Travelling to Tibet

The Qinghai-Tibet railway station started in the year 2006 and is the longest plateau railway, with a total length of 1,956 km, and the highest in the world. Another section operating between Xining and Golmud began in the year 1984.

The Lhasa railway station is located in the county of Lhasa Toelung Dechen, which is 20 km away from the Potala Palace. The Lhasa railway station is within 10 minutes from the centre of the city on a taxi. The trains here operate between the cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chongqing, Chengdu, Xining, and Lanzhou.

Besides Qinghai, there are 45 small stations and more than 20 main stations in Tibet, including Amdo railway station, Angga, Cuonahu, Damxung, Daqiongguo, Diwuma, Gangxiu, Gulu, Gurong, Lhasa, Lhasa West, Liantonghe, Maxiang, Naqu, Sangxiong, Tanggula, Tuoju, Tuoru, Wumatang, Yangbajing, Yangbaling and Zhajiazangbu.    

Seven railway lines connect Lhasa from different destinations like Guangzhou, Shanghai, and Beijing, Lanzhou, Xining, Chongqing and Chengdu. This rail route passes through the different cities and grasslands of China.

There are three different routes from where the trains operate including regular trains from Beijing to Lhasa and between Chengdu-Lhasa and Chongqing-Lhasa and between Xining-Lhasa and Lanzhou-Lhasa.

Facilities in the trains operating here include oxygen respirators for people who are not comfortable in high altitude areas. There are also medical experts on trains, who are present to assist the passengers in case of emergencies. Signs in the trains are written in both Tibetan and Chinese Han language.