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) hauling the route; electric traction on the electrified Golmud–Lhasa section (25 kV 50 Hz) using CR HXD1C and HXD1 locomotives

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 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 electrification

Electrification

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

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

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