I'm looking for information about the train from Xining, China to Lhasa, Tibet. Has anyone taken it?

I, too, am interested in information about the train, although I am exploring travel from Beijing to Lhasa (one-way). Most importantly, I would like to know if the train helps with acclimatization/altitude adjustment. Unfortunately, I cannot take the Rx for Diamox (acetazolamide), as I am allergic to sulfa drugs.

katt58 - check out this website: http://www.chinatibettrain.com/

I read many postings on the net when the train first commenced running and it was widely reported that the oxygen supply descibed on the train website did not operate (although the chinese were saying it was)
There was many passengers vomitting and very sick with altitude problems during the trip. This may now be rectified but if your considering doing the trip then Id try and get conformation as to how it stands now.

No, it would not help to take the train to get to Lhasa for acclimation purpose. Here's why.

The railroad rises very quickly from Golmud (~2,800m) to cross the Kunlun Pass at over 4,700m and then stay up for a long distance, including going over Tanggula Pass at over 5,200m, before gradually going down to Lhasa at around 3,700m.

The train journey is a adventure by itself, and is not an easy means to get to Lhasa.

Instead, it's probably better to fly into Lhasa, get yourself acclimated, and then take the train OUT OF Tibet.

Thanks Nanan - great to hear first hand information - The trip is one that is on our list for the near future. We went as far as 4 hours from the Tibet border (days drive from Zhongdian) a few years ago and found the scenery fascinating. The train trip Im sure must have been wonderful

As Cosmos said, thank you for the information! We will probably look into taking the train from Lhasa to Xining.

Cosmo, the best season for your Tibet journey is June to September since the other seasons are relatively colder. Tibet is on the plateau (4000m above sea level or even more) and will be getting colder and colder since Sep. Catching cold is dangerous for people traveling in Tibet because catching cold can cause lung-edema at the oxygen lacking region. Remember June and July are the best season to see Tibet antelope migrates through the railway. They are so cute and lovely and I shouted in the carriage time and again when I saw them. I think you’d better come earlier to avoid the cold weather in Tibet as well as the crowd in the Gold Week of China from Oct.1 to Oct. 7. wish you good luck.

Katt58: you said you would probably take the train form Lhasa to Xi’ning. I think go IN by train and go OUT by air is better. Since to go in Tibet by train can help you to adapt the high level step by step that can avoid the altitude sickness efficiently. Many people fly to Tibet are suffered from the bad headache and vomit since they are not used to the lack of oxygen of the high altitude area.

Nannan - I believe going in by plane and come out by train will be easier. Read my reply (4th post in this thread) for the reasoning.

Rkkwan- many friends of mine were suffered from the altitude sickness by air but I feel nothing by train since you can enjoy the scenery along the way and you can also get off the train at the station to experience the different altitude along the Qinghai-Tibet plateau. These all can do help for the acclimation.

Thinking of going to Tibet and am concerned about altitude sickness. I'm a nurse and just talked to the ER doc at work about Diamox. He thinks highly of the drug, and says it has good results. But it must be taken prophylactically (1-2 days before ascent) because once you get sick it won't help. He said it makes no difference about whether you're fit or not - no one can predict whether or not they'll get sick. The problem is rapid ascent, not the height as much as how fast you got there. I think I'll try the drug for a couple of days at home and see how I do with it as far as side effects before I take it on a trip.

I just took the train from Lhasa to Beijing and wish to report my dissatisfaction with the quality of service and personnel on the train. We booked a soft sleeper and the quality of the train and intitial conditions of the cabin were excellent. Nevertheless, as the two day trip progressed, there was little effort to keep things clean in the bathrooms or the dining car. Toilet paper was not replaced, cleaning was minimal and by the first night there was water/urine covering the floors. The dining room was a disaster. The woman in charge yelled crossly at Westerners on board for unknown reasons (none of us spoke Chinese.) Hours of meals were not posted, nor was a menu. Fellow passengers said they had bilingual menus on their trip from Beijing to Lhasa, but on our trip there was NO menu at all and western passengers were being charged 3 times as much for drinks and meals as Chinese passengers. I paid 20 yuan for a cup of instant coffee (almost $3/US). There was also little effort to wipe off tables between customers, clean the floor, or prevent smoking anywhere on the train (despite clear no smoking signs). In fact the crew smoked openly in the dining car, even when the oxygen was on for the high altitude part of the journey. Oxygen seemed to be plentiful for those who needed it, but I was already acclimatized after 3 weeks in Lhasa.

I met a group of US law students studying in Beijing who had also booked soft sleepers, but when they got on the train there were none available and they were forced to take hard sleepers (6 to a cabin). They were also split up even though they had stipulated that they wanted to bunk together. This is a particular challenge when sharing bunks with smokers and people who prepare all their own food on the train, then proceed to throw all their garbage on the floor, which is commonly done.

I know that the Chinese government wishes to promote the train as a spectacular technological achievement (which it is), but unless they are able to achieve better hygiene and management standards, they will continue to be perceived as a 3rd world country.

Suggestions for train travel: bring your own toilet paper, travel mug for coffee or tea (boiling water is available), snacks, hand disinfectant. Clarify at the beginning of your journey what charges will be for meals and drinks. Though it may seem that staff do not speak English, when pushed, they seem to understand a lot.

Good luck! The scenery is spectacular and all in all it was worth it, but many Westerners on the trip would disagree.