Situated to the east of the Tibet Autonomous Region, Chengdu, the capital city of Sichuan Province, has been the major gateway to Tibet for both domestic and overseas travelers.

So, why do they choose to travel to Tibet from Chengdu? How to get to Tibet from Chengdu? Here is a comprehensive guide on traveling to Tibet from Chengdu.

Why Travel from Chengdu to Tibet? Proximity to Tibet with Easy Access

Boasting two international airports, i.e. Chengdu Tianfu International Airport, and Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport, Chengdu is definitely the biggest and busiest international hub near the Tibet Autonomous Region.

There are flights from more than 50 international destinations and over 170 domestic airports to Chengdu every day. You can fly directly to Chengdu from Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Guangzhou, and other metropolises for your flight to Tibet.

Chengdu Tianfu International Airports.

Within around 2 and a half hours, you can enjoy the non-stop flight from Chengdu to the holy Lhasa city. It is quite convenient for you to start your Tibet tour from Chengdu by air. There are over 34 direct flights between Chengdu and Lhasa every day. Flights to Tibet from Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou all go through Chengdu.

Besides, there are non-stop flights flying from Chengdu to Nyingchi and Shigatse and connecting flights from Chengdu to Chamdo and Nagri as well.

On top of that, as the most important gateway to Tibet, Chengdu also has the railways to Lhasa and Nyingchi, as well as the popular G318 highway to Tibet.

If you are an adventurer, you can choose a more challenging way to travel to Tibet, such as driving to Tibet or biking to Tibet. From Chengdu, you will have sufficient options and possibilities to get to Tibet, which we will cover later, please read on.

Chengdu to Lhasa via G318 highway overland tour.

How to Travel from Chengdu to Tibet by Flight? Quick and Effortless Way to Reach Tibet

Taking a Chengdu to Lhasa flight is the most time-saving and effortless way to reach Tibet from the Chengdu basin. There are around 34 direct flights to Lhasa every day. The flight distance between Chengdu and Lhasa is around 1,300km and it takes around 2.5 hours from Chengdu to Lhasa by air.

Currently, there are two airports offering flights from Chengdu to Tibet, one is Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport (around 18km from downtown Chengdu), and the other is the newly-built Chengdu Tianfu International Airport (around 63km from downtown Chengdu).

So when you book the flight to Tibet, please double-check the departure airport from your hotel in Chengdu. Learn

There are 34 direct flights between Chengdu and Lhasa in peak travel season from early morning to midnight.

Insider Tips for Taking a Flight from Chengdu to Tibet:

● You can book the air ticket online on your own with your passport number or book the ticket from us, a local Tibet travel agency.
● For overseas travelers, you need to get the Tibet Travel Permit to board the flight to Lhasa. We offer a free Tibet Permit process service for our guests. Please feel free to email us when needed.
● Since flying from Chengdu (500m) to Lhasa (3,650m) involves a huge altitude gain in a short period, for newly-arrived travelers in Tibet, we suggest you have a good rest in your hotel and never exert yourself by jumping or running to avoid acute altitude sickness in the first 24hrs.

A Sample of Tibet travel Permit.

How to Travel from Chengdu to Tibet by Train? Don’t Miss Out on Scenic Qinghai-Tibet Railway

Traveling from Chengdu to Lhasa by train is another popular choice among global travelers to Tibet, not only because it is more punctual than a flight but also for railfans, you can’t afford to miss out on stunning views aboard the world’s highest train—Qinghai-Tibet railway.

The Chengdu to Lhasa train (Z322, every other day) departs from Chengdu West Railway Station at 21:11 and travels past 5 stations until reaching the Lhasa Railway Station at 07:41. The 3,070km exhilarating train ride takes 34:30 hrs.

At Xining Railway Station, all the passengers will transfer to the designated train carriage with an advanced oxygen supply system and slowly traverse the soaring Tibetan plateau to Lhasa.

From Golmud to Lhasa, you can feast your eyes with mind-blowing scenery, such as serene Qinghai Lake, snow-capped Mt. Yuzhu (6,178m), Kekexili Nature Reserve (4,600m), Qiangtang Grassland (4,500m), etc. Learn more scenery along the Qinghai-Tibet Railway.

11 Days Chengdu to Tibet Train Group Tour with Mt.Everest

Tour Route: Chengdu - Xining - Qinghai Tibet Railway - Lhasa - Shigatse - Everest Base Camp - Shigatse - Lhasa - Chengdu

Price from USD1790 p.p

Insider Tips for Taking a Train from Chengdu to Tibet:

● Due to the high demand for Tibet train tickets from mid-April to mid-October, it’s extremely difficult to book tickets for both individuals and travel agencies. If you can't secure a ticket yet still want to experience the train journey, booking a train ticket departing from Lhasa is another workaround.
● Likewise, for foreign nationals, you need the Tibet Travel Permit to board the train to Lhasa. Make sure you sort it out beforehand.
● Usually, there is a long line to board the Tibet train at China’s train stations, and for foreign nationals, you need to present your Tibet Travel Permit, passport, and train ticket for more security checks. So, do arrive earlier at the station between 45 minutes to 1 hour before the train leaves for Lhasa. Check the top 20 Tibet train FAQs.
● Since the Qinghai-Tibet Railway is airtight with oxygen supply to ensure passenger travel safety like the flight, it has little help for acclimatization to the high elevation.

The Tibet train route from Chengdu to Lhasa.

How to Travel Overland from Chengdu to Lhasa via G318 Hwy? Embrace Thrilling Overland Tour

For adventurous travelers and road trip lovers, to travel from Chengdu to Tibet, nothing beats the adrenaline-packed overland journey from Chengdu to Lhasa via the scenic G318 Hwy.

The classic Chengdu to Lhasa overland journey via G318 Hwy takes around 7 days. You will travel from lush valleys and forests in Sichuan to the rugged mountains and picturesque grassland on the imposing Tibetan Plateau.

Road map of the classic Chengdu to Lhasa overland journey.

En route, you can admire jaw-dropping snow-capped peaks, deep gorges, and serene lakes, boundless grassland, meet the likable Tibetan locals, and explore mysterious Tibetan monasteries and savior Tibetan cuisines, etc. It will be a lifetime adventure to be remembered.

7 Days World-class Overland Route: Chengdu to Lhasa via G318 Highway

Tour Route: Chengdu - Xinduqiao - Litang - Batang - Zogang - Ranwu - Nyingchi - Lhasa

Price from USD1780 p.p

Alternatively, after you arrive in Lhasa, if you wanna continue with your overland adventure, you can keep traveling overland from Lhasa to Kathmandu with an overnight excursion to Everest Base Camp via the scenic Friendship Hwy. The epic trans-Hiamlayan overland tour will take your adventure to the next level. Discover all the popular Tibet overland tours.

7 Days Lhasa to Kathmandu Overland Small Group Tour

Tour Route: Lhasa - Gyantse - Shigatse - Everest Base Camp - Gyirong - Kathmandu

Price from USD989 p.p

Insider Tips for Traveling from Chengdu to Lhasa by Road

● April to May and September to early November, the pre and post-monsoon season, is the best time to travel overland from Chengdu to Lhasa. You can effectively avoid landslides and icy roads in the rainy season and winter season.
● If you wanna drive the vehicle yourself from Chengdu to Lhasa, we can also help you arrange the self-drive Tibet tour for you. For more details, please feel free to contact us.

12 Days Chengdu to Lhasa Self Drive Road Trip via G318

Tour Route: Chengdu - Danba - Xinduqiao - Litang - Daocheng Yading - Mangkang - Zogong - Baxoi - Rawu Lake - Bomi - Nyingchi - Lhasa

Price from USD1,965 p.p

How to Bike from Chengdu to Lhasa? Ultimate Bucket List for Cycling Enthusiasts

Aside from traveling by flight, train, and overland drive, pedaling your mountain bike across deep canyons, rugged mountains, idyllic highland grasslands, serene holy lakes, pristine Tibetan villages, etc. on the majestic Tibetan plateau offers you the ultimate choice to savor the 2154km ride from Chengdu to Tibet.

To cycling enthusiasts, it’s not a cycling route from Chengdu to Tibet, but a pilgrimage leading to holy Lhasa city. With that said, biking is the most challenging and physically demanding way from Chengdu to Tibet, given the over 2,000 km rollercoaster ride on the plateau and crossing ten high mountain passes over 4000 meters. Explore all bike tours in Tibet.

23 Days Cycling Tour from Chengdu via Sichuan Tibet Highway

Tour Route: Chengdu - Kangding - Litang - Mangkang - Bayi - Lhasa

Price from USD p.p

Tips for Biking from Chengdu to Tibet

● March to June and September to October are considered to be the best time to cycle from Chengdu to Lhasa. You can enjoy the picturesque scenery, the safest road conditions, and perfect visibility.
● A Tibet Travel Permit is required for overseas travelers as you enter the Tibet Autonomous Region from Markam County. Foreign nationals can only travel via a guided tour with a local Tibet travel agency in TAR.
● We can provide you with a professional cycling leader, local travel experts, bike rental, support van, bike repair, etc.
● Camping gear is not needed as nowadays there are ample hostels, guesthouses, and hotels scattered along the G318 Hwy. Within 58km, you can easily find restaurants and lodgings for you to dine and overnight.

Best Ways to Save the Cost of the Chengdu Tibet Tour

For students and budget travelers, here are some of the practical ways to cut down the total cost of a Tibet tour from Chengdu.

Join a Tibet Small Group Tour

Joining a small group tour in Tibet is the best way to cut down the cost of a Tibet tour. By this way, you can cut down the cost of your Tibet tour on tourist vehicles, tour guide, single-room supplements, and even food. The cost might be cut down by as much as 30%-40%.

8 Days Lhasa to Everest Base Camp Small Group Tour

Tour Route: Lhasa - Gyantse - Shigatse - Everest Base Camp - Shigatse - Lhasa

Price from USD949 p.p

Travel from Chengdu to Tibet in the Low Season

November to early April is the off-season for Tibet tourism, during which there could be great discounts on flight tickets, hotels, etc.

If you travel to Tibet from Chengdu in winter, a round-trip ticket may cost only about 1,000 RMB after a discount, while in normal times, a full-price ticket may cost up to 1,500 RMB or nearly 2,000 RMB in high season. Learn the budget-friendly Tibet winter tours.

5 Days Lhasa and Yamdrok Lake Small Group Tour

Tour Route: Lhasa - Yamdrok Lake - Lhasa

Price from USD689 p.p

In the off-season, the airfare of the Chengdu to Lhasa flight can be cheaper than the soft sleeper train ticket. So, it is a win-win strategy to enjoy both comfort and affordable prices for the Chengdu to Tibet tour.

Note that the Chengdu to Lhasa train fare is relatively fixed without seasonal influences. However, due to high demand during peak seasons, additional fees may be required to get the tickets.

Travelers have great fun traveling to Tibet in winter and enjoy lower travel costs.

Book Your Transfer from Chengdu to Tibet in Advance

No matter whether you are going to take a flight or a train to Tibet from Chengdu, it is suggested to book your ticket in advance. Earlier booking always means a lower price.

Essential Travel Documents for the Chengdu to Tibet Tour

For foreign nationals, you can only visit Tibet via a pre-booked guided Tibet tour with a local Tibet travel agency like us. You are expected to apply for a Chinese Tourist Visa (L Visa) on your own at the Chinese Embassy in your country.

Then, email the clear images of your passport information page and Chinese Visa page to us, with which we can help you apply for Tibet Travel Permit, a crucial travel document for you to board the flight or train from Chengdu to Tibet.

Generally, it takes around 8 to 9 working days to process your Tibet Permit. However, we recommend that you start applying for your Tibet Travel Permit at least 20 days in advance, to avoid any accident that may delay your Tibet tour.

When your Tibet permit is issued, we will deliver it to your hotel in Chengdu in advance or give it to you in person at Chengdu Airport or Chengdu railway station.

Of course, you are also welcome to our office in Chengdu and pick up the Tibet permit on your own.

Bonus: Top Things to Do in Chengdu Before Leaving for Tibet

Last but not least, as the hometown of the adorable giant pandas and a city with a laidback atmosphere and rich history, Chengdu has extensive intriguing attractions for you to hang out.

If you have enough time to explore Chengdu before leaving for Lhasa, here are the top things to add to your travel list:

Visiting Giant Pandas in Chengdu Panda Base

Visiting the cute Giant Pandas is a must-do in Chengdu. Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, or Chengdu Panda Base for short, is the best place to see Giant Pandas, as well as baby pandas in the world. Covering a large area, it includes a Giant Panda nursery, cub, adolescent, and adult enclosures as well as enclosures for the red panda. You can really get a close encounter with the lovely creatures.

Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding.

Explore the Mysterious Sanxingdui Ruins and Jinsha Site Museum

Sanxingdui Ruins, combined with the Jinsha Site Museum, are amazing sites to learn about the ancient civilizations of the Shu Kingdom that appeared more than 3,000 years ago.

The relics from these two sites, such as gold masks and bronze artifacts, are unique and distinctive to the ancient Shu civilization, which are unlike those found elsewhere in China.

If you are interested in ancient civilizations from 3000 years ago, don’t miss the opportunity to visit Sanxingdui Ruins and Jinsha Site Museum during your Chengdu tour.

Visit Sanxingdui Ruins.

Back to the Three Kingdom Period in Wuhou Memorial Temple

Wuhou Memorial Temple and Jinli Pedestrian Street, you'll see shrines to the ministers of the Shu Kingdom (221-263, a part of the Three Kingdoms period 220-280 AD). The park is large and interesting architecturally.

Originally built in 223 AD, the place is steeped in history but is also nice to wander around. Just east of Wuhou Memorial Temple is a pedestrian alley lined with Sichuan snack stalls, teahouses, souvenir shops, and inns. The architecture has been restored to look like ancient Sichuan. It's the perfect place for a pit-stop after a few hours in Wuhouci.

Visit Jinli Pedestrian Street at night.

Savor the Scrumptious Sichuan Cuisine

Sichuan cuisine in Chengdu is delicious, fiery as well as spicy, with heavy use of Sichuan pepper which causes your mouth to become a little numb. You may also find the local food too oily or too salty for your taste and may want to advise your server accordingly. Try the authentic Sichuan dishes with Sichuan pepper is a great experience and using a bottle of milk or beer or something sweet would be much better than water.

Hotpot is the most special food in Chengdu, comes with a big pot of soup and spices simmering in a hole in the middle of your table and add-ins like a lamb, mushroom, beef, tofu, and kinds of vegetables; the served soup in hot pot is spicy or non-spicy available;

Other reprehensive Chengdu dishes are Tea smoked duck, Twice cooked pork, Mapo Tofu, Sichuan hotpot, Fuqi Feipian, Spicy deep-fried chicken, Shuizhu, or literally "Water cooked", dishes, Dan Dan noodles, Bon Bon chicken.

Travelers try out Hot pot in Chengdu.

UNESCO Heritage Sites around Chengdu

If you want to explore the well-known areas nearby, such as Leshan Giant Buddha and Mount Emei, Dujiangyan Irrigation System and Qingcheng Mountain, or the Jiuzhaigou Valley, you need to plan two to four days.

With the local office in Chengdu, we handpicked classic Chengdu Tibet Tours that cover the best of Chengdu together with the highlighted Tibet tours. If it is the first time you to visit Chengdu and Tibet, this could be a good choice.

Dujiangyan Irrigation system.

Conclusion

To sum up, Chengdu, an important transfer hub in southwest China, is a popular gateway to Tibet. It offers the most frequent daily non-stop flights to Lhasa, Nyingchi, and Shigatse. And you have multiple ways to travel from Chengdu to Tibet, such as by train, travel overland, biking, etc.

With a local office in Chengdu, we welcome you to travel to Chengdu and Tibet with us. If you have more questions, don’t hesitate to email us for free consultations. Cheers!