Transportation

 To get to Lhasa, most foreign travelers arrive by plane. Chengdu, Beijing, Xian, Chongqing and Xining are all the starting points to Lhasa. Tourists usually start from Chengdu in Sichuan, because Chengdu has about 20 flights per week to the Gonggar Airport of Lhasa which takes about 2 hours and costs about CNY 1,500. Now, there is also around two daily flights from Beijing to Lhasa (about CNY 2,430). From Chongqing to Lhasa (about CNY 1,630), the schedule has been readjusted to more than 20 flights every week. It is also possible to go from Xining (about CNY 1,610) and Xian (about CNY 1,650). With about 18 flights every week in Xian, taking the plane is more convenient for travelers. Also, several flights from Guangzhou (about CNY 2,500) in Guangdong Province and the direct flight between Lanzhou (about CNY 1,560) in Gansu Province and Lhasa are available now. Travelers in Nepal may fly from Katmandu to Lhasa.

A tip: It has been good news that you can find discounts on air tickets to Lhasa.

There are two airports in Tibet, Gonggar Airport of Lhasa and Bangda Airport of Chamdo. Gonggar Airport connects Lhasa with most cities. The airport is located in Gonggar County, about 65 kilometers (40.3 miles) south of Lhasa city. It takes about 1 hour and 10 minutes and costs approximately CNY 25 by shuttle bus to downtown Lhasa. If you have about 3-4 persons a taxi may be considered, about CNY 150 is a reasonable price.

By Road
Five highways stretching into Tibet include Sichuan-Tibet Highway, Qinghai-Tibet Highway, Xinjiang-Tibet Highway, Yunnan-Tibet Highway and China-Nepal Highway. Only Qinghai-Tibet and China-Nepal Highway are open to foreigners at present. Qinghai-Tibet Highway starts from Golmud of Qinghai, it is 1,160 kilometers (720 miles) long and averages at 4,000 meters (13,120 feet) high. It runs along the Kunlun Mountains and vast grasslands which amaze people by their natural beauty. The China-Nepal Highway is another main road often traveled. It stretches for 900 kilometers (558 miles) from Kathmandu to Lhasa. The condition of most roads is so bad that travelers are advised to take Land Cruisers.

By Train
Traveling by train to Lhasa is another choice. The first section of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway between Xining and Golmud was put into use in 1984. The second section between Golmud and Lhasa began to operate on the 1st of July, 2006. With a total length of 1,956 km (around 1,215 miles), Qinghai-Tibet Railway is the longest plateau railway and also the highest in the world.