GETTING THERE AND AWAY
By Air:
1. Lhasa - Guangzhou via Zhongdian (Diqing) every Monday and Friday.
2. Lhasa - Chengdu: five to eight flights a day.
3. Lhasa - Hongkong via Chengdu: every Monday.
4.
Lhasa - Beijing via Chengdu: twice a day.
5. Lhasa - Xian: three flights a week.
Lhasa has flights to Kathmandu, Chamdo, Diqing(Zhongdian), Xining, Chongqing. Lhasa Gonggar Airport
is located 98km south of Lhasa. The airport shuttle bus, running
between the airport and China Airlines Office in Lhasa costs 20 yuan
per person.
By Train: The Qinghai-Tibet railway went into operation in July 2006.
| From |
To |
No. |
Departure |
Arrival |
Time (hours) |
Hard Seat (RMB) |
Hard Sleeper
from (RMB) |
Sleeper,
1st class
from (RMB) |
| Beijing |
Lhasa |
T27 |
21:30 |
20:58
(3rd day) |
48 |
389 |
813 |
1262 |
| Lhasa |
Beijing |
T28 |
8:00 |
8:00
(3rd day) |
| Chengdu |
Lhasa |
T22/3 |
18:18 |
18:28
(3rd day) |
48 |
331 |
712 |
1104 |
| Lhasa |
Chengdu |
T21/4 |
9:05 |
9:55
(3rd day) |
| Lanzhou |
Lhasa |
K917 |
16:45 |
22:00
(2nd day) |
30 |
242 |
552 |
854 |
| Lhasa |
Lanzhou |
K918 |
9:32 |
15:45
(2nd day) |
| Xining |
Lhasa |
N917 |
20:07 |
22:30
(2nd day) |
27 |
226 |
523 |
813 |
| Lhasa |
Xining |
N918 |
9:32 |
12:19
(2nd day) |
By road: see Roads to Tibet.
Lhasa West bus station: Kathmandu, Golmud, Chengdu, Shigatse, Tsetang, Damshung.
Lhasa East bus station: Bayi (Nyingtri), Chamdo.
Notice:
All sleeper buses from Lhasa to Chengdu (3 days) take the Qinghai-Tibet
road via Golmud. If you want to quit Lhasa by the Sichuan-Tibet road,
you have to go first to Bayi (Nyingtri) and take a sleeper bus from
Bayi to Chengdu (3 days).
ACCOMMODATIONS
Kirey Hotel - Free laundry service.
I stayed at Kirey Hotel during my first visit in 1999. Six years later, nothing has changed except the Internet Bar.
- The beds are ranging from Y25 to Y30 per night with bath towel,
beautiful Tibetan style furniture and free laundry service.
- Common bathrooms have hot showers until 22:00. - Buffet dinner with
Tibetan dance performance. - Internet: Y 5 per hour.
- A big courtyard.
They don't accept any reservation.
The hotel is often fully occupied late in the evening.
Snowland Hotel
- Dormitory rooms are more expensive than Kirey Hotel with 24 hours hot showers.
- Laundry service: Y2 per piece.
- Good location.
Pentoc Hotel
I went to this small hotel twice but didn't find any staff at
reception. It seems that this hotel only have foreign guests.
INTERNET: Y5/per hour at the hotel and some intenet bars with English signs. Otherwise Y3/per hour.
Expensive entrance fee in Tibet: (2005 price information, the price keeps increasing every year). Info source in Chinese.
Lhasa:
Potala: Y100 (Reservation in advance is recommended),
Norbu Lingka: Y60,
Jokhang: Y70,
Sera Monastery: Y55,
Drepung Monastery: Y55
Around Lhasa:
Ganden Monastery: Y40,
Namtso Lake: Y40,
Samye Monastery: Y40
Shigatse:
Tashilunpo Monastery: Y55 Sakya Monastery: Y45
Gyantse:
The Kumbun: Y40.
Nyingtri:
Lake Basum Tso: Y50.
Everest BC:
Jeep: Y65.
Tourist: Y25/per day.
Sightseeing bus: Y80.
Horse Carriage: Y30.
It is reported that the jeep is not allowed to enter into the base
camp. Travellers have to take the sightseeing bus first for 30km and
then the next 8km by horse carriage to reach the base camp.
Our last visit to Lhasa in May 2005.
