Transportation
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Transportation

Lhasa, being the capital of Tibet, is also the main transportation center in Tibet. Though Tibet is becoming more and more accessible, Lhasa is still the main entry and exit point, and sometimes the only choice for outside visitors. The transportation system in the city has been updated, and consists of air, railway and highway services.

Lhasa airport

Air Transport

Opened in 1965, Lhasa Gonggar Airport is the original airport and also the one that has the most flights in Tibet. It now has flights to Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Kunming, Diqing, Chongqing, Chengdu, Lanzhou, Xian, Xining, Chamdo and Katmandu, with over 40 flights every week. Among these, the Chengdu-Lhasa air route is the most frequently flown.

The airport is located in Gonggar County in Shannan, about 100 km. (62 mi.) south of Lhasa, and is at an altitude of 3,600 m. (11,811 ft.). The passenger terminal, looking like a gigantic yak head, features the distinctive Tibetan style. It has two floors: the first floor is built with an arrival lounge for distant flights, ticket offices, departure lounge and luggage hall, while the second floor has a waiting hall, dining hall and shops. The consultation phone number of the airport is 0891-6182220.

As to the transportation between the airport and the city district, there are Shuttle buses every day, which takes about 2 hours and cost CNY 20 per person. Buses from Tsedang and Shigatse also stop at the airport, which cost CNY 20-30 per person. Taxis are another way of traveling and cost CNY 150-250. The road is bituminous and winds along the Yarlung Tsangpo River and Lhasa River, and is in good condition with interesting surroundings.


See Tibet Flights

Lhasa Railway Station


Railway

The Tibet Railway, which is the section between Golmud and Lhasa, was launched on Jul.1st, 2006, and is another miracle in the transportation history of Tibet. There are now trains between Lhasa and Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Xining, Lanzhou, Chengdu and Chongqing, which pass through Xian, Baoji, Shijiazhou, Nanjing, Zhengzhou, Wuxi, Xuzhou, Golmud, and other cities in the hinterland, as well as Nakchu, Amdo, Damxung and other regions in Tibet Plateau.

The Lhasa Railway Station is located in Toelung Dechen County, only 20 km (12 mi) away from Potala Palace. The opening of the first overpass of Tibet, Liuwu Bridge has linked the railway station and the city district and are reached by using the bus route numbers, 91, 86 or 89.


 See details about Tibet Railway


Highway

There are five highways to Tibet: Sichuan-Tibet Highway (Chengdu-Lhasa), Qinghai-Tibet Highway (Xining-Golmud-Lhasa), Xinjiang-Tibet Highway (Yecheng-Purang), Yunnan-Tibet Highway (Xiaguan-Markham) and Sino-Nepal Highway (Lhasa-Zhangmu-Katmandu), which are intersect at Lhasa.

Coaches are the main transport method within Tibet. There are now four coach stations in the city: Lhasa Coach Station (the West Suburb Passenger Station), the North Suburb Passenger Station, the East Suburb Passenger Station and the new Liuwu Coach Station. 

Lhasa Coach Station, located at the intersection of Minzu Lu and Jinzhu Zhonglu, is the orginal coach station in the city. It's main use is focused on Shigatse, Shannan and the long distance transport into the hinterland of China and Katmandu.

The North Suburb Passenger Station, located opposite to Lhasa Racecourse, is a newer and also a top class passenger station in the city. It mainly focuses on coaches to Chamdo, Makham, Shangri-la and the passing counties. In addition, coaches to Nakchu , Shigatse, Shannan and Ngari can also be caught here. There are also tourist buses to Namtso Lake, Basum Lake, Mt. Everest and Shigatse from this station. 

The East Suburb Passenger Station on the Jiangsu Donglu line mainly dealt with the transportation to the counties in Lhasa, as well as Nyingchi and Shannan somewhat.

The Liuwu Coach Station is located near the Lhasa Railway Station. It is a newly launched staion that has recently been put into service.  The recovered international bus running between  Lhasa and Katmandu just departs from this station. There is one bus every week, which departs at 10:30 on Tuesday. The bus fare is USD 70.  It takes three days, with one night staying in Latse and another in Zhangmu in Shigatse.  The bus is equipped with a tourist guide informative with Chinese, Tibetan, English and Nepali. (Station Tel.: 0891-6947216).


 Lhasa Coach Schedule

Lhasa Coach Station
East Suburb Passenger Station
North Suburb Passenger Station


For transportation within Lhasa city, there are also several options. Buses and jeeps with fixed routes will be at your service if you hail them in the city, most of which go to the Tibetan Traditional Hospital (in front of the square of Jokhang Temple) and cost CNY 2 per person. Taxis in the city are also quite easy to catch. They usually charge CNY 10 within the city and more for the remote areas. You'd better require the driver to use the meter. It is calculate as this: CNY 5 for the first 2 kilometers (1.2 miles), and CNY 1.5 more for every another kilometer. Pedicabs are also a common vehicle in the city, and only run within the city. They admit two persons, and cost CNY 3-5 in the daytime and CNY 1-2 more at night. In many hotels and hostels in Lhasa, there are also bicycles for hire, which usually cost CNY 2 per hour and CNY 20 per day and 1.5 times this amount for the mountaineering bicycle. Also, in many car companies and travel agencies there are cars for hire. Within the city they usually charge for the number of days and kilometers, without fees for returning with empty fuel tanks. Other hiring is charged for kilometers only outside the city, with an additional 50% fee for returning with empty fuel. A local driver who is familiar with Chinese is recommended when hiring and using the car in case you become lost or an emergency arises.

Comments and Questions

A group of Nepalese are going back to kathmandu through Lhasa, so any one who wants to join with us. Its on around january.

Reply

9/12/2014 12:10:00 PM

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Asked by suman (Nepal)

kathemandu to lasa baybus sarvice priss list

Reply

3/31/2012 9:02:00 AM

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Asked by kanaiyalal barot (India)

Hello, It's me bhusan. I'm planning to go to Kathmandu in June last. where to get the Lhasa permit?

Reply

2/24/2012 1:42:00 AM

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Asked by Bhusan

if you also want to visit Tibet, you are required to have a China visa and a Tibet Travel Permit before you go there.

2/24/2012 6:54:00 PM

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Babara

Where can I hire car to travel from Lhasa to Kathmandu??? Is there any rental services? Can you please provide me name and contact number?

Reply

9/11/2011 10:40:00 PM

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Asked by Amika (Nepal)

actually there are long-distance buses from Lhasa to Kathmandu.

9/13/2011 12:10:00 AM

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Darvin

hello sir,
i m from pakistan,
i have chines visa ,can i go lhasa{china} from nepal,
i have no tourist visa for tibet,
gide me please,
thanks,
BR
faisal

Reply

8/21/2011 12:23:00 PM

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Asked by faisal (Pakistan)

hi faisal,
foreign visitors are not allowed to go to Tibet individually, but go with a tour group.
you aslo have to apply a Tibet Travel Permit apart from the China visa.
usually, the travel agency will help you apply the Tibet Travel Permit.

8/21/2011 6:34:00 PM

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Sasha

Hi Sasha,
Do the tour groups go from Katmandu to Llhasa in January?
How does it work? How long do I stay with the group? Can I travel into China on my own after the crossing the boarder or do I have to return to nepal with the tour group? Your help with is greatly appriciated

8/31/2011 3:40:00 AM

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James ( Ireland )

hi James,
you have to stay with the tour group as long as you are in Tibet.
you can visit other parts of mainland China on your own within the permitted stay on your China visa.

8/31/2011 7:52:00 PM

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Sasha

Hello, I will be arriving in Kathmandu in early/mid September and from Kathmandu I would like to take the coach to Lhasa.
I am a British citizen. Apart from my Chinese visa, do I need any other documents for this journey? which days and at what time does the coach leave Kathmandu, and how much does it cost?
Many thanks, Cheryl

Reply

7/17/2011 3:32:00 AM

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Asked by Cheryl G (United Kingdom)

apart from the Chinese Visa, you still need to apply for a Tibet Travel Permit before you go to Tibet.
the bus departs at 10:30 every Friday, and it costs CNY 520 or USD 70.

7/17/2011 7:17:00 PM

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Juno

Hi Cheryl

Did you have any joy in catching this bus? Im looking to do the very same in January next year and any advise you could give me would be much appriciated

Thanks in advance

James

8/8/2011 6:07:00 AM

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James ( Ireland )

Hello

We are 3 german cyclist and we like to go by bicycle the Xingjiang Tibet Highway from Yecheng to Shisha Pangma basecamp in August/September. For this we need a car and driver for 34 days to go with us. Can you organize this and how much would it cost?

Thank you and best regards
Annette Kniffler

Reply

6/22/2011 3:27:00 AM

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Asked by Christian Rottenegger (Germany)

Thank you for visiting Tibettrip.com,
but we are sorry that we do not provide this kind of service currently.
We offer group tours or customized China tours. if you are interested in any of our itineraries, please feel free to contact us.
Best Regards

6/22/2011 7:45:00 PM

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Tibettrip.com

I want to go Shenzhen (china) by Bus, Via Kathmandu what is the easiest Bus Route to Shenzhen from Kathmandu.
Note:- no problem for break journey.

Reply

4/17/2011 3:03:00 AM

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Asked by MD.Nessar (India)

hi,
it will be quite a long journey.
you can take the bus from Kathmandu to Lhasa first (you need to have the Tibet Entry Permit before you go).then take the long-distance bus from Lhasa to Chengdu. and from Chengdu to Shenzhen.

4/17/2011 10:22:00 PM

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Amy

hi i want ro go nepal from lasha through bus in this january so what will be the climate of lasha at that time and the road condition i heard that the road condition is not good is that true,and we are nepalese student in china we just want to go home passing through the lasha so do we need lasha permit?also if we have no permit and caught in lasha what will be the consequences....hoping to get somebody's favourable answer..

Reply

12/14/2010 3:08:00 AM

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Asked by sanzay ,luzhou china (Nepal)

hi,
i think you need the entry permit;
and it is cold in Jan., and may snow.

12/14/2010 9:20:00 PM

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Ken

we are from yichang china. we are also planning to go back to nepal on about january 25. when do u planning to go back? do u have any idea abt the easiest way to reach Lasha from Yichang? if we continue to get on touch we can plan to go together...

12/22/2010 9:00:00 AM

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deepak ( Nepal )

The easiest way is to take a train, since it seems to have no direct flight from Yichang to Lhasa.

12/22/2010 8:12:00 PM

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Lisa

Hi to all...We're planning to go back to Nepal(Kathmandu) from Wuhan by the cheapest route from Lasha on around January 25. I know it 'll be extremly cold that time but we're still ready to face this problem. Reach to Lasha is not a a big deal.So can anyone give us the way,bus fare and the action we need to do take on the way from Lasha to Kthmandu by Bus? We'll greatly appreciate for your help...

Reply

12/11/2010 9:05:00 AM

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Asked by Deepak frm Yichang,Hubei,China (Nepal)

hi,
the bus departs at 10:30 every Friday, you can go to the Lhasa Liuwu Long-distance Bus Station or the Lhasa Xijiao (Western Suburban) Long-distance Bus Station.
the ticket fare is CNY 520 or USD 70.
you will spend two days on the way, and one night in Gyantse or Zhangmu.

12/11/2010 9:23:00 PM

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Elva