to bring enough toilet/tissue paper.
3. Altitude Change of Xian to Lhasa Train
Xian lies at 405 meters above sea level. The altitude change between Xian (405m) and Lanzhou (1600m) will not cause discomfort to passengers. After Lanzhou, the altitude climbs slowly and reaches 2,275 meters at Xining. Xining is the first station where altitude sickness is likely to occur for a few passengers.
After Xining, the altitude starts to ascend and reaches 2,829 meters when arriving at Golmud at 19:17. And the altitude increases sharply by more than 1,000 meters in less than 100 kilometers, causing altitude sickness for some passengers. When arriving at the world’ s highest railway pass, the Tanggula Pass (5,072m), most tourists will suffer from altitude sickness. Then, the altitude drops slowly as you travel south through Nagqu and finally reaches 3,650 meters in Lhasa.
This graph gives you a rough idea of how altitude changes along Xian-Lhasa railway line
4. Altitude Sickness and Oxygen Supply
Sometimes called “mountain sickness”, altitude sickness is a group of symptoms that can strike if you walk or climb to a higher altitude too quickly. Characterized by symptoms such as headache, dizziness, fatigue,nausea, altitude sickness is the biggest concern for travelling to Tibet.
However, there is no need to be panic about altitude sickness. To better adapt to high altitude, Xian-Lhasa Train is tightly sealed and pressurized like an airplane. Therefore, smoking is not allowed. There are two sets of oxygen supply on the train: the dispersion-mode oxygen supply system operated by the train staff and the distribution-mode oxygen supply that can be connected to individual passenger through an independent port via a disposable pipe distributed by train staff. You can find the oxygen supply port in your compartment and along the aisle of each carriage.
An illustration of how to use oxygen outlet on Qinghai-Tibet train
As the train ascends to Golmud, the oxygen is automatically pumped into the train and tourists can also manually use the oxygen outlet to minimize altitude sickness symptoms such as headache, dizziness, fatigue,nausea,etc. It is advisable to bring altitude sickness medicines to ease the discomfort.
You can drink lots of water, eat light food and take a good rest to prevent high altitude sickness. It is advisable to consult the doctor for altitude sickness medicines weeks pior to the trip.
FAQs:
Q1. How to Get Help on the Train?
Some of the staff on the train speak English and they are easy-approaching and hospitable to foreign tourists. If one runs into any trouble, you may ask the head of conductor for help. Most of the passengers may have symptoms of altitude sickness (such as headache, fatigue, difficult sleeping, lack of appetite, etc.) as the train reaches Qinghai-Tibet plateau. Now, you may switch on the oxygen outlet to inhale oxygen to ease the discomfort. If the symptom gets worse, you may find the conductor for help and the doctor on the train will come and give you timely treatment.
Q2. How can we minimize the effect of altitude sickness?
The effect of altitude sickness on passengers varies. Yet, to minimize or ease the impact of altitude sickness, one may prepare some altitude sickness tablets before boarding the train and take some when the train climbs to plateau. There is no need to worry too much the altitude sickness, the train is built with oxygen supply system which is easy to use.
Q3. Is smoking allowed in the cabin?
Smoking is strictly forbidden in the train as the train is tightly sealed and pressurized and oxygen is pumped into the carriage when the train ascends to extreme altitude.It would be devastating if the train caught fire.
5. Views along Xian-Lhasa Railway
The views along the Xian-Lhasa Railway varies according to the train you take. However, since both trains arrive at Lhasa Train Station in the afternoon or later, you have enough time to enjoy the resplendent scenery along the Qinghai-Tibet Railway such as the boundless Nagqu Prairie, the snow-capped Nyenchen Thanglha Mountains, Yangpachen, the grazing sheep and yaks.
The natives believe Qinghai Lake is a miracle bestowed by a deity.
Rainbow in Kekexili Natural Reserve
The snow-capped Nyenchen Thanglha Mountains streching on the high plateau
How to Get to the Train Stations?
Xian Railway Station
The Xi’an Railway Station is one of the two main railway stations of Xi’an, the trains to Lhasa go through the station from other cities of China every day. Xian Railway Station is the fourth largest railway station in terms of traffic volume in China, a vital hub connecting northwest and southwest part of China.
Xian Railway Station
Address: No. 44 of North Huancheng Road in the Xincheng District, Xian
Phone: Ticket Office : (86-29) 7212674; Inquiry Office: (86-29) 7276076
Ticket Booking Hotline: 12306
Distance from Airport: appro. 37 km
Subway to there: Line 1
Bus to There: No. 6, No. 46, No. 41, No.611 etc
Located in the North Ring Road East Section, Xian Railway Station is around 10km from downtown, 16km from Xian North Railway Station, and 37 km from Xi’an Xianyang International Airport (XIY).
Xian Metro Map
From Downtown to Xian Railway Station
Taxi: Usually it takes a taxi around half an hour to arrive at the Xian Railway Station. The taxi fee is calculated by meter and you can ask the driver for a paper invoice when getting off.
Subway to There: There is no subway service to Xi’an Railway Station, but the planned Line 4 of Xi’an Metro will serve it. Now the nearest subway service is No.1 which is 600m away from the railway station.
From Xi’an Xianyang International Airport to Xi’an Railway Station
Taxi: It takes around 45 minutes to take a taxi from the airport to Xi’an Railway Station.
Airport Shuttle Bus: One of the best options from Xi’an Xianyang International airport to Xi’an Railway Station is via the airport shuttle bus. Tourists may take airport shuttle bust Line 2 and arrive at the entrance of Jiefang hotel and walk to the train station. The shuttle bus runs from 07:50 am to 20:20 pm, and the bus fare is ¥ 26 per person. The ride takes around an hour if the traffic goes smoothly.
Lhasa Railway Station
Lhasa Railway Station is the terminal of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway and serves as the central hub and biggest train station in Tibet for its huge transport capacity. Situated in Liuwu New Area of southwest Lhasa at an altitude of 3,641 meters, it is only 8 kilometers to downtown Lhasa, 20 kilometers to southwest of the Potala Palace.
When you arrive in Lhasa by train, our guide will greet you and bring you to start your once-in-a-lifetime trip to explore the mysterious Tibet – the roof of the world.
Lhasa Railway Station
