Seven hours in tibet is a movie recorded when I traveled Tibet by train to Lhasa from Shanghai in 48 hours. A great experience towards Tibet and the Himalayas. Since 2008 and the monk revolution, the Chinese regulation only allowed group of 5 people from the same nationality to travel in Tibet but on the first of April 2013, it suddenly all changed…

After one unsuccessfully attempt, I received my travel permit from the Chinese Authorities and was able to go and see one of the most and untouched land on earth. In less than 10 days, I managed to organize my entire trip to Tibet on my own while, usually it would have taken weeks, I was lucky!

The Qinghai-Tibet (Qingzang) railway connects Lhasa and Golmud, with services continuing onto Xining, Beijing, Chengdu, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chongqing.

Shanghai to Lhasa

Shanghai-Lhasa is 4,373 km in length, of which 1,110 km are over the new Tibet railway. Train T164/T165 will start from Shanghai Railway Station at 19:28 and arrive at Lhasa Railway Station at 19:15 in approximately 3 days. The total time is 47 hours and 40 minutes. There are trains daily for Lhasa.

Shanghai to Lhasa Tibet

Unreserved seats are available. This means you are not guaranteed a seat, but if one does become available, you may take it, otherwise you will have to stand in the aisles. Prices are usually 50RMB lower than the hard seat price. Prices do not include the Tibet Travel Permit.

Prices

• Hard Seat Price: 406 Y (US$64)
• Hard Sleeper Price: 845 Y (US$134)
• Soft Sleeper Price: 1,314 Y(US$208)

List of thing you might need:

• Buy soft sleeper tickets, a soft sleeper cabin sleep up to four as the hard sleeper and hard seats are not really an option.
• Try to reserve the lower seat; this will include the small table by the window.
• Take your own toilet roll and wipes for toilet use.
• Bring battery packs that you can charge your items with as there is supposed to be a plug socket in the cabin, mine was working properly.
• Bring your mini English-Chinese phrasebook; it will help you to introduce yourself to the other passengers sharing with you the same cabin.
• Bring your own food, cheap lunch and dinner are available onboard however its far from being the tastiest in China.