Tibet Train Ticket Booking and Reservation Tips
1. What documents are needed to book a ticket?
For foreign travelers, Tibet Travel Permit is needed to book a ticket and board the train to Tibet. So you have to get your Tibet Travel Permit in advance, which is only issued by Tibet Bureau and can only be applied by local travel agency on behalf of travelers. It needs about 10 days to apply the permit. More information please check the page of Tibet Travel Permit and the below list.
2. How to book Tibet train tickets？
There are three ways booking Tibet train tickets: at railway stations, online or make a call. However, in the peak tourist season, it is very hard to buy Tibet train tickets, for such a popular tourist railroad, almost all the train tickets are booked by the travel agencies in advance. We are a professional Tibet travel agency, and we provide the ticket booking service for you.
Book At Railway Station
It is available to book a train to Lhasa at every railway station in China’s mainland with your original passport and Tibet Travel Permit. If you choose to book your ticket at the station, you need to wait in long lines, so please be there as early as possible. At Beijing West Railway Station, there is an English-speaking stuff at counter 16. However, at other stations, there is no English-speaking staffs, so we recommend you to write down the train number, the name of destination and departure time in advance and show it to the stuff when you buy the ticket. Please note that the automatic ticket dispensers is only available for Chinese travelers.
Book Online
Travelers can also book the Tibet train ticket online including the official ticket-booking website 12306.cn or ctrip.com, ly.com, etc. On the website, you can check the accurate train ticket information and book the ticket immediately. First you need to register and log in, then check the confirmation page and pay up according to the instructions. 12306.cn is a Chinese website and you have to read the Chinese. There is English language of ctrip.com and ly.com. If you book online, for foreign travelers, you need to get the ticket at the counter of railway station.
Call 95105105
If you can understand Chinese, it’s available to make a call at 95105105 for a ticket reservation during 7:00am~11:00pm. If you call and reserve a ticket before 12:00pm, you have to take your ticket before 12:00am. If you call and reserve after 12:00pm, you have to take the ticket before 24:00.
3. How far in advance to book Tibet train ticket?
If you plan to travel to Tibet in the peak season(from July to early October) or along the popular routes such as Beijing and Chengdu, it is advised to make advance booking as early as possible with a reliable local travel agency. The tickets for Qinghai-Tibet Railway are always sold out as soon as the reservation opened. So during the high season, you need to make the reservation with a local travel agency before the official pre-sale reservation released. All Chinese train tickets are booked online and by phone 60 days before departure, and 58 days at the ticket window of the railway station or ticket outlets.
4. Can children get discounted train tickets?
Children ticket costs half of the full price. Each adult can bring one child who is short than 1.2 m for free. An additional child should buy a children ticket. Children with a height of 1.2m~1.5m should also buy children ticket with a seat. If the adult book a sleeper, the child with free ticket needs to share the sleeper with the adult.
5. Is there any discounted price in low season?
Unlike airlines, there isn’t any discounted price for Tibet train tickets. The railway company is state-managed and the price is the same throughout the year.
6. How to alter Tibet train ticket?
According to the regulations of China railway administration, before the departure time of the ticket you get, passengers can change tickets with different departure date, seat class and seat number. It is free to change the ticket 15 days before the departure time; 5% of the train ticket fee will be charged 2~15 days before departure time; 10% of the train ticket fee will be charged more than 1 day and less than 2 days; 20% of the train ticket fee will be charged within 24 hours before the departure time. All Tibet train tickets can only be changed at railway station with the original passport. The lowest commission is 2 RMB.
7. How to cancel Tibet train ticket?
According to the regulations of China railway administration, before the departure time of the ticket you get, passengers can cancel the ticket. Just as the alteration fee, you can cancel the ticket 15 days before the departure time for free; 5% of the train ticket fee will be charged 2~15 days before departure time; 10% of the train ticket fee will be charged more than 1 day and less than 2 days; 20% of the train ticket fee will be charged within 24 hours before the departure time. All Tibet train tickets can only be changed at railway station with the original passport. During Spring Festival Travel Rush, all ticket cancellation will be charged 20% of the ticket price.
8. How to read Tibet train ticket?
On the paper train ticket, there are many useful information printed such as train number, train type, departure date, departure time, departure railway station, arrival railway station, seat class, seat number, validity etc. Read it carefully so you can board your train smoothly.
