Should I Book the Soft Sleeper or Hard Sleeper?

There are two categories of accommodation available in Tibet trains, namely hard sleeper and soft sleeper.

It is more secure to get the Hard Sleeper Train Ticket

Since there are more than 528 hard sleeper berths on each train to Tibet, it is easier to get a hard sleeper train ticket at a reasonable price.

As the second class, a typical hard sleeper compartment consists of 6 bunks (60cm wide and 180cm long), and there is no door for each compartment.

The cramped space within each cabin leads to little privacy so that your sleep may be interrupted by other passengers moving in the aisle.

However, in an open compartment, you are more likely to interact with other passengers and make new friends.

Soft Sleeper is more comfortable for Beijing to Lhasa Train Trip

Compared with the hard sleeper, the soft sleeper offers more quiet and private space on board, making your train journey a relatively comfortable ride.

In the soft sleeper compartment, there are only 4 bunks (75cm wide and 190cm long), and the room is much spacious than a hard sleeper.

In addition, the soft sleeper has a door that can be closed. Thus, the personal property of tourists and a night of sound sleep can be better guaranteed.

However, there are only 64 soft sleeper tickets on each train to Tibet. Due to the high demands of the tickets, it is always difficult to get a soft sleeper train ticket, especially in the summer holidays.

Soft sleeper is more spacious than the hard one

What can I do if soft sleeper tickets get sold out?

As the hottest train route from the capital of China to Lhasa, the demand for Beijing Lhasa train tickets is huge, especially during special travel rush seasons in China, such as 10 days before or after the traditional Chinese Spring festival as well as summer and winter break for nationwide students.

In this case, many tourists may fail to book the tickets. To secure your travel, we suggest two viable alternative plans:

Option1: You can book the hard sleeper ticket of the Beijing-Lhasa Train.

Option2: Instead of taking non-stop train from Beijing to Lhasa, you can fly from Beijing to Xining (or Lanzhou) and then get train ticket from Xining (or Lanzhou) to Lhasa.

How to Book and Get Tibet Train Tickets?

The booking of Beijing Lhasa train tickets is quite busy throughout the year, because a large number of tourists from all walks of life are travelling between China’s central government and Tibet all year round.

It is quite difficult for individual travelers to book a Beijing Lhasa train ticket, especially during the summer holidays and the Golden Week in the first week of October.

Here is the best way to book a Beijing Lhasa train ticket.

Book a train ticket with us is the more hassle-free way

For individual tourists, the best solution is to contact us and book Beijing-Lhasa train ticket through our hands. As the reliable local travel agency who has cooperated with ticket office, we have more opportunities to get the ticket.

Also, we provide “Train Ticket + Tibet tour” packages, which do not only include the train ticket to Tibet, but also the Tibet Travel Permit and a well-ranged Tibet tour.

Since we handle your Tibet permit processing and Tibet train ticket reservation together, we can respond in time to adjust your travel plan in case of any unexpected situation, such as delayed issuance of Tibet permit or sold-out tickets. We always have plan B to make you fulfill your dream to Tibet.

Book at 12306.cn or buy the ticket at train station

You can also book Tibet train tickets on the official website (12306.cn), which is currently available in Chinese and English.

You need to register as a user with a valid passport number to purchase tickets online. The payment method supports Alipay, Wechat, and online Bank.

Please note that if you book a train ticket through the official website, you will need to pick up your ticket at the station yourself. Your Passport, the booking number, and your Tibet permit are required for collecting your ticket at the station.

How to get the Tibet train ticket?

Whether you book the train ticket with us or book it online yourself, you can collect your ticket at the railway station. Please remember to bring the confirmation number of train tickets, your Tibet Travel Permit as well as your valid and original passport.

Although Beijing Railway Station is open 24 hours a day, only a few windows are open at the ticket gates after 11:00 pm. Considering the long queues in front of the ticket window and the language barrier in the daytime, it is advisable to arrive at Beijing West Station at least 2 hours before departure if you collect tickets on the same day.

If you book Tibet train tickets with us, you can also enjoy the Tibet train ticket delivery service. We can deliver the paper tickets to your hotel or address in China. Just tell your 1-to-1 travel consultant if you need this service.

Tips for Tibet train ticket booking

Tibet Travel Permit is Required
Though you don’t need the Tibet Permit to book your Tibet train ticket, you need it to collect your ticket at the railway station. And it will be checked once you board the train.

Service Fee is Involved
The ticket prices shown online are the net price. In fact, since the demand for the Tibet train ticket far exceeds the supply, to successfully book the train ticket for you, an additional service fee is involved.

With years of Tibet train tour experience, we will manage to secure the train ticket and ensure you a seamless Tibet train journey.

How to Board the Train?

4 Steps to Get on Tibet Train

Follow the simple steps to board the train to Tibet at Beijing West Railway Station.

Step 1: arrive at Beijing west railway station at least 2 hours in advance
As one of the busiest train stations in Beijing, Beijing West Railway Station receives more than 100,000 passengers every day.

To avoid missing your Tibet train due to long queues, it is suggested that you arrive at Beijing West Railway Station at least 2 hours in advance.

You can take subway line 7 or line 9 to the station. Also, you can take a taxi to the north or the south square of the station.

Please pay attention to the rush hour of commuting. Just plan your departure time wisely.

Step2: Pass Security Check
After you arrive at Beijing West Railway Station, you need to line up for the security check to enter the waiting hall.

First, you present your passport, Tibet Travel Permit (Photocopy is acceptable), and your train ticket to the staff. Then, you put all your luggage, both backpacks and carry-on bags on the security scanner conveyor belt, and walk through a detector gate. After that, you need to wait for the full-body scan.

Notice:
Please leave enough time for the security check at the railway station.

If you take a subway to the station, you need to take the escalator from the underground to the ground level and pass the security check to enter the waiting hall. It takes about 30 minutes.

If you arrive at West Station by taxi, you can go directly to the entrance on the 2nd floor, which is convenient and takes around 5 minutes to enter the station.

Step 3: Find the waiting room and Fill in the Health History Form
Once enter into the waiting hall of Beijing West Railway Station, you can find an LED screen showing Train Number (车次), Terminal (终到站), Departing Time (开点) and Waiting Room (候车室).

Get your waiting room information and wait for check-in there. Train number Z21 is well marked in the correct waiting room.

Before boarding the train, you are expected to fill out a health history form. If you have an illness such as hypertension, stroke, chronic respiratory problem, and other cardiovascular diseases, you shall not board the train to Tibet for your health concern.

Step 4: Board the train and find your Berth
The Check-in usually starts 15-30 minutes before departure and barriers close 5 minutes before departure.

After check-in, you can find an LED screen hang on the way to the train telling your platform (站台) and direction of your carriage (车厢).

Follow the instruction and the staff waiting at the carriage gate will check your ticket again to make sure you board the right carriage of the right train.

After getting on the train, you can find your berth according to your ticket.

Notice:
1. Your baggage can be stored on the rack overhead or under the lower berth.
2. Your train ticket will be exchanged for a plastic berth card by staff shortly after boarding. Staff will return your ticket and get back the berth card about half an hour before arriving at your destination.

How to Read the Train Ticket

Here are some useful phrases you may need to read Z21 Beiing to Lhasa Train ticket:

北京西站：Beijing West Railway Station
拉萨站: Lhasa Railway Station
xx年xx月xx日: xx Year xx Month xx Date
xx车xx号: xx Carriage xx Berth
上/ 中/ 下铺：Upper/ Middle/ Lower Berth

Information guide on Beijing to Tibet Train Ticket

FAQs about Boarding the Train to Tibet

Q1. Is it necessary to carry the Tibet travel permit all the time?
Yes, please bring the permit with you and keep it safe. It could be checked many times during the long journey to Tibet. It is advisable to have two or more copies of your Tibet Travel Permit in case you lose the original one.

Q2. Is it possible to swap tickets with other people to stay with friends or family in the same cabin?
Yes, it is acceptable. You can ask the train attendant to help you exchange tickets with other passengers so that you can stay with your family or friends. Please remember your seat number.

Life Onboard

Taking a train from Beijing to Lhasa 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 any other train journey.

Following tips are suggested for you to better enjoy life on the Beijing-Lhasa train.

Food and Drinks

You can get 3 meals a day and drinks from the dining carriage located in the middle of the train.

Usually, only Chinese dishes are available and it costs about 20 CNY per meal. You can pay by cash, Wechat, and Alipay.

There are also trolleys loaded with food served in each compartment sporadically. You can buy food and snacks from the staff onboard.

If all that Chinese food is not your taste, you can bring some instant noodles, as you can get free boiled water from a hot water dispenser near the sinks on board.

It is suggested to bring some snacks and fruits onboard as a way to pass the time as the long ride begins. Sharing snacks with roommates is also the easiest way to break the silence.

Dozens of tourists are having dinner in the dining car. You can order some traditional Chinese home-made dishes.

Facilities on the Train

Toilets onboard are located at the end of each carriage, adjacent to the washbasin, dustbin, and hot water dispenser. Each soft sleeper carriage has one western-style toilet and one squat-style toilet, while each hard sleeper carriage just has two squat-style toilets. The toilet on board will be locked when the train arrives and stops at a station. Please bring enough tissue or toilet paper with you onboard.

Wash basins onboard usually provide cold water only. You need to bring your own towel, wet paper tissue, and toilet articles.

There is a small dustbin in each compartment and a bigger one at the end of the carriage. On the table along the aisle, there is also a metal plate where you can throw fruit peels, paper scraps, etc.

The hot water dispenser is at the end of each carriage. Free hot water is available 24 hours a day. You can bring your own water flask and get water when the light on the dispenser turns green.

Q1. Where to recharge my mobile phones and electronic devices?
The power plugs for chargers are located in the corridors OR under your table in the cabin with the 4 soft sleepers (in between the 2 lower bunks).

Q2. Can I have a shower on the train?
Unfortunately, there is no shower room on the train. Do bring some wet wipes in stores and a small towel. And the small but equally important thing is to bring enough toilet/tissue paper.

Oxygen Supply and Altitude Sickness

Altitude Sickness, also known as “mountain sickness”, is a group of symptoms that can strike if you walk or climb to a higher altitude place too quickly. Characterized by symptoms, such as headache, dizziness, fatigue, nausea, altitude sickness is the biggest concern for traveling to Tibet.

To help you better adapt to the high altitude, the Beijing-Lhasa train is tightly sealed and pressurized like an airplane.

There are two sets of oxygen supply on the train: the dispersion-mode oxygen supply system operated by the train staff and the distribution-mode oxygen supply that can be connected to individual passengers.

As the train ascends to Golmud, the oxygen is automatically pumped into the train. You can also use the oxygen outlet with a disposable pipe distributed by train staff. It may help to minimize altitude sickness symptoms such as headache, dizziness, fatigue, nausea, etc.

An illustration of how to use oxygen outlet on Qinghai-Tibet train

Altitude changes from Beijing to Lhasa

The slight altitude change from Beijing (44 meters above sea level) to Xining (2,275m) in the first 17 hours of the journey does not cause discomfort for passengers.

After around 7 hours from Xining, the altitude increases to 2,829 meters when arriving at Golmud at 21:42. It is from Golmud Railway Station that the altitude increases sharply and the oxygen supply is turned on.

From Golmud, the altitude ascends more than 1,000 meters in less than 100 kilometers, causing altitude sickness for some passengers.

When arriving at the world’s highest railway pass, the Tanggula Pass (5,072m), most tourists will suffer from altitude sickness.

Then, the altitude drops slowly as you travel south through Nagqu and finally reaches 3,650 meters in Lhasa.

This graph gives you a rough idea of how altitude changes along Beijing-Lhasa railway line

Notice:
1. Even there are oxygen supply systems onboard, if your symptom gets worse, please find the conductor for help immediately. If the onboard staff can’t speak English, you can call your 1-on-1 travel consultant too.

2. Don’t be too nervous about the altitude sickness, since it is a normal physiological reaction. A relaxed mood helps to better adapt to the altitude change. You can also take some altitude sickness tablets in advance to relieve the reaction.

3. Smoking is strictly forbidden in the train to Tibet as the train is tightly sealed and pressurized and oxygen is pumped into the carriage when it ascends to extreme altitude. It would be devastating if the train caught fire.

How to Get to the Train Stations?

Beijing West Railway Station

Beijing West Railway is the departure station of Beijing-Lhasa trains. Since there are 5 train stations in Beijing, you must be sure of the station you are going to before you depart to avoid getting to the wrong one.

Beijing West Railway Station

From Downtown to Beijing West Railway Station
Beijing West Railway Station is about 9km from Tian’anmen Square, the center of Beijing city. It is quite convenient to get to Beijing West Station from downtown Beijing by taxi, bus, and subway.

Taxi: The taxi fee is calculated by distance. In addition to cash, you can also pay by sweeping the QR code with online payment methods, such as Alipay and WeChat.

Metro: Bejing West Railway Station is the terminal of Line 7, and the station is between Military Museum Station and Liuliqiao East Station on Line 9.

You can take subway Line 7 or Line 9 to arrive at Beijing West Railway directly

From Beijing Capital International Airport to Beijing West Railway Station
Beijing Capital International Airport is around 40 kilometers from Beijing West Railway Station. Besides taking a taxi, you can go to Beijing West Station by metro and airport shuttle.

Airport Shuttle Bus: The Beijing West Railway Station Line departs from Terminal 3 and arrives at the South Square of Beijing West Railway Station. It takes around 2 hours and costs CNY 30/person.

Taxi: It takes about 1 hour 20 minutes to get to Beijing West Railway Station from Beijing Capital International Airport. The taxi fee is around CNY 150.

Metro: There is no direct subway to Beijing West Station from the airport. You need to change two or three times. Please check the route in advance.

From Beijing Daxing International Airport to Beijing West Railway Station
Beijing Daxing International Airport is around 50 kilometers from Beijing West Railway Station. You can get to the railway station from Daxing Airport by taxi or by metro.

Taxi: It takes around 55 minutes to get to Beijing West Railway Station from Daxing International Airport. The taxi fee is around CNY 180.

Lhasa Railway Station

Lhasa Railway Station is the terminal of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway and serves as the central hub and biggest train station in Tibet for its huge transport capacity. Situated in Liuwu New Area of southwest Lhasa at an altitude of 3,641 meters, it is only 8 kilometers to downtown Lhasa, 20 kilometers to southwest of the Potala Palace.

When you arrive in Lhasa by train, our guide will greet you and bring you to start your once-in-a-lifetime trip to explore the mysterious Tibet - the roof of the world.

Lhasa Railway Station