Tibet Train Schedules & Ticket Prices

Tibet Train Schedules at a Glance

• Xining to Lhasa: 5 to 7 trains a day depending on the season, about 20–22 hours
• Trains from other cities to Lhasa: Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu and Chongqing, all changing to an oxygen-supplied train at Xining
• Fares from Xining: hard sleeper 495–521 RMB, soft sleeper 781–808 RMB
• Ticket release: 15 days before departure, including the departure day
• Busiest period: June to early October, when soft sleepers sell out fastest

Tibet Railways Overview

Three railways serve Tibet today:

• Qinghai–Tibet Railway: opened in 2006, this railway runs 1,956 km from Xining in Qinghai Province to Lhasa. Every train from mainland China to Tibet travels on this line.
• Lhasa–Shigatse Railway: opened in 2014, this railway extends the line about 250 km west from Lhasa to Shigatse, Tibet’s second-largest city and home to Tashilhunpo Monastery.
• Lhasa–Nyingchi Railway: opened in 2021, this is Tibet’s first electrified railway. It runs about 435 km east from Lhasa to Nyingchi, a lower and greener region of eastern Tibet.

The timetables below cover all three railways. For the history and scenery of the Qinghai–Tibet Railway, see Qinghai–Tibet Railway: Route, Scenery & Highlights.

Xining to Lhasa Train Schedule

Five to seven trains a day run from Xining to Lhasa, depending on the season. Some start in Xining; others come from mainland cities and stop at Xining.

Train	Route	Runs	Departs Xining	Arrives Lhasa	Journey time
Z223 / Z323	From Chongqing / Chengdu	Daily (alternating)	11:42	07:24 +1 day	19h42m
Z8981	Starts in Xining	Daily	12:50	11:20 +1 day	22h30m
Z21	From Beijing	Daily	15:27	11:46 +1 day	20h19m
Z265	From Guangzhou	Daily	18:19	14:53 +1 day	20h34m
Z165	From Shanghai	Daily	19:28	15:36 +1 day	20h08m
Y839	Starts in Xining (tourist train)	Seasonal	20:50	17:20 +1 day	20h30m
Z8991	Starts in Xining	Seasonal	21:50	17:39 +1 day	19h49m

Seasonal trains usually run in the peak travel season. For the best daytime scenery, choose a train that departs Xining in the late afternoon or evening, such as Z265, Z165, Y839 or Z8991. The most scenic section, between Golmud and Lhasa, then passes in daylight. For more on choosing a train, see our Qinghai–Tibet Train Guide.

Lhasa to Xining Train Schedule

Train	Final destination	Runs	Departs Lhasa	Arrives Xining	Journey time to Xining
Z8982	Xining	Daily	09:50	06:21 +1 day	20h31m
Y840	Xining (tourist train)	Seasonal	10:20	08:00 +1 day	21h40m
Z166	Shanghai	Daily	11:50	09:07 +1 day	21h17m
Z266	Guangzhou	Daily	12:35	10:11 +1 day	21h36m
Z22	Beijing West	Daily	15:50	13:13 +1 day	21h23m
Z324 / Z224	Chengdu West / Chongqing	Daily (alternating)	17:30	16:23 +1 day	22h53m

Morning departures from Lhasa, such as Z8982 or Y840, pass the best scenery in daylight along the Qinghai-Tibet railway. From April to October, sleeper tickets leaving Lhasa are usually easier to get than tickets into Tibet.

Mainland China to Lhasa Train Schedules

You can take a train to Lhasa from Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu or Chongqing, with journeys of about 35 to 54 hours. Trains from Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou run daily; trains from Chengdu and Chongqing run every other day. You travel on one ticket all the way to Lhasa, but change to an oxygen-supplied train at Xining for the high-altitude section.

From (station)	Train	Runs	Departs	Arrives Lhasa	Journey time
Beijing West	Z21	Daily	19:48	11:46, 3rd day	39h58m
Shanghai	Z164	Daily	18:33	15:36, 3rd day	45h03m
Guangzhou Baiyun	Z264	Daily	09:26	14:53, 3rd day	53h27m
Chengdu West	Z322	Every other day	20:46	07:24, 3rd day	34h38m
Chongqing West	Z223	Every other day	21:00	07:24, 3rd day	34h24m

Lhasa to Mainland China Train Schedules

To (station)	Train	Runs	Departs Lhasa	Arrives	Journey time
Beijing West	Z22	Daily	15:50	08:43, 3rd day	40h53m
Shanghai	Z166	Daily	11:50	12:03, 3rd day	48h13m
Guangzhou Baiyun	Z266	Daily	12:35	20:13, 3rd day	55h38m
Chengdu West	Z324	Every other day	17:30	07:01, 3rd day	37h31m
Chongqing West	Z224	Every other day	17:30	07:01, 3rd day	37h31m

These trains also stop at major cities along the way, including Xi’an and Lanzhou, so you can board there too. If you’re short on time, fly or take a high-speed train to Xining and start your Tibet train journey there. This saves a day or more, gives you more trains to choose from, and lets you spend a day or two adjusting to the altitude before boarding.

For advice on specific routes, see our Beijing to Lhasa, Xining to Lhasa and Chengdu to Lhasa train guides.

Changing Trains at Xining

The transfer takes place inside Xining Railway Station, so you don’t need to exit or buy another ticket. Keep your luggage with you and follow the railway staff’s instructions to the platform for the oxygen-supplied train.

Tibet Train Ticket Prices

There are three ticket classes: soft sleeper, hard sleeper and hard seat. Fares depend on your departure city, class and berth; lower berths cost slightly more than upper berths.

Route	Hard seat	Hard sleeper	Soft sleeper
Xining → Lhasa	224 RMB	495–521 RMB	781–808 RMB
Chongqing → Lhasa	302.5 RMB	628–664 RMB	998–1,035 RMB
Chengdu → Lhasa	328 RMB	668–709 RMB	1,062–1,101 RMB
Beijing → Lhasa	360 RMB	720–763 RMB	1,144–1,186 RMB
Shanghai → Lhasa	402.5 RMB	794–842 RMB	1,263–1,311 RMB
Guangzhou → Lhasa	447 RMB	865-919 RMB	1,468-1,526 RMB

Fares are the same in the opposite direction. For journeys of 20 hours or more, we recommend a sleeper; see our Qinghai–Tibet Train Guide for the differences between soft and hard sleepers.

Child Fares for Tibet Train Tickets:

Under 6: free when sharing a berth with an adult (one free child per adult). A child who needs their own berth, or a second child under 6 with the same adult, needs a child ticket.

Ages 6 to 13: child ticket, about half the adult price for a seat and about 75% of the adult price for a sleeper berth.

14 and over: full adult fare.

How to Book Tibet Train Tickets

Tibet train tickets go on sale 15 days before departure, including the departure day. In the peak season, from June to early October, and especially during the summer school holidays, soft sleepers often sell out soon after release.

• Book your tour 30–60 days ahead: the Tibet Travel Permit takes about 15–20 days to process, and in the peak season we start securing train tickets well before they go on sale.
• Request in advance: when you book your Tibet tour, tell us your preferred train and class. This is a request, not a confirmed ticket; we confirm once tickets are issued.
• Peak-season tickets: in the tourism season, sleeper tickets (especially soft sleepers) are very hard to get once sales open, so we work with trusted third-party ticket agents to secure your berths in advance. The agent charges a service fee of about 200–500 CNY per ticket, depending on the route, which we always confirm with you before booking.
• Real-name tickets: tickets are issued in your name using your passport details, so please send us your passport details when you book your tour.
• Berths together: berths are assigned automatically, so travel companions may end up in different compartments. We request berths together for groups, but this can’t be guaranteed in the peak season.
• Tour only: WindhorseTour arranges train tickets as part of a complete Tibet tour. You pay the official ticket price, plus the third-party agent’s fee if one applies; we add no markup of our own. We don’t offer ticket-only bookings.

Before You Board

• Documents: bring your original passport and a color copy of your Tibet Travel Permit. We email you the permit in advance so you can print it before your trip.

• Arrive early: be at the station at least 30 minutes before departure to allow time for the passport and permit checks and security screening. Boarding closes a few minutes before the train leaves.
• Luggage allowance: the official limit is 20 kg per adult ticket and 10 kg per child ticket. In practice, luggage is rarely weighed, but space on board is limited, so one medium suitcase and a small day bag per person is the most comfortable choice.
• On board: there’s a dining car and 24-hour hot water, but no Wi-Fi. The carriages have an oxygen supply, but it doesn’t prevent altitude sickness.
• Arriving in Lhasa: your Tibetan guide meets you at Lhasa Railway Station; the drive to downtown Lhasa takes about 25 minutes. Take it easy on your first day to adjust to the altitude.

Lhasa to Shigatse Train Schedule

Fuxing (C-series) trains run between Lhasa and Shigatse up to three times a day, taking about 2 hours. Shigatse is the gateway to Everest Base Camp, so many travelers take the train one way and continue by road.

Train	Departs Lhasa	Arrives Shigatse	Journey time	2nd class	1st class	Business class
C885	08:40	10:44	2h04m	64 RMB	103 RMB	225 RMB
C887	13:40	15:44	2h04m	64 RMB	103 RMB	225 RMB
C883	17:00	19:17	2h17m	64 RMB	103 RMB	225 RMB

Train	Departs Shigatse	Arrives Lhasa	Journey time	2nd class	1st class	Business class
C886	11:05	13:09	2h04m	64 RMB	103 RMB	225 RMB
C888	16:05	18:09	2h04m	64 RMB	103 RMB	225 RMB
C884	19:37	21:41	2h04m	64 RMB	103 RMB	225 RMB

Lhasa to Nyingchi Train Schedule

The Lhasa–Nyingchi Railway links Lhasa with Nyingchi in eastern Tibet via Shannan. The Fuxing (C-series) train takes about 4 hours; the slower K-series train takes about 5.5 hours but offers sleeper berths. Nyingchi, at around 3,000 m, is lower and greener than Lhasa, with forests, rivers and snow peaks.

Train	Departs Lhasa	Arrives Nyingchi	Journey time	2nd class / Hard seat	1st class / Hard sleeper	Business class / Soft sleeper
C881 (Fuxing)	08:00	12:04	4h04m	129 RMB	206 RMB	452 RMB
K6831	16:45	22:16	5h31m	64.5 RMB	159.5-166.5 RMB	245.5-252.5 RMB

Train	Departs Nyingchi	Arrives Lhasa	Journey time	2nd class / Hard seat	1st class / Hard sleeper	Business class / Soft sleeper
K6832	09:50	15:20	5h30m	64.5 RMB	159.5-166.5 RMB	245.5-252.5 RMB
C882 (Fuxing)	12:24	16:32	4h08m	129 RMB	206 RMB	452 RMB

Fuxing trains have 2nd class, 1st class and business class seats; K-series trains have hard seats, hard sleepers and soft sleepers.

Tibet Train Schedule FAQs

Plan Your Tibet Train Journey

Choosing the right train is only part of the journey. WindhorseTour arranges your Tibet Travel Permit, helps you pick the best train for your dates and route, and secures sleeper tickets in advance, even in the peak season. Your Tibetan guide meets you at Lhasa Railway Station, and the rest of your Tibet tour is planned around your train.

Tell us your travel dates, departure city and preferred sleeper class, and we’ll suggest the best train and itinerary for you. Or browse our Tibet Train Tours for ready-made itineraries.