Tibet Train Info

Tibet Train information is created in order to explain about Tibet Train, types of seats and facilities  in the train to Lhasa. We received many inquiries from our clients who are confused it, so we thought it may be a beneficial for many travelers if we posit it on public. We hope this helps you to understand about your train ride to Tibet. 

There are three different level of carriages on the train with three different types of seats respectively, they are soft sleeper, hard sleeper and hard seat. Though there are difference between these train tickets, but train to Lhasa has one thing in common is that whole train provides oxygen inside of carriage. Tibet train is an unique train that supplies oxygen on the train once you reach certain heights. The oxygen will be supplied start from Golmud if you are heading to Lhasa or stops from Golmud if you are coming from Lhasa. There are oxygen output(see photo below) on top of each bed. If you are feeling not too bad, you can just breath normally in the train, however, if you feel you are uncomfortable due to the altitude, you can ask train attendants to give you a nasal oxygen cannula and you can plug in to the hole on top of your bed, so you can get more oxygen to breath. 

Here are the three types of seats on the Tibet Train below: 

Hard seat Train Ticket 

Hard seat is the least comfortable but the cheapest class of seat on the Tibet Train, you could notlie down and have no privacy. Due to all the train to Lhasa is at least over 20 hours(the shortest train ride to Lhasa is 21 hours which is the train run from Xining). We don’t recommend to take hard seat unless you are on a very low budget and you are aware of all the situation(noisy, play cards, dirty toilet and smell of instant noodles and others).

 

Hard sleeper Train Ticket 

Hard sleeper is second class on Tibet train, it has 6 berths, 3 berth each side in every.

The berth is relatively comfortable and feel not big difference from softsleeper. You will have clean bed sheet and blanket to cover you at night. Hardsleeper cabin has no door. Bottom bunk(lower bed) has slightly bigger space, you can seat on the bed, but middle and top bunks are not able to sit straight up. But the good thing about middle and top bed is that no one interrupts you, you can read a book or watch a movie for this long ride.  There are two places you can store your luggage, one is on top end of upper bed and the other one is underneath lower bed. If you have big luggage, I recommend to be there earlier than others, so you will have enough space to put your luggage. There are 2 toilets for each hardsleeper car and there are located at each end of carriage. Drinkable hot water is supplied 24 hours if you bring a container with you.

 

 

 

 

Soft sleeper Train Ticket 

Soft sleeper on Tibet train is first class with 4 berths(2 beds on each wall) in one private

compartment, which has more space, quite, safe and clean compared with other two classes.

It has more private basic facilities such as private toilet, language closet and TV. The softsleeepr bed is slightly bigger than bed of hard sleeper and have more space, both top and lower beds have room for sit straight up. There are two places you can store your luggage, one is on top end of upper bed and the other one is underneath lower bed. If you have big luggage, I recommend to be there earlier than others, so you will have enough space to put your luggage. There are 2 toilets for each hardsleeper car and there are located at each end of carriage. Drinkable hot water is supplied 24 hours if you bring a container with you.

In Chinese train culture, the lower bed is for everyone during the day, so people from middle or top bunks come down to lower bed and seat on it. Don’t feel strange about it. As I said it is very normal in Chinese train culture.

The train to Tibet is relatively safe, we didn’t hear any of our clients lost anything on the train, but you always should keep valuable things and passport with you at all times.

If you have bicycle with you to Tibet, you can dismount it and leave it next to train attendants room and watch it from time to time.

After you boarding on the train, first the train attendants will come to exchange your train tickets to a card and this card will be again changed to your train tickets when you arrive your destination. The second procedure is asking everyone to fill up this form below, I translated it, so you just fill up accordingly. 

There is power outlet on Tibet train (photos below), though only one power outlets shared with 2 compartments but it is still very useful when you want to charge your phones.

Tibet Train tickets is required to show when you get the train tickets and when you entry the train tickets. You do not need the original Tibet travel Permits, you can use a copy of Tibet train permits, so make sure to have 2 copies of your Tibet Travel Permits. Though there is one exception, when you get on the Chongqing to Lhasa train, they normally ask to have original travel permits by the time when we write this artcle. We don’t’ know the reason but you better to have your original travel permits.

All in all, regarding to the pleasantness, soft sleeper is better than hard sleeper, but hard sleeper is better than hard seat. Soft sleeper is for these who prefers privacy, comfort and has problem with sleeping in noisy situation. But hard sleep is for those who is hoping to save some money as it’s much more bearable compared with hard seat for long journey. Please kindly note that sometimes both hard and soft sleeper are hard to get, you’d better to pay attention one month before if the destination is a popular place.

We are the only company has offices both in Xining and Lhasa. Xining is the gateway of Tibet Train, so most Tibet travelers first come to Xining and then take train to Lhasa. More info about Tibet Train Ticket and Tibet train schedules, please check out here – Tibet Train Ticket and Schedule.