Potala Palace Location: How to Reach Potala Palace in Lhasa?

As the one of the must-see attractions in Lhasa, the Potala Palace, located on 35 Beijing Middle Rd, Chengguan District, Lhasa, is easy to find. To facilitate your travel, here we’d like to offer you the best Potala Palace travel guide and navigate your way from Lhasa Gonggar Airport, Lhasa Railway Station and Barkhor Street and Your Hotels to the location of Potala Palace.

Insider Tips: Since the independent travel is not available for international tourists, according to the policy, the best way to wander around is to travel Lhasa with your Tibet guide.

How to Get to Potala Palace from Lhasa Gonggar Airport

-- The Gonggar Airport is 58.7 kilometers far from the Potala Palace.

First choice is the shuttle between the city center and the airport. Price is 25 yuan and takes about one hour to the destination. The drop-off point is the Civil Aviation Ticket Office in Niangre Road, where only takes 5 minutes’ walk to the Potala Palace.

The second option is taking a Taxi (if unfortunately miss the shuttle time from 6:30 to 19:30). It normally costs 150~250 yuan, and around 45 minutes to the Potala. You may also choose carpooling with other tourists. However, if you are alone, it might be unsafe, not recommended.

The third choice is take to the chartered car, but I don’t recommend, because the price can be higher in peak seasons, the average price is 250 yuan a car(4 seats).

Upon your arrival at Lhasa Airport, our tour guide and driver will pick you up on time

In fact, our company offers such transfer service. When arriving the airport, our guides will greet you and take you right to the hotel for resting and Potala Square. Our pick up time are at 09:30 am; 13:30 pm; 16:30 pm and free of charge, outside the Lhasa Gonggar Airport. However, to avoid acute mountain sickness, it’s not recommended to rush to visit Potala Palace for the newly-arrived tourists. You need to have a good rest at your hotel.

How to Reach Potala Palace from Lhasa Railway Station

-- The Railway Station is 8.8 kilometers from the Potala.

Right on the exit of Railway Station, only hundreds of meters, there is a bus station, Bus No.1 and No.3 are most convenient. If you take No.1 Bus, you should get off at “La bai” station; No.3 should get off at the “Yaowangshan market” station. The price is only 1 yuan per person, but sometimes the conductor will charge 1 yuan more for the long trip.

Notice: Lhasa buses rarely report their own sites or have a hint on the screen. Generally, the conductor comes to the station and tell people in Tibetan language. So remember take a note of attractions’ name/photos and remind the conductor or the driver when get on the bus.

Lhasa Railway Station

Another way is also the Taxi, not as expensive as from airport, only 30 Yuan per person. Taxi drivers normally don’t use the meter, and are only willing to go when there are at least 4 passengers ( groups or carpooling). However, they can drive you directly to the hotel, so this is not a bad choice for people who have heavy luggage or first time to Tibet.

Same as the airport, our companies would use a coach transfer for our clients to make an easy travel for you. Just tell your travel consultant to arrange the visit. Likewise, please do not to visit Potala Palace shortly after you arrive at Lhasa Railway station, because it might trigger acute mountain sickness.

How to travel from Barkhor Street to Potala Palace

If the first sightseeing place is the Jokhang Temple, then spend some time buying small souvenirs on Barkhor Street, here we will tell you how to get to the location of Potala from there.

Barkhor Street

From the geographical location, it’s only 1.5 kilometers away, so walking is a choice. Heading to the west, go through Yutuo Road, about 710 meters turn right to Kangangduo Road, and keep walking 250 meters, turn left then you will stand on Beijing Road till you see the Potala Palace.

Bus No.4, No.24, No.12, all get on the station “Jinzhu market”, about 400 meter south from Barkhor Street, after two stops, get off and cross the street, you will reach the east gate of Potala Palace square.

Taxi is always a choice, and the total cost is about 10~15 yuan. Just tell the driver where to go, saving time and no need to walk under the strong sunlight.

How to Get to Potala Palace from Your Hotel

Here we have listed the most frequently used hotels in Lhasa and show you how to the easy options to travel from your hotel to Potala Palace.

Lhasa Yak hotel and Lhasa Gang Gyan Hotel are not far from Potala Palace, both are located on the Beijing East Road, go out of the hotels and head to the west, about 1.6 kilometer, after passing the White Pagoda then turn right you will see the main entrance of the Potala. Or I recommend bus No.8, from “Cuomeilin” stop, only two stops, and after you hear the “Baita” stop then get off, go back a little bit, turn to the first fork in the road, only dozens of meters you will reach the West Gate of the Potala.

House of Shambhala is located in the “Jiri second alley”, about 2.2 kilometers from Potala Palace, go out and turn left, when reach the main street cross the road, 20 meters left by you is a bus stop, still take the No.8, 3 stops and get off at “Baita” stop.

Shambhala Palace is located in the” Jiri fourth alley”, the most convenient way is also the No.8, go through the “Jiri fourth alley”, when you reach the Bejing East Road, cross the street and take the bus, after 3 stops and remember to get off.

Thangka Hotel, is right on the “Yutuo” Street, turn left and turn left at the T- junction, dozens of meters then turn right on the first crossroad, still on the Beijing East Road, cross it and turn right, get on the Bus No.8, name is “Cuomeilin” stop, after two stops, you will see the Potala. Or if you are willing to walk, it’s only 2 kilometers, the same route to Beijing East Road, but turn left and continue walking about 900 meters, turn right to a slight slope, it’s the West Gate where we enter the Potala.

Well, St. Regis Lhasa Resort is a little bit far, on the Jiangsu Road and 3.3 kilometers from the Palace, so I recommend taxis or the bus No. 17 and No. 24, go out of the alley and cross the street, a stop name is “Tiebenggang”, get on and after 5 stations, get off at “Labai” stop, cross the road and you will reach the East Gate of the Potala Palace Square.

The Four Points Sheraton Hotel is on the Bolinka Road,2.5 kilometers from the Potala, go out to the left, then turn right about 500 meters to reach the Jiangsu Road, cross the crossroad and turn left, a stop name “Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital”, take No.12, No.24 or No.17, four stops then get off at “ Labai” stop, still reach the Potala Palace Square.

Shangri-La Hotel is on the east of Potala Palace,1.5 kilometers so walking is an ideal choice, heading to the northeast, go through Luobulinka Road, Linkuo West Road, and when on the Beijing Middle Road, turn right and keep walking until see the pagoda, then turn left to the slope where to reach the West Gate of the Potala. But if you’d like to take the bus, cross the street and get on No.24, No.8, No.13 or No.2 at “Jiare” stop, two stops later still the familiar “Labai” stop to get off, go back a little bit and you will reach the Square.

Intercontinental Lhasa Paradise, however, is 7.2 kilometers (the farthest hotel) far from the Palace, it’s near the Convention and Exhibition Center, taking a taxi will cost about 35 yuan. And buses still need to walk about 1.2 kilometers, when go out of the hotel, heading to north and turn left at the T - Junction,then turn right and cross the street, seeing the first stop where to get on No.3 or No.4 at “Chengxinyuan” stop and after 14 stops if you take No.3 or 19 stops if you choose No.4, remember getting off at “Labai” station, also reach the same Potala Palace Square.

What to Do If You Happen to Lose Your Way

1. Firstly, download a useful application can be very helpful, such as Google Map or Gaode Map if tourists are on their own. Even if you lost, just take a taxi to the destination, and I recommend bringing the hotel business card along the trip in case of any situation happened.
2. Secondly, as I mentioned above, most foreign tourists aren’t allowed to travel on their own, please make sure you have the guide’s phone number.
3. If these two methods above don’t work, asking people, we are always hospitable and willing to help you. But when meet someone don’t speak English or Mandarin, I suggest tourists taking the photos of famous sites or at least names in Chinese.