There are three ways into Tibet for foreign travellers: fly to Lhasa from a Chinese gateway city or Kathmandu, ride the Qinghai–Tibet Railway from Xining or beyond, or cross overland from Nepal at the Gyirong border. All three require the same paperwork — a Tibet Travel Permit issued by the Tibet Tourism Bureau, checked in original form before any flight or train departs for Lhasa.
The right choice is mostly a trade between time and acclimatisation. This page compares all routes in one table, then walks through each in detail.
All routes at a glance
| Route | Typical gateway | Time to Lhasa | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flight (domestic) | Chengdu, Chongqing, Xining, Xi’an, Kunming | 2–3 hours nonstop | Shortest trips; most schedule flexibility |
| Flight (international) | Kathmandu — the only foreign city with direct Lhasa flights | About 90 minutes | Travellers already in Nepal; Himalaya views en route |
| Train | Xining (also through-trains from Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu) | About 21 hours from Xining | Scenery and a gentler altitude curve |
| Overland from Nepal | Kathmandu → Gyirong border (1,800 m at Rasuwagadhi) | 7+ days as a tour via EBC | Combining Nepal and Tibet in one itinerary |
By air: fastest, steepest arrival
Lhasa Gonggar Airport sits at about 3,570 m, roughly 62 km south of the city — figure an hour’s drive into town, included in our tours as a meet-and-greet transfer. Chengdu runs the densest schedule and is the standard recommendation: frequent nonstop flights of just over two hours, plus a major international hub on the front end. Xining, Chongqing, Xi’an and Kunming also fly nonstop. From Kathmandu, the roughly 90-minute flight crosses the main Himalayan range and passes within sight of Everest (8,848.86 m) on clear days; note that entering from Nepal swaps your Chinese visa for a Tibet Group Visa arranged in Kathmandu.
The cost of speed is altitude shock: you step from near sea level to 3,656 m in an afternoon. It works — thousands do it weekly — but the first 48 hours in Lhasa must stay slow, and our itineraries are paced for exactly that.
By train: the Qinghai–Tibet Railway
The railway from Xining crosses the Tanggula Pass at 5,072 m, the highest point reached by any train on earth, and arrives in Lhasa about 21 hours after departure. Carriages are oxygen-enriched, every berth has a personal oxygen outlet, and the daylight hours cross the Hoh Xil reserve, where Tibetan antelope graze within sight of the track. Through-trains also run from Beijing (about 40 hours), Shanghai (about 47) and Chengdu (about 36) — most travellers fly to Xining and board there instead. Berths sell out weeks ahead in season, and since a March 2026 policy note, boarding requires the original permit, not a copy. The full picture — classes, what you see, how tickets work — is in our Qinghai–Tibet Railway guide, and our train tour packages bundle the tickets.
Overland from Nepal
The land route enters at Gyirong, the only Nepal–Tibet crossing currently open to foreign tourists, sitting at 1,800 m on the Nepal side at Rasuwagadhi. From Kathmandu the border is a rough 7–8 hour drive; on the Tibet side the route climbs the Friendship Highway past Everest Base Camp (5,150 m) and Shigatse to Lhasa, normally as a 7-day tour run in reverse of our Lhasa-to-Kathmandu itineraries. Overland entry needs the Tibet Group Visa from the Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu (4 working days standard), so build a Kathmandu buffer into the plan. The altitude profile is the most demanding of the three routes — you sleep high early — which is why most first-timers run it downhill, Lhasa to Kathmandu, instead.
Which route should you choose?
- Short on days: fly Chengdu–Lhasa, keep the first two days gentle.
- Want the journey itself: fly to Xining, take the train in, fly out — the most popular combination we book.
- Linking Nepal: go Lhasa → Gyirong → Kathmandu downhill, or reverse it if your acclimatisation is solid.
Whichever you pick, the permit clock rules the calendar: scans must reach us 20 working days before arrival. The processing time page has the month-by-month detail.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest way to get to Tibet?
Usually the train from Xining, combined with a discount flight to Xining itself — rail fares undercut peak-season Lhasa airfares, and a hard sleeper undercuts a soft sleeper further. Current fares are published by China Railway on 12306. Within a tour booking, we quote flight and train options against your dates so the trade-off is visible before you commit.
Do I need my permit before boarding a flight or train to Lhasa?
Yes — the original document, not a copy. Airlines at Chengdu, Xining and Kathmandu check the Tibet Travel Permit before issuing a Lhasa boarding pass, and since March 2026 train boarding requires the original as well. We courier it to your departure-city hotel about 48 hours before you travel; it is included free with every booking.
Which gateway city is best?
Chengdu for flights: the most nonstop departures to Lhasa, big international connections, and a flight time just over two hours. Xining for the train: it is the start of the Qinghai–Tibet Railway proper, boarding at 2,275 m, with the full high-plateau crossing in daylight. Kathmandu if you are already in Nepal or combining both countries.
Is the train better than flying for altitude?
Partly. The train spreads the climb over 21 hours instead of two, and many travellers report easier first days — but you still arrive at 3,656 m, and a night at the train’s higher sections is itself work for the body. Treat the train as a head start, not a substitute for the slow first 48 hours in Lhasa.
Can I drive myself or ride a motorbike into Tibet?
Not on a standard tourist booking. Foreign travellers in Tibet must move with a licensed guide and a registered vehicle and driver; self-driving requires a separate, expensive vehicle-permit programme arranged months ahead. The practical version of a road trip is a private 4WD itinerary on the G318 or Friendship Highway with our driver — same views, none of the paperwork.
How do I start planning my entry?
Pick the route and the month, then count backwards: permit scans must reach us 20 working days before arrival, so book four weeks out minimum, five for western Tibet. Send us your dates and preferred entry — flight, train or Nepal overland — and we reply with an itinerary, one price and the permit timeline that fits.