Launched as early as in July 2006, Beijing Lhasa trains (T27) has served as one of the three initial railway routes of Qinghai-Tibet Railway. With other two major railway lines moving from Chengdu to Lhasa and Xining to Lhasa. Beijing-Lhasa train stretches as far as 3757km and crosses over 8 provinces and it takes around 43 hours and 51mins from Beijing to Lhasa and its return train is T28(Lhasa-Beijing). The train departs from Beijing West Station.
Train No. | Destinations | Depart | Arrival | Run Time | Distance | Hard Sleeper | Soft Sleeper |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Z21 | Beijing to Lhasa | 20:00 | 14:42 (3rd day) | 42h42m | 3757km | CNY 742 | CNY 1186 |
T28 | Lhasa to Beijing | 13:20 | 08:19 (3rd day) | 42h59m | 3757km | CNY 742 | CNY 1186 |
Frequency: Daily Train |
Beijing is the best place to begin the Qinghai-Tibet train journey
Beijing is considered as the best place to begin Tibet Journey because Beijing enjoys easy transportation and China’s classical historical attractions. Known as the capital and one of the most vibrant cosmopolitans of China, Beijing is often the first option for foreign travellers to access China. Beijing Capital International Airport, being the second busiest airport in the world. It has an annual throughput of over 83.71 million passengers in 2013 and it can literally receive travelers from any part of the globe and vice versa.
Foreign tourists may choose to land in Beijing and tour some must-see attractions such as Forbidden City, Summer Palace, Great Wall, Tiananmen Square, etc. en route to Tibet by Qinghai-Tibet railway. Besides, some tourists can continue their journey to Nepal via Tibet. In fact, Beijing-Tibet-Nepal is one of the most popular tourist routes for travellers to travel in Asia.
Beijing Train Station Detail Informations
Beijing West Railway Station is located in Lianhuachi East Road, Fengtai District, Beijing. 118 Lianhuachi East Road
1.Beijing Capital Airport – Beijing Railway Station Transportation
1) Airport Shuttle Bus No.03 connects Capital Airport and Beijing Railway Station
2) Airport Express Train + Subway: Take airport express train and get off at its final station of Dongzhimen (东直门), interchange for Subway Line 2 to the south and alight at the third stop of Beijing Railway Station (北京站), exit from Exit C or D.
3) Taxi fare: about RMB 90 ( 28km ).
2. Get there and away
To leave or go to Beijing Railway Station, taking the subway is the most convenient way of public transportation since the subway line 2 passes by the train station square in the north. The Subway station has four exits: Exit C and D for exiting and Exit A and B for entering.
With subway line 2, you are linked to other three train station: Beijing South Railway Station ( line 4), Beijing West Railway Station ( line 9 ) and Beijing North Railway Station ( line 2 and 4 ). Check Beijing Subway Map for more information.
3. Cafe and Restaurants
There are some clean and quality cafes and restaurants available at Beijing Railway Station like KFC.
How to Read Beijing to Lhasa Ticket and What Are Needed for Booking?
If someone wants to travel to Tibet by railway from Beijing, it is also important to know how to get the permit to enter into Tibet. You do not need the permit to book the tickets but you do need it to board the train. Is still impossible to enter in Tibet as backpackers, so travellers need the help of travel agency to apply for Tibet Travel Permit in advance. Tibet Travel Permit, as well as your ticket, need to be checked when you check-in. Photocopy of the permit is acceptable in Beijing west railway station, while the original one is required in Xian. Normally, travel agencies get your permit some days before you board the train for Lhasa and deliver it to your hotel.
See more detailed: Tibet Permit and Visa related issues
What sort of window view do we expect to see?
Just like the road trip by car, one could enjoy the scenery on both sides of the road. The stunning scenery along the Beijing-Lhasa railway line will never let you down. As the train passes Xining and enters the Golmud region, the breathtaking view appears one after another. Be sure to capture the memorable experience with your camera. Major attractions are Qarhan Salt Lake, Yuzhu Peak, Kekexili Nature Reserve, Tuotuo He River, Tangula pass, Tsonag Lake, Qiangtang prairie, Namtso, etc.
Having a ride on Qinghai-Tibet train like Beijing-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 another train journey. Following tips are suggested for tourists to better enjoy life on Beijing-Lhasa train. See more: the detailed introduction of the scenery of Qinghai-Tibet railway.
Travel Tips for Catching Your Train
- Check your train ticket and make sure that you get to the correct train station.
- You will be allowed onboard the train 30 minutes before departure time. The train will be closed 5 minutes before departure. so be there on time
- While in the waiting room, please see the live train timetable and a signboard indicating the boarding time of your train.
- Line up for the ticket check by the ticket collectors or insert the ticket in the turnstile ( make sure to get the correct platform).
- Show your ticket to the train conductor standing the door of your carriage before you embark on your train ride.
- If you lose your tickets on the train, you are supposed to buy another one when passing the arrival station. So do not lose your tickets on the train
Railway Rules and Regulations You Should Know
China railway rules and regulations are different from any other country in the world. Getting familiar with these rules will make your rail travel in China more successful and happy!
Carry-on Luggage Rules:
- Inflammable and explosive dangerous goods, animal and pet are not allowed to take on board the train.
- Weight requirement for carry-on luggage: maximum weight of carry-on luggage is 10kg for a child passenger, the maximum weight for carry-on luggage is 20kg for an adult passenger.
- Size requirment for carry-on luggage: total length of your carry-on luggage ( length+width+height) should be under 200cm.
Requirements for Child Tickets
Instead of age, China railway has special requirements on height to buy child ticket. Requirments on child ticket can be summarized as follows:
- Children with a height under 120cm can enjoy free rail travel and don’t need to pay to travel by train.
- Children with a height of 120cm and 150cm have rights to buy discounted train tickets. Price for a sleeper ticket for a child is about 70% of that of an adult ticket.
- Children with the height above 150cm should buy fully-priced train tickets no matter how old they are.
Note:
- The timetable above is just for reference.
- We can NOT offer ticket-only service. According to the Tibet Government, foreign visitors must book a tour from a travel agency and obtain a Tibet Entry Permit before booking Tibet train ticket.
- Tibet train tickets are quite popular and always sold out quickly, please make your inquiry at least 3-5 months before your departure date.
- Because the hard and soft sleeper tickets from Chengdu to Lhasa are few and hard to get, we recommend you to take a flight to Xining, and then take the train from Xining to Lhasa.
You are free to contact us for an inquiry about customizing a Tibet tour with a flight to Tibet. A quick reply will be sent to you within 24 hours.
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