Shanghai - Lhasa by Train
The train to Lhasa, Tibet is already operating for more than a week now, so not much news in that.
I just happened to run into a nice site that next to some great timetables for China also has the Beijing - Lhasa Timetable in English. As a foreigner you need a permit though which will add a substantial amount to the ticket cost.
The Shanghai Daily mentioned sometime before that
“The first Qinghai-Tibet railway tour packages to depart from Shanghai will be on July 16. Packages went on sale yesterday.
“An eight-day tour costs 12,000 yuan (US$1,500) for foreign passport holders.The price includes a travel permit, meals, accommodation and all transportation. The entry permit to Tibet can only be purchased with a tour package. Chinese travelers will pay 7,500 yuan each as they don’t have to purchase a permit to enter the Tibet Autonomous Region.”
With my limited mathematical skills that comes down to a travel permit price of 4500, which is about 563 US dollar or about 439 Euros .. which means a total ripoff etc. It seems this permit is more of a nice cashcow than for any other reason.
I’ll wait till the permit prices have rationalized or rather the permit has been abolished.
Sources: Tibet-Qinghai rail packages, Beijing - Lhasa Timetable
Posted
Sunday, July 9th, 2006 at 3:40 am,
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July 11th, 2006 09:45
Glad to know about it.
May 29th, 2007 23:49
The train Shanghai - Lhasa has be speeded up in this April.
December 4th, 2007 09:34
The price is really unfair to foreigners!