We want to get the train from Chengdu-Lhasa - I can find the prices, but for the life of me I can't find anywhere that'll let me book a ticket.

I thought I read somewhere that they only come on sale ten days before - but where are they on sale?

Any ideas? I'm sure lots of people have done this journey - I hate it when things are so hard.

All I can find after 2 hours of googling is expensive tours - boo!

Help!

Dante.

P.S We were planning on getting a train from Hong Kong to Beijing, then on to Xi'an before going to Chengdu before getting the train for Tibet.

How hard is it to get tickets for trains in China in April? Do they book out weeks in advance or will be be ok a couple of days before?

Cheers

I am not sure you can buy the tickets online. I bought my ticket at the train station, but I am sure you can contact a travel agent in Chengdu and they will pick up one for you as well as help you get the necessary permit. Please note that you can only buy a ticket from the station you wish to depart from. As in, you cannot walk into the Beijing railways station and buy a ticket from Chengdu to Lhasa. A little frustrating, but hey, the beauracracy is part of the charm. Another option is to contact Sims Cozy Guesthouse (in the Lonely Planet and I highly recommend). The have their own little travel agency there and can arrainge everything for a modest fee. Cheers.

That guest house is in Chengdu, do you think they can get tickets for us from Beijing to Lhasa?

Or do you (or anyone) know of a similar place in Beijing itself?

Cheers

Try Dreams Travel. http://english.dreams-travel.com/index.htm

They got me 2 train tickets from Chengdu to Lhasa last September with no problem at all. They also run the Wenjun Mansion Hotel which I highly recommend. Good luck!

G'day mate,

It is very hard to book it directly you need to go throuh local travel agent who can arrange that for you.
because you need to get a permit to Tibet as well.
which the local agents can arrange it.
one way by train then overlnad via Everest BC to Kathmandu great trip.

fun travel

Cheers Iman

I dont think there is a direct train from Chengdu to Lhasa... You have to go through Xining in Qing Hai... You can fly to Lhasa from Chengdu...

quote:

Originally posted by PanyuCarole:
I dont think there is a direct train from Chengdu to Lhasa... You have to go through Xining in Qing Hai... You can fly to Lhasa from Chengdu...

Trains T22/T23 go from Chengdu to Lhasa with a stop to switch trains in Xining. I took this train myself last September.

http://english.dreams-travel.com/guide/tibet/trainschedule.htm