Tibet used to be an inhospitable region, but lots of the people want to travel there. With the transportation network build up, it is easier to get to Tibet with different access. Rail, road, air all are very convenient. The most popular way to enter Tibet now is taking the train-the sky train. On the way, you can enjoy the unique high land scenery that you will miss by taking the flights, and at the same time, adjust yourself to the altitude gradually; the flight is faster and convenient, but see less; hitchhiking the road, it will take a longer time to get to Tibet and pretty tough. The biggest benefit is that you can spend more time at the wonderful scenaries and enjoy them all the way to Tibet.
Air
Tibet also opens both international and domestic airlines. You can take the regular direct domestic flights from Chengdu (2hours' flying time), Beijing (6hrs), Shanghai(8hrs), Chongqing (2hrs), Xi'an (3hrs), Guangzhou(5hrs) and Kunming (4hrs)to Tibet. The international route is from Kathmandu 2hours flying (capital of Nepal). Gongga Airport Tibet is at the Gongga County in the south of Lhasa 100 kilometers away. It takes around 2 hours' driving from Lhasa. The airport bus costs 20yuan per person; taxi rental is about 200yuan per car.
Going to Tibet, by Train or Flight?
Travelers get to Tibet either by train or by flight. These two methods of transportation have their own advantages and disadvantages.
By flight
Flights usually arrive at Lhasa airport in the morning or at noon, which enables enough time for travelers to have a good rest and get acclimatized to the altitude. The altitude of Lhasa is about 3500 meters, which is relatively lower than other regions in Tibet, so there are fewer cases of altitude sickness. Usually there might be discounts for the flight tickets to Lhasa
By train
Advantage: Train passengers can see the great scenery in the Holxil depopulated Area.
Disadvantages
1. The train ride to Lhasa takes 24 hours from Xining, or more than 48 hours from other cities such as Beijing and Shanghai. In addition, much of the train ride is completed during the night.
2. The train will pass Danggula Mountains which has an altitude of 6000 meters, plus the long-time train ride on the high-altitude area, train passengers may not get a good rest on the train.
3. It is difficult to get the train tickets to Lhasa, especially in July and August, and the tickets booking service charge might be even higher than the cost of the tickets during the high season.
Our suggestion
We suggest traveling to Lhasa by air and traveling back by train. Most trains depart Lhasa at 8:00 in the morning, and you have a whole day to see the scenery along the way. The return train ride is also more comfortable after you have got acclimatized to the high altitude from the trip.
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License
No: L-GX-GJ00079