The Beijing to Lhasa railway including the world’s highest railway, Qinghai-Tibet Railway, is an adventure tour route if you take a train from Beijing to Lhasa. The Qinghai-Tibet railway, which runs between Xining, the capital of Qinghai province, and Lhasa, the capital of the Tibet autonomous region, makes up the major part of the your Beijing to Lhasa train journey and authorities have been planning this project for a century. But it was only in 1984 that the first section of track – an 814-km stretch from Xining to Golmud - both in Qinghai province, was completed.
The Beijing to Lhasa train trip will cost you nearly 44 hours. The 44-hour train tour from Beijing to Lhasa is a zen-like way for those who want to slow their busy minds before arriving in Tibet. Once you choose the trip from Beijing to Lhasa by train, just feel the shocks this man-made world wonder will bring to you. Before boarding on the train from Beijing to Lhasa, knowing more about the track leading you to a heaven world will contribute more fun to your Beijing to Lhasa tour.
When you are on the 1,142-km railway between Golmud and Lhasa, the most amazing engineering feat occurring in 2001 might come into your mind. The 30 billion yuan ($4.7 billion, 3.47 billion euros) high-altitude railway project employed about 100,000 engineers and construction workers for four years, and many staff had to use bottled oxygen and endure temperatures of minus 45 degrees. It is truly one of the engineering wonders of the world.
The railway climbs from 2,829 meters above sea level at Golmud to 3,641 meters at Lhasa and it is crowned the highest railway in the world. More than 550 km of track is laid on permanently frozen earth and its highest point reaches 5,072 meters above sea level.
If you are on the train from Beijing to Lhasa, you should feel so lucky. You know, before the Qinghai-Tibet railway was built, travelers had to take a train as far as Golmud followed by a grueling 48-hour bus journey to Lhasa. Now you can take a direct train from Beijing to Lhasa, or from Chengdu, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chongqing to Xian to Lhasa. In the near future, the Qinghai-Tibet railway will be extended 300 km west of Lhasa to Shigatse and then all the way to Nepal. Until then, you can take a direct train from Beijing to Kathmandu.
The T27 train from Beijing to Lhasa leaves Beijing West Railway Station at 20:09 daily and arrives at Lhasa Railway Station at 16:00 on the third day. It has 15 coaches and can hold 867 passengers at one time. There are three classes of tickets: soft sleeper at 1,189 yuan, hard sleeper at 766 yuan and hard seat at 363 yuan.
In addition to a train ticket, foreigners need a special travel permit to enter the Tibet autonomous region, that is, Tibet entry permit. Tibettravel.Org can normally handle this procedure for tourists who want to enjoy a train trip from Beijing to Lhasa of a lifetime. As the Beijing to Lhasa train trundles along, picturesque scenes of North and West China drift by. On the second day when the train leaves Xining at dusk, it rides onto the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, an enormous highland 3,500 km across, with an average altitude of 5,000 meters.
The Beijing to Lhasa train previously runs at a speed of 160 km/h on the plain and then slows to 120 km/h at the high altitude plateau.
Though the altitude is as high as enough to cause high altitude sickness owing to the lack of oxygen, but do not worry too much about it. Oxygen-enriched air will be pumped through all the carriages. Personal oxygen masks are also available. However, smokers must refrain from smoking for the oxygen-enriched air is highly flammable. We advise you to get rid of it by focusing on the rich gourmet choices. Classic Chinese cuisines such as stewed beef, fish filets in hot chili oil, stir fried shrimps with gingko nuts and Mapo tofu are served in the restaurant car. Or just enjoy the beautiful views on the plateau.
The stunning scenery along the Beijing to Lhasa railway is also a compensation for any discomfort for those passengers who suffer from high altitude sickness. Vast farms, mines and the high-rises will be seen on the first day of your Beijing to Lhasa train trip. As the train enters the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau special sights can be seen. Flat plains and the snow-topped Kunlun Mountains give you another shock. Prayer flags string across glacial, fast-flowing rivers and streaming colorfully down steep hillsides; people dressed in chubas harvest barley, or rest beside yaks harnessed to primitive ploughs; and stone walls around old stone houses. Every thing on the Tibet Plateau is so peaceful and harmonious.
When you are entering the area of Hoh Xil Nature Reserve, also known as the last fairyland of wild life in China, you will catch sight of hordes of Tibetan antelope and yak. They frolic about the open grassland or stop to enjoy their grand banquet. If you are lucky enough or travel to Tibet in a proper season, you will see other wild animals in this area where there are a total of more than 230 species of wild animals, among which the Tibetan antelope is a unique species of China. Some wildlife conservators may worry about that the living condition or migration habits of these wild animals are destroyed or disrupted for the construction of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway. It’s not strictly necessary for a bridge of three to four meters high was built for them.
Above is only a few of the reasons that stimulate many tourists choose taking a train from Beijing to Lhasa. Once you are on the train, you will experience much more than that we could tell you
Our Clients
Our clients at Mt. Everest Base Camp
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Monday, November 28, 2011
How to travel from Bejing to Lhasa
Generally, there are two ways of travelling from Beijing to Tibet, taking a flight from Beijing to Lhasa or taking the Beijing to Lhasa train.
There are two direct flights a day from Beijing to Lhasa with a stopover in Chengdu and it takes about 5 hours from Beijing to Lhasa. One is operated by Air China, and the other is by China Southern Airlines. The flight departs from Beijing in the morning and arrive in Lhasa in the afternoon. The price is 395USD including airport tax and usually at full fare in peak travel season, at 70%-80% of full fare in low travel season. The flights return to Beijing are the same.
See the flight schedule from Beijing to Lhasa
At present, there is a daily train from Beijing to Lhasa run by China Railways. The train from Beijing to Tibet takes about 44 hours to cover 3753 kilometers, of which 1110 km are over Qinghai-Tibet railway. It departs from the Beijing West Railway Station at 20:09 and arrives at Lhasa Railway Station at 16:00 on the third day after nearly 44 hours. Its operational speed is 120 km/h, 100 km/h over sections laid on permafrost. The Beijing to Lhasa railway route began on July 1st, 2006 and presently costs around RMB1300 for a first-class sleeper berth, around RMB800 for a second-class sleeper berth and half that for a soft seat.
See the train schedule from Beijing to Lhasa
There are two direct flights a day from Beijing to Lhasa with a stopover in Chengdu and it takes about 5 hours from Beijing to Lhasa. One is operated by Air China, and the other is by China Southern Airlines. The flight departs from Beijing in the morning and arrive in Lhasa in the afternoon. The price is 395USD including airport tax and usually at full fare in peak travel season, at 70%-80% of full fare in low travel season. The flights return to Beijing are the same.
See the flight schedule from Beijing to Lhasa
At present, there is a daily train from Beijing to Lhasa run by China Railways. The train from Beijing to Tibet takes about 44 hours to cover 3753 kilometers, of which 1110 km are over Qinghai-Tibet railway. It departs from the Beijing West Railway Station at 20:09 and arrives at Lhasa Railway Station at 16:00 on the third day after nearly 44 hours. Its operational speed is 120 km/h, 100 km/h over sections laid on permafrost. The Beijing to Lhasa railway route began on July 1st, 2006 and presently costs around RMB1300 for a first-class sleeper berth, around RMB800 for a second-class sleeper berth and half that for a soft seat.
See the train schedule from Beijing to Lhasa
Advice on Taking Train from Beijing to Lhasa
1. Day tours in Beijing
There are hundreds of tourist senic spots and historic sites in Beijing. Some are walkable. Some are a little far from the city center. Among the numerous spots, there are some must-see attractions in Beijing, like Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace, Ming Tomb, Great Wall, Hutong, Olympic Green and Capital Museum. However, it will take you two or three days to visit all of these major sites. If you just stay in Beijing for one day for sightseeing, we suggest you visit the highlights of Beijing, Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square and the Great Wall.
Forbidden City in Beijing
2. Transferring from the Beijing airport to the west railway station?
If you have no time to stay in Beijing and will transfer from Beijing Airport to the Beijing West Railway Station, which is located at No.19, Guanglian Lu, Fengtai District in western Beijing, taking a taxi to the railway station is a perfect way of transferring from Beijing Airport to the Beijing West Railway Station. It will cost you about RMB100, but save much time. Most taxi drivers in Beijing know a little English, which makes communication easier.
Besides, there are direct buses from the airport to the railway station, with departure frequency of 15 to 20 minutes.
If you need, Tibettravel.Org can also provide the airport to train station service in Beijing (this service is from 100USD), the driver will give you the train tickets and permit in person.
Beijing West Railway Station3. Documents for riding the Beijing to Lhasa train
Tibet travel permit issued by Tibet Tourism Bureau is a must for foreigners entering Tibet. It is also a must for boarding the train to Lhasa. Besides, Chinese visa is also a must document for your Beijing to Lhasa train tour. You are required to present them when boarding the train to Lhasa. So do forget to have a good preparation of the documents. Any carelessness will spoil you train trip from Beijing to Lhasa.
4. Choosing Beijing to Lhasa Train Ticket Class
The first class (soft sleeper berth):
There are 12 compartments with doors in a cabin of soft sleeper berth; 4 berths in each comparment, two upper and two lower; there is more private room in soft sleeper compartment than that in hard sleeper compartment. At present, the soft-sleeper train ticket fare is RMB 1189.
The second class (hard sleeper berth):There are 18 compartments without doors in a cabin of the hard sleeper berth; 6 berths in each comparment, two upper, two middle and two lower. The hard sleeper berth is not a hardboard like its name, it still comfortable and soft. At present, the hard-sleeper train ticket fare is RMB 766.
Soft sleeper berth
Hard sleeper berth5. Booking Beijing to Lhasa Train Tickets
Usually, it is not easy to get a train ticket to Lhasa in the peak tourism season of Tibet. Therefore, if you want to enjoy a smooth Beijing to Lhasa train trip, it's better to book the train tickets in advance. Tibettravel.Org is one of the few big companies in China which have a stable relationship with the railway station tickets office, and can offer train tickets booking service to travelers.
6. Cost for a trip from Beijing to Lhasa by Train
At present, the Beijing to Lhasa train will cost you around RMB1300 for a first-class sleeper berth, around RMB800 for a second-class sleeper berth and half that for a soft seat. Besides, in China, the train fare does not include meals, so you need to pay the food in the train, a normal breakfast will cost you about 10 RMB and a lunch or dinner 20-30RMB. Drinking water is free but if you want to have a cup of coffee or milk, you need to prepare in advance. Except the cost on food, another big expense on the Beijing to Lhasa train trip is that you have to pay the service charge to the travel agency who help you purchase the train tickets. The cost ranges from 100RMB to 500RMB in different seasons. In a word, the total cost of Beijing Tibet Train Journey is about 1600RMB.
7. Luggage Allowed and Forbidden for taking a train from Beijing to Lhasa
There are some restrictions for carry-on luggage if you taking a train from Beijing to Lhasa.
Banned objects on the train:
- Objects forbidden by the nation or confined to transit;
- Dangerous goods defined by the law, regulation or rules, ammunition or unidentifiable chemicals;
- Animals or any objects impeding public health including extremely odorous objects;
- Objects able to destroy or contaminate the train;
- The norm or weight beyond item 51 of this regulation.
- Objects able to destroy or contaminate the train;
Luggage allowed:
Child (refers to children whose height is shorter than 1.3m): 10kg luggage for each.
Adult (common passenger): 20kg luggage for each.
The width, height, length of one piece of luggage is limited within 160cm; the length of luggage in shape of pole is limited within 200cm. The weight of wheel chair of the disable does not included in luggage limitation.
8. What to pack for the 2-day Beijing to Lhasa train journey?
You should realize that you will spend 2 nights in the train. The Beijing to Lhasa Train is considered as a 3-star facility train in China, but it is not a hotel, no disposable provided. You need to prepare your own slippers, towel, cup, teeth brush, teeth paste, soap, even tissue paper to the train. Another problem you have to think about is the food, although there is a restaurant car in the middle of the train which provides expensive Chinese food. At least, you'd better buy some milk, bread, fruit and so on for your Beijing to Lhasa train trip.
9. Diseases dangerous for passengers taking train to Lhasa
According to the sanitarian department and doctors, the passengers can travel to the plateau only after, finishing their physical examination and approved by the doctors. Passengers are not suitably travel to the plateau area where above 3,000 meters when they have one of the following diseases: Each kind of nature heart disease, apparent heart heat abnormal or the heats are above 100 times per minute, the hypertension II, blood disease and the brain vein disease. Chronicity respiratory system disease moderate above blocking lung disease including bronchia tube asthma, bronchiectasis, pulmonary emphysema, activity pulmonary tuberculosis, dust pulmonary tuberculosis etc.
There are hundreds of tourist senic spots and historic sites in Beijing. Some are walkable. Some are a little far from the city center. Among the numerous spots, there are some must-see attractions in Beijing, like Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace, Ming Tomb, Great Wall, Hutong, Olympic Green and Capital Museum. However, it will take you two or three days to visit all of these major sites. If you just stay in Beijing for one day for sightseeing, we suggest you visit the highlights of Beijing, Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square and the Great Wall.
Forbidden City in BeijingIf you have no time to stay in Beijing and will transfer from Beijing Airport to the Beijing West Railway Station, which is located at No.19, Guanglian Lu, Fengtai District in western Beijing, taking a taxi to the railway station is a perfect way of transferring from Beijing Airport to the Beijing West Railway Station. It will cost you about RMB100, but save much time. Most taxi drivers in Beijing know a little English, which makes communication easier.
Besides, there are direct buses from the airport to the railway station, with departure frequency of 15 to 20 minutes.
If you need, Tibettravel.Org can also provide the airport to train station service in Beijing (this service is from 100USD), the driver will give you the train tickets and permit in person.
Beijing West Railway StationTibet travel permit issued by Tibet Tourism Bureau is a must for foreigners entering Tibet. It is also a must for boarding the train to Lhasa. Besides, Chinese visa is also a must document for your Beijing to Lhasa train tour. You are required to present them when boarding the train to Lhasa. So do forget to have a good preparation of the documents. Any carelessness will spoil you train trip from Beijing to Lhasa.
4. Choosing Beijing to Lhasa Train Ticket Class
The first class (soft sleeper berth):
There are 12 compartments with doors in a cabin of soft sleeper berth; 4 berths in each comparment, two upper and two lower; there is more private room in soft sleeper compartment than that in hard sleeper compartment. At present, the soft-sleeper train ticket fare is RMB 1189.
The second class (hard sleeper berth):There are 18 compartments without doors in a cabin of the hard sleeper berth; 6 berths in each comparment, two upper, two middle and two lower. The hard sleeper berth is not a hardboard like its name, it still comfortable and soft. At present, the hard-sleeper train ticket fare is RMB 766.
Soft sleeper berth
Hard sleeper berthUsually, it is not easy to get a train ticket to Lhasa in the peak tourism season of Tibet. Therefore, if you want to enjoy a smooth Beijing to Lhasa train trip, it's better to book the train tickets in advance. Tibettravel.Org is one of the few big companies in China which have a stable relationship with the railway station tickets office, and can offer train tickets booking service to travelers.
6. Cost for a trip from Beijing to Lhasa by Train
At present, the Beijing to Lhasa train will cost you around RMB1300 for a first-class sleeper berth, around RMB800 for a second-class sleeper berth and half that for a soft seat. Besides, in China, the train fare does not include meals, so you need to pay the food in the train, a normal breakfast will cost you about 10 RMB and a lunch or dinner 20-30RMB. Drinking water is free but if you want to have a cup of coffee or milk, you need to prepare in advance. Except the cost on food, another big expense on the Beijing to Lhasa train trip is that you have to pay the service charge to the travel agency who help you purchase the train tickets. The cost ranges from 100RMB to 500RMB in different seasons. In a word, the total cost of Beijing Tibet Train Journey is about 1600RMB.
There are some restrictions for carry-on luggage if you taking a train from Beijing to Lhasa.
Banned objects on the train:
- Objects forbidden by the nation or confined to transit;
- Dangerous goods defined by the law, regulation or rules, ammunition or unidentifiable chemicals;
- Animals or any objects impeding public health including extremely odorous objects;
- Objects able to destroy or contaminate the train;
- The norm or weight beyond item 51 of this regulation.
- Objects able to destroy or contaminate the train;
Luggage allowed:
Child (refers to children whose height is shorter than 1.3m): 10kg luggage for each.
Adult (common passenger): 20kg luggage for each.
The width, height, length of one piece of luggage is limited within 160cm; the length of luggage in shape of pole is limited within 200cm. The weight of wheel chair of the disable does not included in luggage limitation.
8. What to pack for the 2-day Beijing to Lhasa train journey?
You should realize that you will spend 2 nights in the train. The Beijing to Lhasa Train is considered as a 3-star facility train in China, but it is not a hotel, no disposable provided. You need to prepare your own slippers, towel, cup, teeth brush, teeth paste, soap, even tissue paper to the train. Another problem you have to think about is the food, although there is a restaurant car in the middle of the train which provides expensive Chinese food. At least, you'd better buy some milk, bread, fruit and so on for your Beijing to Lhasa train trip.
9. Diseases dangerous for passengers taking train to Lhasa
According to the sanitarian department and doctors, the passengers can travel to the plateau only after, finishing their physical examination and approved by the doctors. Passengers are not suitably travel to the plateau area where above 3,000 meters when they have one of the following diseases: Each kind of nature heart disease, apparent heart heat abnormal or the heats are above 100 times per minute, the hypertension II, blood disease and the brain vein disease. Chronicity respiratory system disease moderate above blocking lung disease including bronchia tube asthma, bronchiectasis, pulmonary emphysema, activity pulmonary tuberculosis, dust pulmonary tuberculosis etc.
Dickey Orphanage in Lhasa
If you are planning a trip to Tibet and want to do something for the pure land, you can go to Dickey Orphanage in Lhasa and donate something to the poor kids there.
Dickey Orphanage in Lhasa is home to around 90 children. The orphanage was founded by a middle-aged Tibetan woman, Tamdrin Dadhon who sold her family business, gathered the proceeds of the teahouse and with 300,000 Yuan and a lot of courage, started Dickey´s Orphanage in Lhasa, Tibet´s capital, on September 10th 2002. In Tibetan, ‘Dickey’ means ‘fine’ and ‘happiness’. At the moment Dickey´s is home to 73 children. Most of them are between six and nine years of age. The youngest is two months old. They all get lodging, tuition and medical aid.
Because a lot of the children don´t know where or when they were born, September 10th is everybody´s birthday – a big party! The parents of these children died because of illness or accidents. Some children were abandoned because their parents saw no way out of their miserable situation or fled to neighbouring countries. At this orphanage, the children found a new home and started their new life.
As Dickey Orphanage is a self-motivated action, no official government grants. Many kind local business men and international donations give financial support to the good woman, Amala Dadhon so that she can support the big family. Except that, the only way to sustain the orphanage is the income from her teahouse. However, the donations are not constant and stable, and only drop in the ocean for the future of these children need long-term support and more and more orphans join in this big family. Besides, the orphanage also has some staff, including the schoolbus driver and a Tibetan teacher.
Even it is really very hard for Tamdrin Dadhon to keep this sweet home for the children, she still tries every best to improve the living condition for the children. In 2006, more orphans came to Dickey. But the rooms she had could not accommodate more for rooms she rented as the orphanage were quite small. Sometimes a single bed was shared by two children. So she decided to build a proper home for the poor kids though facing too much pressure. She made a loan from the bank to build a new orphanage on a land of about 2000m². To minimize the costs, all orphanage staff were working with the constructors. The next year, new orphanage was finished. They moved to their new home that has a capacity to house 200 children. The children were very happy with the new location and the most important thing for them is that every child could have their own bed though there is a lack of heating system and many other infrastructure facilities for Tamdrin Dadhon has to try to save to pay back the loan.
With the Dickey Orphanage in Lhasa getting bigger and bigger, more and more problems are coming to this big family. Tuition and education are the urgent problems for them. Therefore, they are still in need of assistance of merciful people. And we hope they can get help from charity organizations and official departments.
Dickey Orphanage in Lhasa is home to around 90 children. The orphanage was founded by a middle-aged Tibetan woman, Tamdrin Dadhon who sold her family business, gathered the proceeds of the teahouse and with 300,000 Yuan and a lot of courage, started Dickey´s Orphanage in Lhasa, Tibet´s capital, on September 10th 2002. In Tibetan, ‘Dickey’ means ‘fine’ and ‘happiness’. At the moment Dickey´s is home to 73 children. Most of them are between six and nine years of age. The youngest is two months old. They all get lodging, tuition and medical aid.
As Dickey Orphanage is a self-motivated action, no official government grants. Many kind local business men and international donations give financial support to the good woman, Amala Dadhon so that she can support the big family. Except that, the only way to sustain the orphanage is the income from her teahouse. However, the donations are not constant and stable, and only drop in the ocean for the future of these children need long-term support and more and more orphans join in this big family. Besides, the orphanage also has some staff, including the schoolbus driver and a Tibetan teacher.
Sunday, November 27, 2011
How to enter Tibet from Nepal
Something you have to know about how to enter Tibet from Nepal if you are planning a Tibet and Nepal tour and prefer to stay a while in Kathmandu and then move on to Tibet.
Firstly, you need a Chinese visa and a Tibet entry permit issued by Tibet Tourism Bureau and you have to apply it before you go to Tibet. Without the Tibet permit, you are not allowed to set foot on Tibet. Tibet Entry Permit is not available by independent travelers at the moment. You have to book a guided tour from a local travel agency and ask the travel agency to apply it for you. CITS Tibettravel.Org is a leading travel agency specialized in Tibet tour services and can apply Tibet travel permit for you.
Please prepare the following documents before asking your travel agency to apply the permit: a copy of your passport; a copy of your China visa (tourist visa); your names, gender, date of birth, passport number, nationality, occupation and the beginning date and ending date of your Tibet tour.
Secondly, a China group Visa is required for entering Tibet from Nepal. Please be aware that the group visa is the only kind of visa that allows you to enter Tibet. Besides, the other kinds of Chinese visa you may obtain before automatically expire when you get the group visa. According to Chinese Law, travelers who enter Tibet from Nepal or India are required to apply for Group Tourist Visa–a kind of single entry visa. This visa must be obtained at Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu. Travelers have to enter China and leave China in a specified period of time which is given according to tour itinerary provided by a travel agency and no more than 30 days. If you have some other plan to do in China after the tour, please let your travel advisor know and he/she can help you to put the extra days you need into the tour itinerary.
Travelers need to arrive in Kathmandu several days in advance to wait the visa. They have to stay at least 1 working day (Any day among Monday, Wednesday, and Friday). The table below is the service charge of Chinese Visa.
Group Visa fee charged by Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu
Note: Normal: 3 working days; Urgent: 2 working days; Top Urgent: 1 working day
The working day refers to Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
Extra service charge by CITS Tibettravel.Org Nepal office: 20USD/person
How to apply for Group Tourist Visa
1) Email your travel advisor the image of your passport 15 days before the tour departures, Tibettravel.Org will hand over your passport and Tibet Permit application paper to Tibet Tourism Bureau.
2) Usually after 2 or 3 working days, we can obtain the Tibet Permit and Visa invitation letter from Tibet Tourism Bureau, Tibettravel.Org will fax these documents to our Nepal office.
3) As long as your permission issued, the staff member of our Nepal office will go to your hotel in Kathmandu to meet you, collect your passport and 1 passport size photo. Please make an appointment one day before this meeting.
4) After 1-5 days, depends on the service you use in table above, our Nepal office will send the issued Group Tourist Visa and Tibet Permit to your hotel.
5) Board the flight to Lhasa or take bus or taxi to Chinese Zhangmu border with visa and Tibet Permit.
It is a simple procedure. You should leave all the jobs to your travel agency and then enjoy your trip. You just give the travel advisor your passport and Tibettravel.Org will do the rest for you.
Firstly, you need a Chinese visa and a Tibet entry permit issued by Tibet Tourism Bureau and you have to apply it before you go to Tibet. Without the Tibet permit, you are not allowed to set foot on Tibet. Tibet Entry Permit is not available by independent travelers at the moment. You have to book a guided tour from a local travel agency and ask the travel agency to apply it for you. CITS Tibettravel.Org is a leading travel agency specialized in Tibet tour services and can apply Tibet travel permit for you.
Please prepare the following documents before asking your travel agency to apply the permit: a copy of your passport; a copy of your China visa (tourist visa); your names, gender, date of birth, passport number, nationality, occupation and the beginning date and ending date of your Tibet tour.
Secondly, a China group Visa is required for entering Tibet from Nepal. Please be aware that the group visa is the only kind of visa that allows you to enter Tibet. Besides, the other kinds of Chinese visa you may obtain before automatically expire when you get the group visa. According to Chinese Law, travelers who enter Tibet from Nepal or India are required to apply for Group Tourist Visa–a kind of single entry visa. This visa must be obtained at Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu. Travelers have to enter China and leave China in a specified period of time which is given according to tour itinerary provided by a travel agency and no more than 30 days. If you have some other plan to do in China after the tour, please let your travel advisor know and he/she can help you to put the extra days you need into the tour itinerary.
Travelers need to arrive in Kathmandu several days in advance to wait the visa. They have to stay at least 1 working day (Any day among Monday, Wednesday, and Friday). The table below is the service charge of Chinese Visa.
Group Visa fee charged by Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu
| Normal | Urgent | Top Urgent | |
| American Passport Holder | USD 142 | USD 164 | USD 198 |
| Other Nationality | USD 58 | USD 80 | USD 114 |
The working day refers to Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
Extra service charge by CITS Tibettravel.Org Nepal office: 20USD/person
How to apply for Group Tourist Visa
1) Email your travel advisor the image of your passport 15 days before the tour departures, Tibettravel.Org will hand over your passport and Tibet Permit application paper to Tibet Tourism Bureau.
2) Usually after 2 or 3 working days, we can obtain the Tibet Permit and Visa invitation letter from Tibet Tourism Bureau, Tibettravel.Org will fax these documents to our Nepal office.
3) As long as your permission issued, the staff member of our Nepal office will go to your hotel in Kathmandu to meet you, collect your passport and 1 passport size photo. Please make an appointment one day before this meeting.
4) After 1-5 days, depends on the service you use in table above, our Nepal office will send the issued Group Tourist Visa and Tibet Permit to your hotel.
5) Board the flight to Lhasa or take bus or taxi to Chinese Zhangmu border with visa and Tibet Permit.
It is a simple procedure. You should leave all the jobs to your travel agency and then enjoy your trip. You just give the travel advisor your passport and Tibettravel.Org will do the rest for you.
Friday, November 25, 2011
Beijing to Lhasa train
1. Brief Introduction of Beijing to Lhasa train:
The Beijing to Lhasa train is one of the Qinghai-Tibet Highway trains which is running by China Railways right now. This train T27 departs everyday, the starting point will be Beijing, and the destination will be Lhasa. It takes around 44 hours for the whole journey, of which 1110 km are over Qinghai-Tibet railway. For this 1110 km part, you will enjoy the most wonderful and beautiful scenery on the way. The train T27 departs from the Beijing West Railway Station at 20:09 on the first day and arrives at Lhasa Railway Station at 16:00 pm on the third day.
2. Beijing to Lhasa Train tickets price
The train tickets from Beijing to Lhasa have 3 different classes. The first class is soft sleeper berth, which has 4 pax in one private cabin, the ticket price is around RMB 1200 per ticket; The second class is hard sleeper berth, which has 6 pax in one private cabin, the ticket price is around RMB 800 per ticket; The third class is soft seat, which has many people in one public cabin, the ticket price is around RMB 400 per ticket.
3. Equipments on the train from Beijing to Lhasa
The train from Beijing to Lhasa is equipped with advanced facilities that are tailor-made according to the special elevation, temperature and other specific situations along the world’s highest railway, Qinghai-Tibet Railway, such as air-conditioning, supercharging system, oxygen supply, altitude display, etc. Moreover, the totally-closed train is installed with sightseeing windows covered by anti-ultraviolet film so as to protect passengers from ultraviolet radiation. In a word, the Beijing-Lhasa train tour is really worth a shot for the unique and wonderful scenery along the Qinghai-Tibet railway.
4. Foods on the train to Lhasa from Beijing
In China, all the train fare does not include meals, so you also need to pay the food in the train from Beijing to Lhasa. A normal breakfast will cost you about 10RMB and a lunch or dinner 20-30RMB. There will be different kinds of Chinese foods supplied. Such as porridge and buns in the morning, and Chinese dishes with rice in the evening. There is also hot boiled water supplied on the train, it is free. So you can prepare some coffee and milk if you need these drinks on the train.
5. Beijing to Lhasa Train Schedule and Fare
6. Beijing to Lhasa Train Route and Timetable
7. Service charge on getting the train tickets
For booking the train tickets from Beijing to Lhasa from our CITS, you need to pay some service charge to our local CITS in Beijing. The service charge ranges from 100RMB to 500RMB in different seasons. For this service charge on booking the train tickets, we CITS won’t earn you any profit but just doing a favor for you.8. Why choosing our CITS Tibettravel.Org to book the train ticketsFor booking the train tickets from Beijing to Lhasa from our CITS, we will submit the booking plans to the Beijing CITS after your confirmation on the wonderful Tibet trip with our CITS, and they will also submit the booking plans to the Beijing West train station in advance (The train stations only accept the group booking requests from key travel agencies like our CITS and Beijing CITS), then, Train station will issue train tickets 5-10 days before the departure date according to the priority they confirmed beforehand. In this way, the train tickets can be got successfully with bigger possibility if you get the train tickets from our CITS. Even in peak season, we CITS never fail to get the train tickets for our travellers. As you know, all our CITS offices have great advantages on getting the train tickets for our travellers.
The Beijing to Lhasa train is one of the Qinghai-Tibet Highway trains which is running by China Railways right now. This train T27 departs everyday, the starting point will be Beijing, and the destination will be Lhasa. It takes around 44 hours for the whole journey, of which 1110 km are over Qinghai-Tibet railway. For this 1110 km part, you will enjoy the most wonderful and beautiful scenery on the way. The train T27 departs from the Beijing West Railway Station at 20:09 on the first day and arrives at Lhasa Railway Station at 16:00 pm on the third day.
2. Beijing to Lhasa Train tickets price
The train tickets from Beijing to Lhasa have 3 different classes. The first class is soft sleeper berth, which has 4 pax in one private cabin, the ticket price is around RMB 1200 per ticket; The second class is hard sleeper berth, which has 6 pax in one private cabin, the ticket price is around RMB 800 per ticket; The third class is soft seat, which has many people in one public cabin, the ticket price is around RMB 400 per ticket.
3. Equipments on the train from Beijing to Lhasa
The train from Beijing to Lhasa is equipped with advanced facilities that are tailor-made according to the special elevation, temperature and other specific situations along the world’s highest railway, Qinghai-Tibet Railway, such as air-conditioning, supercharging system, oxygen supply, altitude display, etc. Moreover, the totally-closed train is installed with sightseeing windows covered by anti-ultraviolet film so as to protect passengers from ultraviolet radiation. In a word, the Beijing-Lhasa train tour is really worth a shot for the unique and wonderful scenery along the Qinghai-Tibet railway.
4. Foods on the train to Lhasa from Beijing
In China, all the train fare does not include meals, so you also need to pay the food in the train from Beijing to Lhasa. A normal breakfast will cost you about 10RMB and a lunch or dinner 20-30RMB. There will be different kinds of Chinese foods supplied. Such as porridge and buns in the morning, and Chinese dishes with rice in the evening. There is also hot boiled water supplied on the train, it is free. So you can prepare some coffee and milk if you need these drinks on the train.
5. Beijing to Lhasa Train Schedule and Fare
Train Available | Start City | End City | Frequecy | Distance | Duration | Beijing to Lhasa Train Tickets (Price) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hard Sleeper | Soft Sleeper | ||||||
T27 | Beijing (20:09,1st day) | Lhasa (16:00,3rd day | Daily | 3753km | 43h51m | RMB 766 | RMB 1189 |
6. Beijing to Lhasa Train Route and Timetable
| Stop | Date | Arr. | Dep. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beijing West Station | Day1 | Beginning | 20:09 |
| Shijiazhuang | Day1 | 22:46 | 22:48 |
| Taiyuan | Day2 | 00:55 | 01:01 |
| Lanzhou | Day2 | 13:04 | 13:19 |
| Xining | Day2 | 15:50 | 16:10 |
| Golmud | Day3 | 01:38 | 01:58 |
| Nakchu | Day3 | 11:18 | 11:24 |
| Lhasa | Day3 | 16:00 | End |
7. Service charge on getting the train tickets
For booking the train tickets from Beijing to Lhasa from our CITS, you need to pay some service charge to our local CITS in Beijing. The service charge ranges from 100RMB to 500RMB in different seasons. For this service charge on booking the train tickets, we CITS won’t earn you any profit but just doing a favor for you.8. Why choosing our CITS Tibettravel.Org to book the train ticketsFor booking the train tickets from Beijing to Lhasa from our CITS, we will submit the booking plans to the Beijing CITS after your confirmation on the wonderful Tibet trip with our CITS, and they will also submit the booking plans to the Beijing West train station in advance (The train stations only accept the group booking requests from key travel agencies like our CITS and Beijing CITS), then, Train station will issue train tickets 5-10 days before the departure date according to the priority they confirmed beforehand. In this way, the train tickets can be got successfully with bigger possibility if you get the train tickets from our CITS. Even in peak season, we CITS never fail to get the train tickets for our travellers. As you know, all our CITS offices have great advantages on getting the train tickets for our travellers.
Thursday, November 24, 2011
How to Avoid Altitude Sickness, Advice from Doctor
The manager Mr.Lotso of Tibettravel.Org visited Doctor Wu who is working for the Tibet Military Head Hospital, Mountain Sickness Department, in early August 2011 for how to avoid suffering from Altitude sickness. As the peak season of Tibet tourism is coming, more and more tourists are longing to travel to the mysterious highland. Meanwhile, they are worried about the altitude sickness and even some of them have suffered from it when they were in Tibet, Mr.Wu advised that tourists to Tibet should have a scientific and better understanding of the disease before they go.
Altitude sickness, also known as acute high altitude disease (AHAD) is a common physiological reaction caused by acute exposure to low oxygen content, low air pressure and dry weather when people getting up to a place with a certain altitude.
Acute altitude reaction usually occurs within hours or days after a person goes up to a highland above 2,700 meters above sea level from a region with a lower altitude. Most visitors to Tibet will suffer from at least some symptoms which will generally disappear through acclimatization in several hours to several days.
Most the travelers will have some sight symptoms such as headache, feeling heart beating fast, shortness of breath, lack of appetite, thirsty, dizziness, fatigue or weakness, hard to fall a sleep etc. after 1 or 2 days acclimation, they can adopt to local environment and these symptoms will disappear. So 2-3 days acclimation is very important for travelers who plan to travel from Lhasa to other higher places in Tibet.
If visitors still feel uncomfortable after 2 or 3 days, it is better not go to higher place and go to hospital to see doctor.
However, Mr.Wu point outed that human bodies have a very magic capability of acclimation. Therefore, altitude sickness is not that scary.
Prevention:
To prevent the occurrence of altitude sickness, visitors should have a proper rest and avoid strenuous activities days before they go to Tibet. After getting off the plane, they should try not to carry heavy things, run or avoid outdoor activities.
Visitors (with a severe cold, a high fever, acute or chronic pulmonary diseases, severe cardiovascular diseases), women in late pregnant and kids under three years old should avoid traveling to regions with a high altitude.
Do not smoke and drink when acclimating.
Do not take shower at the first two days to avoid catch cold.
Mr. Wu also pointed out that it is not exactly true that taking a train to Tibet can reduce the impact of altitude sickness for the train is pressurized, with oxygen pumped in; therefore the train is like that travelling at low altitudes, and you will only feel the affect of altitude when you arrive in Lhasa. He has received many patients suffering from high altitude sickness even travelling to Tibet by train.
Treatment:
Proper rest and oxygen aspiration can both help relieve altitude sickness. If a patient does not show any sign of improvements after three to four hours, he/she should go to a hospital for medical treatment.
Altitude sickness, also known as acute high altitude disease (AHAD) is a common physiological reaction caused by acute exposure to low oxygen content, low air pressure and dry weather when people getting up to a place with a certain altitude.
Acute altitude reaction usually occurs within hours or days after a person goes up to a highland above 2,700 meters above sea level from a region with a lower altitude. Most visitors to Tibet will suffer from at least some symptoms which will generally disappear through acclimatization in several hours to several days.
Most the travelers will have some sight symptoms such as headache, feeling heart beating fast, shortness of breath, lack of appetite, thirsty, dizziness, fatigue or weakness, hard to fall a sleep etc. after 1 or 2 days acclimation, they can adopt to local environment and these symptoms will disappear. So 2-3 days acclimation is very important for travelers who plan to travel from Lhasa to other higher places in Tibet.
If visitors still feel uncomfortable after 2 or 3 days, it is better not go to higher place and go to hospital to see doctor.
However, Mr.Wu point outed that human bodies have a very magic capability of acclimation. Therefore, altitude sickness is not that scary.
Prevention:
To prevent the occurrence of altitude sickness, visitors should have a proper rest and avoid strenuous activities days before they go to Tibet. After getting off the plane, they should try not to carry heavy things, run or avoid outdoor activities.
Visitors (with a severe cold, a high fever, acute or chronic pulmonary diseases, severe cardiovascular diseases), women in late pregnant and kids under three years old should avoid traveling to regions with a high altitude.
Do not smoke and drink when acclimating.
Do not take shower at the first two days to avoid catch cold.
Mr. Wu also pointed out that it is not exactly true that taking a train to Tibet can reduce the impact of altitude sickness for the train is pressurized, with oxygen pumped in; therefore the train is like that travelling at low altitudes, and you will only feel the affect of altitude when you arrive in Lhasa. He has received many patients suffering from high altitude sickness even travelling to Tibet by train.
Treatment:
Proper rest and oxygen aspiration can both help relieve altitude sickness. If a patient does not show any sign of improvements after three to four hours, he/she should go to a hospital for medical treatment.
Our Clients Kate and Judy Share Their Beijing to Lhasa Train Trip
Our Clients Kate and Judy from UK joined in a Tibet group tour travelling from Beijing to Lhasa by train, and then from Lhasa to Mount Everest Base Camp in October, 2011. After returning to their own country, they wrote down their trip and kindly shared it with us. Last Month, October of 2011. I finally realized my dream to visit the holy city, Lhasa and Mount Everest Base Camp. I and my friend, Judy took a train ride from Beijing to Lhasa, to experience the world's highest railway. We joined in a Beijing to Lhasa train group tour offered by Tibettravel.org. It was really a great train trip for my life. Thanks for our trip advisor, Tony who is really helpful and professional.
We arrived at Beijing around 5:10pm on October 9 and had a simple dinner in KFC at Beijing Airport for we had to arrive in train station 1 hour and a half before the train departured. And then we took a taxi to the Beijing west railway station. It took us about an hour to get to the railway station. We were shocked by the atmosphere at the station. In the dim light all you could see were thousands of people in the square, either waiting for arrivals or on their way out. Some of them were just like, with heavy backbags.
There was a special waiting room for passengers from Beijing to Lhasa by train. We spent about half an hour in that crowded waiting room, where we found something interesting that the locals rush towards the door wanting to be first through and about a thousand Chinese and Westerners jostling for position. As a fully ticketed train, we're not quite sure of the benefit of joining the crush, but decide to play along. It took us about one hour to check in for it was really crowded and complicated for foreigners to board the train from Beijing to Lhasa. Our Chinese visa and Tibet travel permit were checked carefully when checking in. Fortunately, we had a good preparation about that under the instruction of our trip advisor. The Beijing to Lhasa train, T27 departs from the Beijing West Railway Station at 8:09pm punctually.
For the Beijing to Lhasa train trip is really a long journey. Following our trip advisor's advice, we chose soft sleeper berth. One key difference between the soft sleeper and hard sleeper is that you will be four to a compartment in the former section while six in the latter one. The soft sleeper is ok except there is nowhere to sit except on the beds. It is not very convenient if the person on the lower bunk doesn't want you to sit there. Fortunately, my friend was just on the lower bunk and she allowed me to sit on her bed.
We were so excited about the coming two nights across the Tibetan plateau. The Beijing to Lhasa Train takes about 44 hours to complete the 3753 kilometer journey from Beijing to Lhasa, gaining altitude as it goes, and passing a maximum height of more than 5,000 metres! This is so high that oxygen is–allegedly–pumped into the carriages through an oxygen system to assist the acclimatization of passengers and to make the journey more comfortable. Certainly, we heard something hissing from the oxygen outlets and we don't seem to be suffering too badly from altitude, although the true test will come when we get off the train. We opted not to take the altitude medication we brought with us, taking instead a wait-and-see approach to our suffering. We have one day to acclimatize in Lhasa, so we're hopeful we can remain drug-free!
The Beijing to Lhasa train is totally sealed, windows don't open (with the much-needed exception of the bathrooms!). In order to save energy for the stunning scenery that we knew from Internet, we decided to have a good rest. We slept quite well as the lights were put out for us at 10:00pm encouraging us into an early slumber and it was very quiet in the compartment. Reveille is at about 6:30am, prompting the convergence of about 60 people on two toilets and three sinks. To be fair, the 'western style' toilets up in the soft sleepers aren't much as good as descriptions on some websites.
I had some breakfast - noodles - and sat around most of the day talking to Judy and watching the scenery go by. As you might expect, the scenery got progressively more impressive as we advanced towards Lhasa. The lush green lands, with undulating hills, spotted with yak, long-haired sheep and horses. The distant snow-peaked mountains reminded us exactly that the train was running at a higher altitude. Along the way, we saw only a smattering of Tibetan villages formed by groups of concrete huts, and the only reason we knew they were Tibetan was the five color flags adorning roofs. In some areas, construction was intense. The railroad itself was clearly an enormous undertaking, and this wasn't just a case of building railtracks: the whole route was lines by paved gutters and metal or concrete fences, as if every inch of the track was subject to detailed scrutiny.
Actually we had very little inofrmation about what we were doing, but there was a written running commentary in Chinese, with little updates in English occasionally. We found out we were usually going at 66 km/hr and the elevation at the time. It also told us the next stop, of which there were very few. At one point we were able to see that we were going all the way north to connect to the track that would then take us west.
The Beijing to Lhasa train is totally sealed, windows don't open (with the much-needed exception of the bathrooms!). In order to save energy for the stunning scenery that we knew from Internet, we decided to have a good rest. We slept quite well as the lights were put out for us at 10:00pm encouraging us into an early slumber and it was very quiet in the compartment. Reveille is at about 6:30am, prompting the convergence of about 60 people on two toilets and three sinks. To be fair, the 'western style' toilets up in the soft sleepers aren't much as good as descriptions on some websites.
I had some breakfast - noodles - and sat around most of the day talking to Judy and watching the scenery go by. As you might expect, the scenery got progressively more impressive as we advanced towards Lhasa. The lush green lands, with undulating hills, spotted with yak, long-haired sheep and horses. The distant snow-peaked mountains reminded us exactly that the train was running at a higher altitude. Along the way, we saw only a smattering of Tibetan villages formed by groups of concrete huts, and the only reason we knew they were Tibetan was the five color flags adorning roofs. In some areas, construction was intense. The railroad itself was clearly an enormous undertaking, and this wasn't just a case of building railtracks: the whole route was lines by paved gutters and metal or concrete fences, as if every inch of the track was subject to detailed scrutiny.
Actually we had very little inofrmation about what we were doing, but there was a written running commentary in Chinese, with little updates in English occasionally. We found out we were usually going at 66 km/hr and the elevation at the time. It also told us the next stop, of which there were very few. At one point we were able to see that we were going all the way north to connect to the track that would then take us west.
The Chinese were clearly enjoying the scenery as much as we were. At the most scenic points, we tried our best to take pictures through the train windows well-designed for the Beijing to Lhasa Train, so the quality was a kind of poor.
We had two stops during the day where we could exit the train and walk around, and this was a treat. We could feel it was getting colder and that we were on our way! One stop was even for an hour so we were able to walk a bit and took some pictures with higher quality.
Food on the train from Beijing to Lhasa was good. Food carts offering drinks, noodles and even shrink-wrapped fresh fruit constantly travelling up and down the train. The buffet car was bright and spacious, and quickly became our favourite hang-out. On the first evening, we ordered the dinner based on the highly scientific method of choosing what the Chinese on the table next to us had ordered! And so we enjoyed beef with garlic stems, chicken with spicy vegetables, pork with egg and shrimps with cabbage! The price for our feast was about RMB25 each.
Before arriving in Xining station, we went to the dinning car and served us a cup of coffee. We met a Chinese girl there who could speak a little English. She told us that the train would run along the Qinghai Lake for a long time after Xining Station and get a point where the train nearly got touch with the water in the lake. Unfortunately, we got no chance to witness that point. But we did have an eyeful of the beautiful Qinghai Lake. The next stop would be Golmud. But it was getting dark as we advanced to that station.
When we arrived at that station, it was around 1:40am. At that time, we could see stars all over the sky. The train made a stay there twenty minutes. We found many vendors were busying with selling their goods to the passengers on the train to Lhasa from Beijing. It was said that our Tibetan Plateau tour really started from Golmud. The train restarted to run in the night and the compartment became quiet again.
When we woke up, a different sight came into out eyes. The desolate Gobi desert had no vitality, but it was amazing that the train was running in the Kunlun Mountains hardly along the S-shaped Qinghai-Tibet Railway. With the altitude became higher and higher, from 3500m to 4100m, the scenery also became more and more wonderful. The second day journey started with breathtaking snow mountains. And we were getting more closer to Tibet. After passing by the Tanggula Pass, the highest point of the Qinghai-Tibet railway, we were finally in Tibet. We could not help to shooting through window as we were really shocked by the sights out of the train window. We enjoyed spectacular scenery for the whole second day before arriving in Lhasa at 4pm.
Overall the Beijing to Lhasa train trip was so wonderful for the train was quite comfortable as it was well designed for the Qinghai-Tibet Railway. And the service and food on the train were excellent. We also had a good time in Lhasa and enjoyed the trip from Lhasa to Mountain Everest Base Camp.
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
FAQs on Beijing to Lhasa Train Trip
1. Where is Beijing West Railway Station and how one can go from the Beijing airport to the west railway station?The Beijing West Railway Station is located at No.19, Guanglian Lu, Fengtai District in western Beijing.
Taking a taxi to the railway station is a perfect way of transferring from Beijing Airport to the Beijing West Railway Station. It will cost you about RMB100, but save much
time. Most taxi drivers in Beijing know a little English, which makes communication easier.
Besides, there are direct buses from the airport to the railway station, with departure frequency of 15 to 20 minutes.
If you need, Tibettravel.Org can also provide the airport to train station service in Beijing (this service is from 100USD), the driver will give you the train tickets and
permit in person.
2. What documents are required for riding the train from Beijing to Lhasa? Tibet travel permit issued by Tibet Tourism Bureau is a must for foreigners entering Tibet. It is also a must for boarding the train to Lhasa. Besides, Chinese visa is also
a must document for your Beijing to Lhasa train tour. You are required to present them when boarding the train to Lhasa. So do forget to have a good preparation of the
documents. Any carelessness will spoil you train trip from Beijing to Lhasa.
3. How many trains from Beijing to Lhasa?At present, there is a daily train from Beijing to Lhasa run by China Railways, that is, T27.
4. How long it takes from Beijing to Lhasa by train?It takes nearly 44 hours from Beijing to Lhasa by train, covering 3753 kilometers. The Beijing to Lhasa train departs from the Beijing West Railway Station at 20:09 and
arrives at Lhasa Railway Station at 16:00 on the third day.
5. How much dose a Beijing to Lhasa Train trip cost?At present, the Beijing to Lhasa train will cost you around RMB1300 for a first-class sleeper berth, around RMB800 for a second-class sleeper berth and half that for a soft
seat. Besides, in China, the train fare does not include meals, so you need to pay the food in the train, a normal breakfast will cost you about 10 RMB and a lunch or dinner
20-30RMB. Drinking water is free but if you want to have a cup of coffee or milk, you need to prepare in advance. Except the cost on food, another big expense on the Beijing
to Lhasa train trip is that you have to pay the service charge to the travel agency who help you purchase the train tickets. The cost ranges from 100RMB to 500RMB in
different seasons. In a word, the total cost of Beijing Lhasa Train Journey is about 1600RMB.
6. Do attendants on the Beijing to Lhasa Train speak English?No attendant can speak fluent English, some of them can speak some oral English. If you encounter some trouble of communication, please seek help of other passengers, or
call the Tibettravel. Org to help you deliver your intention to attendants.
7. Is there private bath room or sink place on the Beijing to Lhasa Train?There is no private bath room, but 2 bath rooms (one is potty, the other is toilet) and 1 sink area are equipped in each car. That means dozens of passenger will share them.
But it seems not a big problem, they are often cleaned by attendants.There is no toilet paper offered.
8. Can I take shower on the Beijing to Lhasa Train?No place to shower on the train, so please have a bath before you get on the train, because at the first two days you are in Lhasa, tour guides will tell you not to taking
shower to avoid catching cold. So, there will be 3 or 4 days you can not take shower.
Sink Area provides 24 hours hot water supply.
9. Is there internet access on the Beijing to Lhasa Train?There is no internet access on the train.
10. Is mobile phone accessible on the Beijing to Lhasa Train?You can use your mobile phone at near cities or counties, but most of the train ride does not covered by telephone signal. So if you have something necessary to call to
somebody, please call before get on the train.
11. Is there any entertainment facilities on the Beijing to Lhasa Train?Almostly no entertainment except Railway TV on soft sleeping berth car. Sightseeing to out side is your main program on the train.
Look for detailed information on Beijing to Lhasa Train Tour packages?
Taking a taxi to the railway station is a perfect way of transferring from Beijing Airport to the Beijing West Railway Station. It will cost you about RMB100, but save much
time. Most taxi drivers in Beijing know a little English, which makes communication easier.
Besides, there are direct buses from the airport to the railway station, with departure frequency of 15 to 20 minutes.
If you need, Tibettravel.Org can also provide the airport to train station service in Beijing (this service is from 100USD), the driver will give you the train tickets and
permit in person.
2. What documents are required for riding the train from Beijing to Lhasa? Tibet travel permit issued by Tibet Tourism Bureau is a must for foreigners entering Tibet. It is also a must for boarding the train to Lhasa. Besides, Chinese visa is also
a must document for your Beijing to Lhasa train tour. You are required to present them when boarding the train to Lhasa. So do forget to have a good preparation of the
documents. Any carelessness will spoil you train trip from Beijing to Lhasa.
3. How many trains from Beijing to Lhasa?At present, there is a daily train from Beijing to Lhasa run by China Railways, that is, T27.
4. How long it takes from Beijing to Lhasa by train?It takes nearly 44 hours from Beijing to Lhasa by train, covering 3753 kilometers. The Beijing to Lhasa train departs from the Beijing West Railway Station at 20:09 and
arrives at Lhasa Railway Station at 16:00 on the third day.
5. How much dose a Beijing to Lhasa Train trip cost?At present, the Beijing to Lhasa train will cost you around RMB1300 for a first-class sleeper berth, around RMB800 for a second-class sleeper berth and half that for a soft
seat. Besides, in China, the train fare does not include meals, so you need to pay the food in the train, a normal breakfast will cost you about 10 RMB and a lunch or dinner
20-30RMB. Drinking water is free but if you want to have a cup of coffee or milk, you need to prepare in advance. Except the cost on food, another big expense on the Beijing
to Lhasa train trip is that you have to pay the service charge to the travel agency who help you purchase the train tickets. The cost ranges from 100RMB to 500RMB in
different seasons. In a word, the total cost of Beijing Lhasa Train Journey is about 1600RMB.
6. Do attendants on the Beijing to Lhasa Train speak English?No attendant can speak fluent English, some of them can speak some oral English. If you encounter some trouble of communication, please seek help of other passengers, or
call the Tibettravel. Org to help you deliver your intention to attendants.
7. Is there private bath room or sink place on the Beijing to Lhasa Train?There is no private bath room, but 2 bath rooms (one is potty, the other is toilet) and 1 sink area are equipped in each car. That means dozens of passenger will share them.
But it seems not a big problem, they are often cleaned by attendants.There is no toilet paper offered.
8. Can I take shower on the Beijing to Lhasa Train?No place to shower on the train, so please have a bath before you get on the train, because at the first two days you are in Lhasa, tour guides will tell you not to taking
shower to avoid catching cold. So, there will be 3 or 4 days you can not take shower.
Sink Area provides 24 hours hot water supply.
9. Is there internet access on the Beijing to Lhasa Train?There is no internet access on the train.
10. Is mobile phone accessible on the Beijing to Lhasa Train?You can use your mobile phone at near cities or counties, but most of the train ride does not covered by telephone signal. So if you have something necessary to call to
somebody, please call before get on the train.
11. Is there any entertainment facilities on the Beijing to Lhasa Train?Almostly no entertainment except Railway TV on soft sleeping berth car. Sightseeing to out side is your main program on the train.
Look for detailed information on Beijing to Lhasa Train Tour packages?
Tips for Beijing to Lhasa Train Ride
If you are planning a trip from Beijing to Lhasa by train, here are some tips for you to prepare your Beijing to Lhasa train tour.
At present, there is a daily train from Beijing to Lhasa run by China Railways. The train from Beijing to Tibet takes about 44 hours to cover 3753 kilometers, of which 1110 km are over Qinghai-Tibet railway. It departs from the Beijing West Railway Station at 20:09 and arrives at Lhasa Railway Station at 16:00 on the third day after nearly 44 hours.
1. Booking Beijing to Lhasa Train Tickets
Usually, it is not easy to get a train ticket to Lhasa in the peak tourism season of Tibet. Therefore, if you want to enjoy a smooth Beijing to Lhasa train trip, it's better to book the train tickets in advance. Tibettravel.Org is one of the few big companies in China which have a stable relationship with the railway station tickets office, and can offer train tickets booking service to travelers.
2. Documents required for boarding the Beijing to Lhasa train
Tibet travel permit issued by Tibet Tourism Bureau is a must for foreigners entering Tibet. It is also a must for boarding the train to Lhasa. Besides, Chinese visa is also a must document for your Beijing to Lhasa train tour. Before boarding the train from Beijing to Lhasa, do check, recheck and triple-check these documents. You are required to present them when boarding.
3. Entrance Guide
Beijing West Train Station has two front squares: the Southern Square (close to Lianhuachi Park) and the Northern Saquare (close to China Millennium Monument). Entrance passes and ticket booking windows are located in the Northern Saquare. If you happen to get to the Southern Saquare, you should walk to the Northern Saquare through the underground tunnel to get into the Train Station Hall.
Passengers should pick their luggages at the west side of the west wing in the Northern Square and forward luaggages at the east side of the east wing in the Northern Square.
Sleeper ticket holders can relax themselves at the east side of the entrance hall on the 2nd floor.
T27 waiting room is dedicated for passengers taking train from Beijing to Lhasa.
4. Luggage Issue
Different from traveling by air, Beijing to Lhasa Train does not provide luggage check-in service. All the luggage you take requires to be carried on by yourself, to put them on top luggage shelf, or under button berth. There are some restrictions for carry-on luggage.
Child (refers to children whose height is shorter than 1.3m): 10kg luggage for each.
Adult (common passenger): 20kg luggage for each.
The width, height, length of one piece of luggage is limited within 160cm; the length of luggage in shape of pole is limited within 200cm.The weight of wheel chair of the disable does not included in luggage limitation.
Moreover, there are some banned objects on the train
- Objects forbidden by the nation or confined to transit;
- Dangerous goods defined by the law, regulation or rules, ammunition or unidentifiable chemicals;
- Animals or any objects impeding public health including extremely odorous objects;
- Objects able to destroy or contaminate the train;
- The norm or weight beyond item 51 of this regulation.
Detailed Information on Beijing to Lhasa Train Tour Packages
At present, there is a daily train from Beijing to Lhasa run by China Railways. The train from Beijing to Tibet takes about 44 hours to cover 3753 kilometers, of which 1110 km are over Qinghai-Tibet railway. It departs from the Beijing West Railway Station at 20:09 and arrives at Lhasa Railway Station at 16:00 on the third day after nearly 44 hours.
Usually, it is not easy to get a train ticket to Lhasa in the peak tourism season of Tibet. Therefore, if you want to enjoy a smooth Beijing to Lhasa train trip, it's better to book the train tickets in advance. Tibettravel.Org is one of the few big companies in China which have a stable relationship with the railway station tickets office, and can offer train tickets booking service to travelers.
2. Documents required for boarding the Beijing to Lhasa train
Tibet travel permit issued by Tibet Tourism Bureau is a must for foreigners entering Tibet. It is also a must for boarding the train to Lhasa. Besides, Chinese visa is also a must document for your Beijing to Lhasa train tour. Before boarding the train from Beijing to Lhasa, do check, recheck and triple-check these documents. You are required to present them when boarding.
3. Entrance Guide
Beijing West Train Station has two front squares: the Southern Square (close to Lianhuachi Park) and the Northern Saquare (close to China Millennium Monument). Entrance passes and ticket booking windows are located in the Northern Saquare. If you happen to get to the Southern Saquare, you should walk to the Northern Saquare through the underground tunnel to get into the Train Station Hall.
Passengers should pick their luggages at the west side of the west wing in the Northern Square and forward luaggages at the east side of the east wing in the Northern Square.
Sleeper ticket holders can relax themselves at the east side of the entrance hall on the 2nd floor.
T27 waiting room is dedicated for passengers taking train from Beijing to Lhasa.
Different from traveling by air, Beijing to Lhasa Train does not provide luggage check-in service. All the luggage you take requires to be carried on by yourself, to put them on top luggage shelf, or under button berth. There are some restrictions for carry-on luggage.
Child (refers to children whose height is shorter than 1.3m): 10kg luggage for each.
Adult (common passenger): 20kg luggage for each.
The width, height, length of one piece of luggage is limited within 160cm; the length of luggage in shape of pole is limited within 200cm.The weight of wheel chair of the disable does not included in luggage limitation.
Moreover, there are some banned objects on the train
- Objects forbidden by the nation or confined to transit;
- Dangerous goods defined by the law, regulation or rules, ammunition or unidentifiable chemicals;
- Animals or any objects impeding public health including extremely odorous objects;
- Objects able to destroy or contaminate the train;
- The norm or weight beyond item 51 of this regulation.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Our Client Adrian Affolter's Feedback of Their Tibet Tour
Our client Adrian Affolter who used the service of CITS Tibettravel.Org in September 2011 gave us his feedback of Tibet tour by sending an email to his Tibet Trip Advisor, Derek Wong. He joined in a Tibet group tour from Lhasa to Everest Base Camp from Sep. 26 to Oct. 4.
Hello Derek
I am just back from the Asia trip. I want to let you know that everything about that booked Tibet trip was fine. I enjoyed the whole tour and bring back unforgettable memories about that wonderful landscape of Tibet and and also very friendly tibetaens.
It is very possible that I will go back to Tibet again.
Thank you for your effort, for the well organized Lhasa-Everest Camp-Lhasa trip.
It is very possible that I will go back to Tibet again.
Thank you for your effort, for the well organized Lhasa-Everest Camp-Lhasa trip.
with best regards from the cold Switzerland
Adrian
Adrian
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Tibet Airlines opens Lhasa-Lanzhou flight
Tibet Airlines started operating flights from Lhasa to Gansu's capital city Lanzhou on Tuesday, Nov 1, 2011, opening a direct winter air connection between the two cities for the first time.
The first 140-minute flight, a Tibet Airlines Airbus A319, landed at Lanzhou Zhongchuan Airport at 11:10 am.
The round-trip direct flight TV9827/8 will operate every Tuesday and Saturday departing Lhasa at 8:50 am and returning from Lanzhou at noon.
Tibet Airlines is the only carrier that flies this route in winter. The full-price economy class ticket of this flight is 1,560 yuan ($246).
Established in June 2010, Tibet Airlines is the first and only local airline company of the Tibet autonomous region. Its maiden flight was on July 26 this year.
The carrier's fleet includes three Airbus A319 airplanes and it operates nine domestic destinations with Lhasa and Chengdu as the main hubs. The company plans to expand the fleet size to 10 aircraft and operate flights to all civil airports in Tibet.
Following the country's efforts in recent years to promote civil aviation in Tibet, the number of civil airports in the region increased to five: Lhasa, Qamdo, Nyingchi,
Shigatse and Ngari. The newest two,Shigatse, and Ngari airports were just opened last year.
The country has also invested 1.8 billion yuan ($283 million) to build an airport in Tibet's Nagqu prefecture, which will be the highest airport in the world – 4,436 meters above sea level.
Source from China Daily
More information about flights to Lhasa
Tibet weather forcast in November, 2011
Lhasa, capital city of southwestern Tibet autonomous region, was coated with a thin layer of snow Tuesday morning, Nov. 1, 2011, the first snow in the region since autumn.
This week most parts of the region will see a round of declining temperatures along with snow or rainfall, according to the regional meteorological bureau.
More information about Lhasa and Tibet, please go to Tibettravel.Orghttp://www.tibettravel.org/
This week most parts of the region will see a round of declining temperatures along with snow or rainfall, according to the regional meteorological bureau.
More information about Lhasa and Tibet, please go to Tibettravel.Orghttp://www.tibettravel.org/
Tibetan and Buddhism
We can see this symbol on the roof of almost every temple in Tibet. Our Tibetan tour guide, Lotse, told us that the center is a religious wheel and beside two are deer. The center symbolizes the lord of buddha and beside two symbolize human beings. And it says we the human beings are learning from the lord of the buddha.
Source From Tibet Travel Org
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Our client Louise Merwald enjoyed her Tibet trip
Louise Merwald from Denmark, one of our clients and a travel buddy of Stephen and Winnie Hartley from UK, also thinks highly of her trip to Tibet. And she sent a thank-you e-mail to their trip advisor of Tibettravel.org, Tony Yin, too.
The following is the original message:
The following is the original message:
Hey Tony
I just wanna say thanks for you helped me to get to Tibet. And also a big thanks to you manager for let me stay there one night. I really enjoyed the Tibet trip, and our guide was fantasic.
Louise
Our clients, Stephen and Winnie Hartley enjoyed a wonderful trip to Tibet
Our clients, Stephen and Winnie Hartley from UK enjoyed a wonderful trip to Tibet. They spent ten days in Tibet with another tourist, Louise Merwald from Denmark. After returning to home, they sent a thank-you e-mail to their trip advisor of Tibettravel.org, Tony Yin.
The following is the original message:
Hi Tony,
We are now back in the UK after our 2-month holiday.
We should like to thank you and all at CITS for our wonderful trip to Tibet. All the arrangements went as per the itinerary, the weather was perfect and we all had a great time.
A special thanks to our Tibetan guide, Tashi, whose knowledge and enthusiam made our trip even more enjoyable.
I attach one last photo of the three of us at Everest Base Camp.
Many thanks.
Stephen and Winnie Hartley
The following is the original message:
Hi Tony,
We are now back in the UK after our 2-month holiday.
We should like to thank you and all at CITS for our wonderful trip to Tibet. All the arrangements went as per the itinerary, the weather was perfect and we all had a great time.
A special thanks to our Tibetan guide, Tashi, whose knowledge and enthusiam made our trip even more enjoyable.
I attach one last photo of the three of us at Everest Base Camp.
Many thanks.
Stephen and Winnie Hartley
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)