Why take the train instead of flying

Plenty of people fly into Lhasa and get straight to the monasteries. That is fine. But the Qinghai–Tibet railway is one of the few train journeys in the world that is genuinely worth doing for its own sake, and it also gives you something a flight cannot: a gradual climb.

Flying drops you at 3,650 metres in two hours. The train takes you up over roughly a day, which your body handles much better. That is not folklore, it is just physiology.

The route and the timing

Almost everyone starts in Xining, on the edge of the Tibetan plateau, because that is where the line proper begins. From Xining to Lhasa is about 21 hours. If you board in Beijing, Shanghai or Chengdu, you are looking at 40 hours or more, which I would not recommend unless you like trains a lot.

There is also a shorter, prettier option: Xining to Golmud, then Golmud to Lhasa. Same landscape, split into two comfortable legs.

What the train itself is like

The carriages are purpose-built and pressurised, a bit like an aircraft cabin. The windows are unusually large, and the toilets are better than you expect. Crucially, every berth has an oxygen outlet, and there is a doctor on board.

Each passenger gets a small oxygen tube and a mask, and there is a panel showing altitude. You will notice it: the train climbs above 5,000 metres at the Tanggula Pass, the highest point on any railway in the world.

Soft sleeper versus hard sleeper

Hard sleeper is an open bay of six berths, three on each side. Soft sleeper is an enclosed compartment of four with a door. The price difference is real but not enormous, and on a 21-hour trip with altitude to deal with, I would pay for soft if it is available. Book as far ahead as the system allows, especially between May and October.

What you see out the window

• Qinghai Lake, an enormous blue expanse, in the first few hours.
• The Qaidam Basin, which is desert, salt flats and very little else. Eerie and beautiful.
• Yuzhu Peak and the Kunlun Mountains, snow-covered for most of the year.
• Tibetan antelope, if you are lucky and watching. They appear in the Hoh Xil reserve section.
• Nomad tents, yaks, and the wide empty plateau in the final stretch.

The best light is early morning and late afternoon. Charge your phone, bring a power bank, and do not plan to sleep through the middle of the day.

Permits and paperwork

Foreign travellers need a Tibet Travel Permit, arranged through a licensed agency, and you must travel with a guide once you arrive. You cannot simply buy a train ticket and turn up. Your agency will need a copy of your passport and your China visa, and the permit itself is usually issued close to your travel date.

This catches people out every year. Start the process at least three weeks ahead, and confirm with your agency which train tickets they can secure, because inventory is released in batches and sells out fast in peak season.

Managing altitude on the train

Drink more water than you think you need. Eat lightly. Skip alcohol entirely, whatever the dining car is offering. If you get a headache, use the oxygen. There is no prize for toughing it out.

Most people arrive in Lhasa feeling tired rather than ill, which is exactly the point. Take the first day slowly and you will enjoy the rest of the trip far more.

Would I do it again?

Yes. Flying to Lhasa gets you there faster and cheaper, and if you are short on time, fly. But if you have a spare day and any interest at all in landscapes, the train is the better choice. Twenty-one hours sounds like a lot. It goes faster than you expect.

Originally published on 71Asia Tours blog.