Currently, it is not that convenient to get from Panama to Tibet, due to there is no direct flight from Panama in the gateway city of China. You firstly need to fly from Panama City to Beijing, Shanghai or Guangzhou, through transit from another country, together with your national passport and Chinese Visa (the type-L is the best). Another option is to enter Tibet from Nepal due to its proximity to Tibet. In this case, a Tibet Travel Permit and a Chinese Group Visa are required. You can choose to either by a direct flight from Kathmandu to Lhasa, or an overland trip from Kathmandu to Lhasa. As an experienced Tibet travel agency, we offer a wide range of Tibet Tours including China, Tibet and Nepal. Here is how to get from Panama to Lhasa.
How to get from Panama to Tibet? The methods from Panama to Tibet:
1. You can fly from Panama City in Panama into a gateway city in mainland China and then take a Tibet train or flight to Lhasa.
Method one: Panama – Beijing / Shanghai – Lhasa
There are at least one connecting flight from Panama City in Panama to Beijing, and Shanghai every day via different countries. Therefore, you may choose the most suitable departure airport.
If you choose to fly to Beijing, you may firstly take American Air Lines AA 3167 (06:59-09:25) from Parama City to Dallas. And continue with American Air Lines AA 263 (11:00-14:10) from Dallas to Beijing. The total cost is about USD 970, and it may take 18 hours and 11 minutes. After arriving in Beijing, you can travel on into Tibet by plane or by train:
1. Beijing – Lhasa by plane
There are three flights from Beijing to Lhasa each day. The departure time is 07:35am, 08:15am and 14:55pm respectively from Beijing Capital International Airport T3. The ticket price is relatively expensive, and the full price is RMB 3,260 per one-way ticket, plus airport construction fee and fuel fee of RMB 60. The total fare is RMB 3,320, with only a little discount for the whole year. Click for more information on flights between Beijing and Lhasa.
2. Beijing – Lhasa by train
The train from Beijing to Lhasa departures every day, and Z21 (20:00-12:26) takes 40 hours and 26 minutes to arrive. With only one carriage within 36 beds, it is very difficult to book a train from Beijing to Lhasa during the tourist season, especially during the peak season. The ticket price of soft-berth from Beijing to Lhasa is around RMB1, 200. Click for more information on Beijing-Lhasa trains.
If you choose to fly to Shanghai, you may firstly take Delta Air Lines DL 1733 (12:00-14:20) from Panama City t to Atlanta. And continue with Delta Air Lines DL 185 (15:28-19:10) from Atlanta to Shanghai. The total cost is about USD 1,200, and it may take 18 hours and 10 minutes. After arriving in Shanghai, you can travel on into Tibet by plane or by train:
1. Shanghai – Lhasa by plane
There are only two flights from Shanghai to Lhasa each day, one in the morning (MU2335 06:45-14:40) take off from Pudong Airport T1, and the other is in the afternoon (TV9882 16:45-23:20) take off from Hongqiao Airport T2. Each one-way ticket has a nominal value of RMB 3,360, plus airport construction fee and fuel fee of RMB 60, totaling RMB 3,420 for each. For more information, please refer to the Shanghai-Lhasa flight.
2. Shanghai – Lhasa by train
The train from Shanghai to Lhasa departures every day at No. Z164 (20:10-19:30), lasting 47 hours and 20 minutes. The price of the soft - berth ticket is around RMB 1,500. Since there is only one train per day, it is difficult to buy tickets during the peak season. It is suggested that tourists who need to take the train from Shanghai to Lhasa should confirm with your travel consultant in advance and confirm whether they need to book train tickets from our agency. Click for more information about the Shanghai-Lhasa train.
Tibet Travel Permit application for Panamans:
1. From mainland China to enter Lhasa
When boarding a plane or train from mainland China to Lhasa, foreign guests are required to present the Tibetan Travel Permit and valid passport. Therefore, before entering Tibet, Panamanian tourists need to send us the scanned copies of their valid passports and visas 30 days in advance (if it is not "Type - L visas", they need to provide not only the passports and visas, but also work certificate or invitation letters). In general, the Tibet Travel Permit can be issued 7-10 days in advance of the tour.
If you take the train to Tibet, we will send the attached scan format of the Tibet Travel Permit to your mailbox, and you will only have to print it out on an A4 size paper before boarding the train, and with the hard copy you are able to board the train towards Lhasa.
If you take a plane, we will send you the original copy of the letter to the domestic city of your transit in advance, and having our local co-worker to deliver it to your hand. You must be able to board the plane by the original letter of the Tibet Travel Permit.
2. Entering Tibet from Nepal
Entering Tibet from Nepal requires a Tibet Travel Permit and a Chinese Group Visa. (If you enter Tibet from Nepal, no matter whether you have applied for a Chinese visa or not, it will be invalid. You must apply for a Chinese Group Visa in order to enter Tibet from Nepal) Our travel agency can help you with the necessary documents.
Therefore, if foreign tourists enter Tibet from Nepal, they only need to provide their valid passports. Our company will arrange the Tibet Travel Permit and the travel invitation letter (approved by the tourism bureau, which is used to apply for Group Visa) in advance and send them to our Nepalese co-worker. Once you arrived in Kathmandu, our co-worker will help you to obtain a Group Visa from the Chinese embassy in Kathmandu. Although it has been called a "Group" visa, you do not have to be form a group. The specific process is as the following:
Day 1: Upon arrival in Kathmandu, our staff will collect your original passport and assist you in completing the application form
Day 2: The co-worker will return your original passport and bring the issued Group Visa back to you at your hotel.
Day 3: Entering Tibet with scanned copy of Tibet Travel Permit, Group Visa and Original passport.
