The only airline that flies into Tibet is currently Air China, though it is reported that a new airline called Air Tibet will be created to operate flights in and out of Lhasa. Royal Nepal Airlines also has plans to fly the Kathmandu-Lhasa leg. Flights to and from Lhasa are frequently cancelled or delayed in the winter months, so if you are flying at this time give yourself a couple of days' leeway in Chengdu if you have a connecting flight.

There are flight connections to Lhasa from half a dozen Chinese cities, but 99% of travellers fly from Chengdu or Zhongdian, because arranging a permit is so much easier from there.

There are five major road routes to Lhasa and many travellers band together to rent a 4WD for the spectacular journey to Nepal. A daily rail link between Golmud and Lhasa began operating in 2006.