Tibet Train Tickets
Since the Qinghai-Tibet Railway opened in 2006, millions of travelers have taken the train to Lhasa. The railway traverses remote areas of eastern and northern Tibet, crossing frozen plains and high mountain passes. It offers passengers breathtaking views of the Tibetan plateau and provides a chance to rest and acclimatize before reaching Lhasa.
During peak tourist seasons (May to October) and the Chinese New Year, train tickets become very difficult to purchase. At these times, over 18,000 people per day—primarily domestic Chinese—travel to Tibet by train, driving up ticket prices due to high demand.
Why do train ticket prices increase during busy times? Before tickets are available to the public, they are first allocated to large, government-owned travel agencies. These agencies purchase most of the tickets bound for Lhasa and sell them at a significant markup to smaller travel agencies. Additionally, ticket scalpers often camp out at train stations overnight to buy up leftover tickets as soon as they go on sale in the morning, then resell them at inflated prices. Despite our efforts to secure tickets by sending staff to wait in line before ticket windows open, scalpers may purchase all available tickets before we have a chance to acquire them, necessitating the pursuit of secondary routes. Nearly all small-to-medium-sized travel agencies in China face this challenge, requiring us to add a surcharge to the actual ticket price to have a chance at securing tickets. Nevertheless, we strive to obtain tickets at the lowest possible cost, so please check with us for current rates according to the season.
Arranging Train Tickets through SnowLion Tours:
WE DO NOT GUARANTEE TRAIN TICKETS
Passenger trains depart from Beijing, Chengdu, Chongqing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Xining, and Lanzhou. Currently, SnowLion Tours can assist with purchasing train tickets from Beijing, Chongqing, Chengdu, Shanghai, and Xining to Lhasa. For tickets starting from other locations, we recommend contacting a local travel agency or hotel for assistance.
To arrange train tickets through us, please request them at least 61 days in advance, as tickets become available at that time. Due to the unpredictable nature of securing Lhasa tickets during peak season, we cannot guarantee availability, but we will always do our best. If we cannot obtain tickets for your preferred departure date, we will attempt to secure them for the next available day. We recommend providing us with three consecutive dates that you are available to travel, which will increase your chances of securing a ticket.
Soft sleeper tickets are the most challenging to obtain, as many are reserved for government and military officials. If we are unable to secure soft sleeper tickets, we will attempt to get hard sleeper tickets. Despite their name, hard sleeper berths are actually quite comfortable and are commonly used by foreign travelers to Tibet.
Hard seats are the easiest to obtain but are less comfortable for long journeys. While we can arrange hard seat tickets, we recommend trying to upgrade to a hard sleeper on the train if possible.
If you have fixed dates and need to arrive in Lhasa by a certain date, we recommend flying in. Train tickets out of Tibet are much easier to obtain, so if your schedule is tight, consider flying in and taking the train out.
During the low season, it is possible to purchase train tickets at the actual cost with only a small service fee for booking.
You are also welcome to book your own train tickets. If you choose this option, it is best to have a Chinese national purchase the ticket for you at the train station. Otherwise, you may need to show your permit to buy the ticket. However, it is extremely unlikely that you will be able to purchase tickets on your own. At best, you might have some success booking a sleeper during the low season or a hard seat during the high season. For any assurance of securing a train ticket, it is highly recommended to go through a travel agency.
Tibet Train Schedule:
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