Getting Tickets

When you get on the train your ticket will be taken by the guard and you’ll be given a plastic card for the journey. Before you leave the pass will be collected and you’re ticket returned.

In Lhasa

In Lhasa tickets can be bought at the station which is a cab ride out of town or at the Tibet Tourism Bureau on LuoBulinka Lu. This building is surrounded by a high wall with flags and signs. The actual ticket office is round the left hand side of the main building (pretty much straight as you go through the gates.) It's worth taking your passport along, it can be requested.

Outside Tibet

As entry to Tibet requires a Tibet Entry Permit, TEP it’s probably easiest to buy the ticket through a Hostel or Travel Agency who can sort the additional visa at the same time. We flew into Lhasa from Chengdu and the hostel sorted the visa with the flight tickets.

Soft Sleeper

Buying the two lower bunk increases your chances of having the compartment to yourselves. Lower bunks were the odd numbered bunks on the train I took and appear to be the same on the other Trains (T27/T28)
The Lower bunks also have the advantage of a window view whereas the top bunks have a limited view of the outside.
If buying more than one ticket, make sure you ask for and are given tickets in the same compartment. A couple I know ended up with consecutive bed numbers but were in different compartments.
The price of a soft sleeper is about $50 or £25 more expensive than the Hard sleeper, which is great value, the added comfort, space and ability to see the views make it well worth the fare.

Hard Sleeper

The Hard sleepers are pretty similar to the hard sleepers found on other Chinese trains. With 6 people to a compartment it’s pretty crowded and the Chinese have no problem making a lot of mess and rubbish plies up pretty quickly. The seats in the corridor are pretty much always occupied, so finding a peaceful place to watch the stunning scenery could be tricky. I travelled on enough hard sleepers to know my back wouldn’t cope with a 48 hour journey!
The toilets in these carriages tend to get pretty messy.
Okay so it’s pretty obvious I’d recommend paying the extra and getting the soft sleeper :-)

Children

Children are judged on their height not age. Here's a picture of the height makers on the train. 1.1 and 1.4m are the limits.

Ticket Prices

The prices in May 2007 were [collect latest data]

Phone Numbers

Beijing West Railway Station: 86-10-95105105
Shanghai Railway Station: 86-800-820-7890
Chengdu Railway Station: 86-28-83322088 83332499
Lanzhou Railway Station: 86-931-4922222
Chongqing Railway Station: 86-23-63862607
Xining Railway Station: 86-971-8192832

Visas

As well as your Chinese visa, to enter Tibet you need a Tibet Entry Permit, TEP. For Independent travel this is easiest to obtain along with your train ticket from a hostel or travel agent. This visa can take anything from 2 days to 2 weeks and the time taken can vary daily. First we were told it could take 10 days, then no visa were being issued as there was a festival and finally they said the could get one the next day. So if you can plan in advance or you could end up hanging around.

The TTB only allows you access to Lhasa. If you want to travel around Tibet independently you will need a PSB Permit (Alien's Travel Permit). If you only intend to do an organised tour then this will be sorted by the tour agency and you probably won’t need this in advance.
You will also be given a Health Registration Card you’ll need to fill out and is collected by the Guard on the train. It asks questions designed to ensure you a fit enough to travel at high altitudes.