Lhasa, the capital city of the Tibet Autonomous Region, is the political, economical and cultural centre of the region. It is called "sunlight city" for its abundant sunshine. It is a transportation hub of Tibet with a well-developed transportation system. You can get there by plane, train and long-distance bus. All of them offer great convenience to travelers.

Getting there

◎By Plane

Lhasa's main airport is Lhasa Gonggar Airport, is about 50 km from Lhasa. Airport buses take tourists to the city soon after they arrive. For the domestic flights, many major China tourist cities have flights to Lhasa, including Beijing, Chengdu, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chongqing, Kunming, Xi 'an, Xining, Diqing, Qamdo, Hong Kong, etc. For the international flight, at present, only Kathmandu (Nepal) services flights to Lhasa. 

◎By Train

There are many railway transportations with connections to all wind directions that can reach most cities of China, such as Xining, Beijing, Chengdu, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chongqing. Details as the following: 

1. Beijing-Lhasa Train

T27/8, from Lhasa to Beijing West - takes 43hours52minutes (T27) or 42hours 22minutes (T28), every day.

2. Chengdu-Lhasa Train 

T22/23/24/21, from Lhasa to Chengdu - takes about 44 hours, every other day.

3. Chongqing to Tibet Train

T222/223/224/221, from Tibet to Chongqing - takes about 45 hours, every other day.

4. Shanghai-Lhasa Train 

T164/165/166/163, from Lhasa to Shanghai - takes about 48 hours, every day.

5. Guangzhou-Lhasa Train

T264/265/266/263, from Lhasa to Guangzhou - takes about 55 hours, every other day — longest domestic train ride in China by distance (4980 km).

6. Lanzhou-Lhasa Train

K917/K918, from Lhasa to Lanzhou - takes about 27 hours, every day.

7. Xining-Lhasa Train

K9801/K9802, from Lhasato Xining West - takes about 24 hours, every day.

◎By Bus

The bus station in Lhasa is located at southwest of Barkhor Square and has departures to Medro, and Gungkar to visit Drigung Til Monastery and Lhundrub to visit Talung Monastery. Long-distance buses can go to other places in Tibet, such as Shigatse, Tsetang, Chamdo and Bayi, although this can be difficult and expensive for western travelers.

Regular bus connects Lhasa to most other cities in Tibet. There is a bi-weekly bus to Zhongdian in Yunnan province and a weekly bus to Kathmandu in Nepal. A bus ride to Kathmandu costs ￥520.

Getting around

◎By Bicycle

Bicycle is a very popular way. Most hotels can rent bikes to travelers (RMB2 per hour or RMB20 per day for ordinary bikes and RMB3 per hour, RMB30 per day for mountain bikes.)

◎By Bus

Bus is a very convenient way to get around the city. The best way to travel from one place of interest to another is by minibus (fare: RMB2).  

◎By Taxi

Taxi is also a good way to travel around. Taxis are a standard 10RMB for anywhere in Lhasa city. Cycle rickshaws are everywhere, though prepare to bargain.