Qinghai–Tibet Railway (Xining–Lhasa)

China Railway Qingzang Group (青藏铁路公司)
China
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The Journey

Navigate from Xining Railway Station (西宁站) to Lhasa Railway Station (拉萨站) across a span of 1956km. This is an overnight service.

Scenery Highlights
  • Kekexili (可可西里) and Qiangtang (羌塘) nature reserves — chances of spotting wild Tibetan antelope and wild yaks
  • Tanggula Pass (唐古拉山口) at 5,068 m — the world's highest point on any railway
  • Tuotuohe (沱沱河) headwaters of the Yangtze River, crossed near the 4,533 m Tuotuohe Bridge
  • Frozen lakes and expansive plateau views especially around Nagqu and Amdo
  • Approach into Lhasa with the Potala Palace visible on the hillside above the city
  • Vast uninhabited steppe in the buffer zones between settlements
Quick Facts
  • Duration

    20.5 hours

  • Distance

    1956 km

  • Est. Price

    Xining–Lhasa hard seat from ~CNY 224, hard sleeper ~CNY 495–521, soft sleeper ~CNY 781–808. Through Beijing West / Shanghai / Guangzhou coaches: CNY 720–1,262 depending on class.

Official Booking Provider
Classes & Accommodations

Meals: None (restaurant car and trolley service available)

Ensuite: No

Meals: None (restaurant car and trolley service available)

Ensuite: No

Meals: None (trolley service available)

Ensuite: No

Engine / Locomotive

China Railway DF-series diesel-electric locomotives (DF4D / DF8B) on the Xining–Golmud non-electrified section; CR HXd1C and HXd1 electric locomotives (25 kV 50 Hz AC) on the electrified Golmud–Lhasa section

Locomotive Weight

Diesel-electric DF4D ≈ 138 tonnes; HXd1C electric locomotive ≈ 92 tonnes (axle load 25 t)

Track Gauge

1,435 mm standard gauge throughout

Braking Technology

Knuckle couplers; compressed air brakes; gradient-responsive dynamic braking on descents from the Tanggula and Kunlun passes; regenerative braking on electric locomotives

Route Engineering Challenges

  • 500+ km of permafrost requiring passive cooling systems, ventilated embankments and heat-pipe thermosyphons to maintain ground stability

  • Altitude-related oxygen deprivation requiring pressurised carriages and distributed oxygen systems

  • Tanggula Pass at 5,068 m — the world's highest point on any commercial railway

  • Long distance across uninhabited plateau with very limited emergency service access

  • Extreme temperature range: −35 °C to +40 °C; freeze–thaw cycles damage permafrost infrastructure

  • Wildlife corridor protection: 33 dedicated migration underpasses built along the route to protect the Tibetan antelope

Highest point

Tanggula Pass, 5,068 m above sea level (Tanggula Railway Station at 5,068 m is the highest railway station in the world)

Permafrost section

~550 km of the total 1,956 km route is built on permafrost

Maximum speed

120 km/h on most of the route, 100 km/h through permafrost zones; up to 140 km/h planned with further electrification

Electrification

25 kV 50 Hz AC on the Golmud–Lhasa section (1,142 km) since 2011; Xining–Golmud (814 km) diesel

Wildlife underpasses

33 underpasses specifically designed for Tibetan antelope (chiru) and wild yak migration

Operator

China Railway Qingzang Group (青藏铁路公司), headquartered in Xining

Year opened

Xining–Golmud 1984; Golmud–Lhasa 1 July 2006

Altitude pressurisation

Oxygen enrichment to ~21% effective O₂ at 2,800 m carriage pressure equivalent

Rolling stock

CR 25G / 25Z series dedicated plateau consist; DF4D diesel for Xining–Golmud; HXd1/HXd1C electric for Golmud–Lhasa; pressurised and oxygen-equipped throughout

Total length

1,956 km Xining–Lhasa; 814 km Xining–Golmud (built 1959–1984); 1,142 km Golmud–Lhasa (built 2001–2006)

Quick Facts
  • Duration

    20.5 hours

  • Distance

    1956 km

  • Est. Price

    Xining–Lhasa hard seat from ~CNY 224, hard sleeper ~CNY 495–521, soft sleeper ~CNY 781–808. Through Beijing West / Shanghai / Guangzhou coaches: CNY 720–1,262 depending on class.

Official Booking Provider