The Best way to get to Tibet

It becomes easier and easier to get to Tibet. At present, tourists to Tibet can go to Tibet by train, by air and by overland. Some tourists may wonder which one is the best way to get to Tibet in the face of multiple choices. Generally, getting to Tibet by train or by plane is the most common choice.

Some people believe that getting to Tibet by railway contributes to high altitude acclimatization. However, it is not exactly true that taking a train to Tibet can reduce the impact of altitude sickness for the train is pressurized, with oxygen pumped in; therefore the train is like that travelling at low altitudes, and you will only feel the affect of altitude when you arrive in Lhasa. Nevertheless, it is true that going to Tibet by train do contribute to a tour of a lifetime, with more spectacular scenery.

Now tourists can go to Tibet by train via the Qinghai-Tibet railway, from Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Xining and Xi'an. Travelling to Tibet by train can be a wonderful experience of riding the world's highest altitude railway. The whole Tibet train journey is full of countless breathtaking sceneries. There are 45 stations along the 1972 km long Qinghai-Tibet railway from Xining to Lhasa and every station has unique scenery. To provide travellers better opportunity to enjoy the stunningly beautiful scenery on that way, scenery-viewing platforms have been set up at nine stations, which includes: Yuzhu Peak Station, Chumaer River,Tuotuo River, Buqiangge, Tanggula Mountain, Lake Namtso, Nagqu, Damshung, Yambajan. The train will stay for around 15 minutes in each station.

While for those tourists who just get a short holiday and want to spent their holiday in Tibet, taking a flight to Tibet is advisable in order to save time. By plane to Tibet is the easiest way to get to Tibet with just few hours from China mainland or from Nepal. At present there are direct flights to Lhasa, capital of Tibet Autonomous Region, from Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Shangri-la, Kunming, Guangzhou, Chongqing, Xian, Xining and Kathmandu, and from flights to Nyingchi in southeast Tibet and to Ngari in western Tibet from Chengdu. 

Besides, tourists can get to Tibet via highway. At present, there are totally 5 highways to Tibet, namely Qinghai-Tibet Highway connecting Xining and Lhasa, Xinjiang-Tibet Highway connecting Yecheng and Lhasa, Sichuan-Tibet Highway connecting Chengdu and Lhasa, Yunnan-Tibet Highway connecting Kunming and Lhasa and Sino-Nepal Highway connecting Kathmandu and Lhasa. Of course, by overland to Tibet takes much more time than going to Tibet by train or plane. However, tourists can enjoy the stunning scenery and take pictures on the way more freely. They even can make a detour to some remote places to search new sights and experience. The more remote area, the more inaccessible and the more beautiful it is. 

Therefore, it is difficult to say what is the best way to get to Tibet. When you get more time, why not go to Tibet by train to have an eyeful of the breathtaking scenery along the world's highest railway and get a lifetime experience of the engineering miracle regarded by Forbes. But being a busy guy, flying to Tibet within two hours is absolutely your best choice. While for those who enjoy to challenge themselves, it is a great chance to get to Tibet train by overland.