T164, as one of the early three railway links with Tibet, connects Shanghai with Lhasa. The railway line covers 8 provinces from east to west China and has 4373 km in total. It normally takes about 47. 47 hours to reach Lhasa from Shanghai. As the train travels amid mountainous range, conductors of each compartment of the train will use Chinese, Tibetan, and English to introduce renowned scenic spots. Also a brief introduction about Tibetan customs and making of Tibetan dishes, etc.
Start from 2006, Shanghai-Lhasa train distinguished itself from other trains in a unique way. The train equipped with cutting-edge technology was built to dash on the extreme plateau. The long train, consisting of 15 compartments, could accommodate 863 passengers. Among them, 2 of the compartments were used as soft sleepers that could house 64 travellers. Also, another 7 compartments were made for hard sleepers capable of accommodating 407 tourists. Still another 5 compartments were set aside for hard seat that contained 392 passengers. While the rest compartment was reserved for dinning car and crew of Shanghai-Lhasa railway.
Shanghai Lhasa train Schedule and Fare
| Train No. | Destinations | Depart | Arrival | Run Time | Distance | Hard Sleeper | Soft Sleeper |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Z164 | Shanghai to Lhasa | 20:10 | 19:44 (3rd day) | 47h 34m | 4373km | CNY 817.5 | CNY 1310.5 |
| T166 | Lhasa to Shanghai | 11:15 | 11:25 (3rd day) | 48h 10m | 4373 km | CNY 817.5 | CNY 1310.5 |
| Frequency: Depart daily | |||||||
Shanghai International Airport to Railway Station
It’s been the commercial and financial centre of mainland China enjoys an extensive and efficient public transportation system. Pudong International Airport serves as the major hub and gateway for foreign tourists to access China. The mass subway system allows tourists to have an easy trip to virtually anywhere in Shanghai.
Take a taxi from Pudong airport to Shanghai railway station, about 52 km, and the fare is about du179 yuan. The one-way journey is 60 minutes left and right (without traffic jam)!
If you are not in a hurry, it’s very convenient to take the airport bus. airport line 5 will take from the Pudong to Shanghai railway station. One way takes 75 minutes and cost 22 yuan.
Tips:
To be able to board the Shanghai-Lhasa train, foreign tourists have to show your passport, Tibet Travel Permit, and a train ticket to the train inspector. If tourists want to travel in Tibet, you need to find a licensed and trustworthy travel agency to apply for the Tibet Travel Permit.
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 Shanghai-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 Shanghai-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 Shanghai-Lhasa train. See more: the detailed introduction of the scenery of Qinghai-Tibet railway.
Other Alternatives to Shanghai-Lhasa Train
Taking the Qinghai-Tibet train is truly popular. It’s extremely difficult for individual travellers to buy train tickets themselves during peak season. If one failed finally, don’t be disappointed. There’s another option, taking train or plane from Shanghai to Xining (The genuine starting point of Qinghai-Tibet railway), then heading to Tibet from Xining. There are several daily trains bound for Lhasa from Xining, and the capacity is even greater than Shanghai-Lhasa train. It is much easier to get tickets.
On the other hand, some travellers may feel uncomfortable spending 47 hours on the train. With the majority of scenic view appearing at the last section of the railway line, i.e. from Golmud to Lhasa, so it’s a little bit waste of time to take the train all the way from Shanghai to Xining. If you have enough budget, we highly recommend you taking a flight from Shanghai to Xining, and then moving to Tibet by train, in this way you can save time and energy.
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 requirement for carry-on luggage: total length of your carry-on luggage ( length+width+height) should be under 200cm.
Requirements for Child Tickets
According to the regulations of the Ministry of the railway of China, all passengers who buy tickets have independent seats. Therefore, children’s tickets on the train have seats. Only if the height of children is within 1.2 m and 1.5 m, they can enjoy the discount children ticket.
Secondly, if the height of children is less than 1.2 meters, according to the regulations, do not need to buy tickets, and can accompany adult passengers to ride free of charge. Therefore, there is no independent seat, so they can only ride with adults.
Finally, minors under the age of 16 who are over 1.5 meters in height must buy a full-price ticket to take the train. They do not enjoy the children’s ticket discount. Therefore, this type of passengers also has independent seats.
Each adult passenger can bring a child whose height is less than 1.2m free of charge. If more than one child is exceeded, the number of people who exceed should buy a child ticket.
Matters needing attention:
According to the regulations of the railway department, children can’t buy tickets alone. Children’s tickets should be purchased together with adult tickets. When buying children’s tickets, children’s valid ID card information must be provided. If children don’t apply for the ID card, they can use the valid ID information of adults in the same family.
Reminder:
Children without an ID card can buy train tickets online with adult ID card.
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