Lanzhou to Lhasa Train Schedule
Lanzhou is the only provincial capital city that passing through the Yellow River valley. The urban area is surrounded by mountains and rivers, with quiet mountain and flowing water, forming a unique and beautiful urban landscape. With the nourishing of the Yellow River makes Lanzhou a famous of “melon and fruit city”in China. Lanzhou lilies is with thick petals, tastes sweet and delicious; Lanzhou black melon seeds are with plate shape, was known as “Lanzhou Blockbuster”, and is the best-selling at inside and outside countries. Lanzhou Honeydrew, Yellow River Honey melon, with one bite the fragrance will overflow the mouth, are known as “Hangzhou is famous of views, and Lanzhou is producing of honey melons”. As one of the important counties on the ancient “Silk Road”, Lanzhou has been selected as one of the top ten summer resort cities in mainland China for his history and nature. The train from Lanzhou to Lhasa takes only 24 hours. Passengers don’t have to endure the long journey, but to enjoy the beautiful landscapes of four seasons.
1. The overview of Lanzhou – Lhasa train schedule:
Stations Z917 Will pass by
2019 Lanzhou – Lhasa Train Running Dates:
Other options of Lanzhou - Lhasa Trains:
2. How do foreign tourists buy train tickets:
Ways to buy ticket (generally, there are two ways of buy ticket in mainland China):
To buy your own tickets at the station, with your valid certifications, but the defect of this way is: biased to provide valid certifications, you have to provide Tibet Travel Permit. For the Tibet Travel Permit, usually can be applied within 10 days in advance, and the train ticket in mainland China is usually going on sale one month (30 days) prior to departures. By the time you get the Tibet Travel Permit, most likely the ticket is sold out already.
To purchase on the railway station official website: 12306.cn, is a good choice for those who is outside mainland China. But the defect is, it is registered under the real name system, and after registration the system will investigate, and can purchase online only if you had one experience of taking the train with your ID card. If you have a someone buy tickets for you, you will need to provide them with your exact name and passport number (as with plane tickets). They will also need a copy of your passport if you wish to have the tickets delivered to you. If tickets are brought on-line and you do not wish them to deliver, you are given a confirmation number which you need to bring along with your passport at the railway station to pick up the paper ticket. You can do so just before your departure.
Requested certifications when purchasing the ticket:
Foreign tourists, Taiwanese and overseas Chinese:
(1) According to The real name system for buying train tickets, for those who would like to purchase the train ticket in mainland China, have to provide valid certificates such as: ID card, passport, etc.. The The passenger's name should be consistent with the document used.
(2) Due to the particularity of Tibet train, all the passengers have to provide Tibet Travel Permit to enter Tibet.
Tips on booking train ticket from Lanzhou to Lhasa:
☆ According to ministry of railway regulations, the train ticket will be issued one month in advance. The passengers may purchase via the local railway station, official ticket agency, or via the official website: www.12306.cn, due to the Tibet train ticket is very hard to purchase (especially the peak season July – September), please purchase one month in advance, to avoid missing the time and the ticket.
☆ If need to buy from the Odyssey Travel Agency, have to confirm 35 days in advance with full fare price and to provide requested scanned certifications.
☆ If the passengers purchased the train ticket online, please exchange for paper ticket in the railway station at least 2 hours in advance, especially during the peak season. Due to the train platform is very little for Tibet train, and there are many passengers during the peak season, if you reached too late, you may have no time to change the ticket. Therefore, please do arrive the railway station 2 hours in advance. If purchased by our agency, we shall take the ticket in advance and hand in the ticket to the passengers.
3. Useful notes on taking train from Lanzhou to Tibet:
☆ For the Tibet train, you have to provide the second Tibet Travel Permit, and the size shall keep the same as the original file, with A4 format with 2 pages. During the ride, the conductor would check your Tibet Travel Permit erratically, please take good care of your Tibet Travel Permit, to avoid unnecessary trouble.
☆ Luggage transportation: with a valid train ticket, the passenger may transport one luggage during the board period. The disabled have no limitations on luggage. The limit of each luggage is 50KG. The size should be smaller than luggage barrow. For items involving state restrictions on transport, please provide the relevant department's transport certificate at the time of delivery. Valuables such as money, securities, precious cultural relics, gold, silver and jewelry, and archival materials, as well as articles prohibited and restricted by the state, and dangerous articles shall not be carried in luggage.
☆ The Tibetan plateau is located in an area of low oxygen, plateau travel has high demand for the tourists, and they may more or less accord altitude sickness, recommend having a thorough medical check-up before travel, and taking some anti-altitude drugs under the doctor’s advice, or prepare the medicine for the needs.
☆ Some of the train have to transit via Xining station, all the passengers have to take off and transit to another train, please cooperate the organization and guidance from the staffs.
☆ While running between Golmud to Lhasa, the train would provide a diffuse type of oxygen supply and independence oxygen service, if you have any further requirements, please do check with the train staffs. During the oxygen supplying, smoking is forbidden, the smokers have to notice that.
☆ Please keep stay and take good care of your own belongings. During the station, dwelling time, please be aware of temperature difference between inside and outside the train, be careful to catch the flue.
☆ Regarding carrying on the train, there are chargers in the soft sleeper compartment, under the outside the corridor seats also have chargers, and the both sides of the washing station also can charge. But sometimes the charger may break, please bring your own power bank and make sure it is fully charged.
The usual dining on the train tastes flat, costs about RMB 30.00, also have steamed bun and porridges. If you got too many luggages, no worry, there are simple meals and instant noodles for purchase. You also may prepare some solid food, or carried separately with several friends. After all, it’s not easy to spend about two days and two nights’ train.
4. Packing list for taking train to Lhasa from Lanzhou:
1. Certifications: ID card (for mainland China tourists), Tibet Travel Permit (foreign tourists, Taiwan tourist and overseas Chinese), Hongkong – Macau laissez – passer (Hongkong people and Macanese), valid passport (those who holds passport), deposit card (China’s biggest banks).
2. Anti-altitude medicines: although take the Tibet train may slowly adjust the altitude, but when pass by Tanggula Ranges (while altitude is above 5000 M), the altitude sickness would be serious, suggest to take Gaoyuanan or Gaoyuankang capsule, besides orally take Rhodiola rosea in advance. Moreover, you may take some cold medication, cough medicine, Wei Chang A, antidiarrheals, anti-inflammatory, band-aid, painkillers, etc.
3. For clothing, you’d better wear fleece jackets and winter jacket, for the great difference in temperature at plateau area, you may experience four seasons within ten days, such kind of clothing may good at wind and rain protection and keeping warm, other clothing: thin coat, T-shirt, underwears, socks, if you have plan for hiking, you may take a pair of outdoor hiking shoes. For washing bag, you may prepare washing products (towels, facial cleanser, soap, shaver, etc.),
4. Cellphone charger, USB cable, power bank, camera, matching battery, charger, flashcards, if you wish to shoot the stars, may bring the torch, notebook and pens.
5. Bring the vacuum cup, for you may get warm water on the train, prepare some more fruits such as apples, mandarin orange. Apple removes heat, eat properly may adjust human acid balance; mandarin orange would provide vitamin C for a day. Also, please bring some chocolate, it may strengthen your physical power.
6. Daily supplies: sleeping bag, towel (quick drying- type), face towel, wet-paper, sun hat, sun glasses, sun cream etc. sun-protct productions, shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, facial cleanser, skin care productions, facial masks, cosmetic with hydration type), sun-protction lip-stick, toothbrush and toothpaste, washing powder (easier to carry compare with liquid detergent), small back-pack, rain hood, whisel, convenient hook, disposable plastic wrap (may take wet clothes or tower), seperate bags (pack the stuffs accordingly, and convenient to take), water- proof bag (functional product), vacuum cup, camping cup, chopsticks and forks (of hygiene reason), hair dryer, fully charged power bank.
5. Lanzhou Railway Station Traffic Guide:
The Lanzhou Railway Station is located at East Road of Railway, Chengguan District, Lanzhou. As there are many unlicensed taxis nearby, it is recommended that passengers may take a licensed taxi or bus to avoid being cheated.
Bus: There is a bus station on the east side of the railway station square, about 100m walk to the east and Lanzhou long-distance bus station is on the north side of the road, there is a special taxi road on the west side. Bus No. 1, 6, 31, 110, 131, 181, 601, and K102 are stopped at the east of the railway station. No. 137 stops by Pingliang Road, and No. 10, 112 bus stop by Tianshui Road, the other passing by buses are: No. 7, No. 9, No. 12, No. 16, No. 17, No. 33, No. 114, No. 118, No. 124, No. 126.
Metro Line2: After metro line 2 launched, it will be more convenient to reach to the Lanzhou Railway Station. (Expected to launch in 2019). If the number of team members is large, the coach can be arranged through our agency. Taking the train to see the Tibet line has its extraordinary allure. It is no exaggeration to describe the landscape along the railway as “one scene at a time”. Spread the map, you may find that the distribution of the Qinghai Lake along Tibet Line, Kekexili depopulated zone, the river source region, Namtso Lake, Patala Palace, etc., nine world-class tourism resources, plus Kumbum Monaster, Qarhan Salt Lake, Yuzhu Peak, the ancient city of Lhasa, Barkhor Street,of 23 national tourism resources, and 6 national nature reserves and scenic spots, 193 general grade tourism resources.
