Qinghai–Tibet Railway (Xining–Lhasa)

China Railway Qingzang Group

China

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Navigate from Xining Railway Station to Lhasa Railway Station across a span of 1956km. This is an overnight service.

Kekexili (可可西里) and Qiangtang (羌塘) nature reserves — glimpses of Tibetan antelope and wild yaks
Tanggula Pass (唐古拉山口) at over 5,068 m — the world's highest railway point
Frozen lakes and expansive plateau views especially around Nagqu/Amdo
Approach into Lhasa with Potala Palace visible on the hillside
Vast uninhabited steppe in the buffer zones between settlements

Duration
20.5 hours
Distance
1956 km
Est. Price
Approx. ¥520–800 from Xining depending on class; ¥720–1,200+ from Beijing/Shanghai

Meals: None (restaurant car and trolley service available)

Ensuite: No

Meals: None (restaurant car and trolley service available)

Ensuite: No

Engine / Locomotive

China Railway DF-series diesel-electric locomotives; electric traction on electrified sections near Lhasa

Locomotive Weight

Typically ~138 tonnes for diesel locomotives

Track Gauge

1,435 mm standard gauge throughout

Braking Technology

Knuckle couplers; compressed air brakes; gradient-responsive braking on descent from high passes

Route Engineering Challenges

500+ km of permafrost requiring continuous cooling systems and elevated track bed engineering
Altitude-related oxygen deprivation requiring pressurised carriages and oxygen systems
Tanggula Pass at 5,068 m — the world's highest railway point
Long distance across uninhabited plateau with limited emergency service access
Extreme temperature range: −35°C to +40°C; freeze–thaw cycles damage permafrost infrastructure

Highest point

Tanggula Pass, 5,068 m above sea level

Permafrost section

~500 km of the total 1,956 km route

Maximum speed

120 km/h (restricted in permafrost zones)

Operator

China Railway Qingzang Group (青藏铁路公司)

Altitude pressurisation

Oxygen enrichment to ~21% equivalent at 2,800m (carriage level)

Duration
20.5 hours
Distance
1956 km
Est. Price
Approx. ¥520–800 from Xining depending on class; ¥720–1,200+ from Beijing/Shanghai