Journey on the Highest World’s Railway: Beijing to Lhasa by Train

Since July 2006 after the opening route of the Qingzang Railway between Golmud to Lhasa in Tibet, the Peruvian Orient Express is not the highest passenger train in the world anymore. The railway line to the Lake Titicaca in Peru crosses a pass at 4,330 meters at its highest point, La Raya. The new Tibetan train crosses the Tangula Pass at 5,072 meters above sea level and thus has become the world’s highest rail track.

The train, also known as “Sky Train”, connects Lhasa with major Chinese cities such as Beijing, Shangai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Xining, Xian and Lanzhou. The journey from Beijing to Lhasa lasts 48 hours and runs every day.

On the 1st of July 2006, The Republic People of China President, Hu Jintao, inaugurated the section between Golmud and Lhasa. The main purpose of this railway is to accelerate the economic growth of the autonomous region of Tibet. Transportation of goods is expected to grow significantly over the 10 years and will lead Tibet to a new era. Tourism is a crucial aspect for the development of Tibet. It is now possible to travel through Tibet without facing the long overland journeys.

Statistics speak by themselves concerning this luxury train traveling through the rooftop of the world. With an average of 4000 meters high, the 1,142 km railway from Golmud to Lhasa is an exceptional accomplishment of Chinese engineers. It required hundreds of thousands of workers to lay the track across the Tibetan plateau under harsh conditions. The railway includes 44 stations, 675 bridges and the highest rail tunnel in the world located at 4,905m (Fenghuoshan tunnel). In 2001, an earthquake of 8.2 Richter scale warned engineers of possible risks and challenges. Nevertheless, engineers stuck to their missions and eventually five years of great work and $3.68 billion triumphed over this great challenge.

Building the railway through the Tibetan Kunkun range of mountains was a huge challenge due to the presence of permafrost at such altitude. About 600km of the railway was built on this unstable ground and implied to the Chinese engineers to come up with a long lasting and safe solutions. It was thought to be impossible…

The skepticism of the international geological community didn’t slow down the Chinese expectations to come up with a long term solution. They developed a technique that elevates the track with strong foundations sunk into the ground and that injects liquid nitrogen into pipes in order to keep the rail bed constantly frozen. Nevertheless, the international community remains frightened due to global warming and many fear to see the railway collapse within 10 years.

Tibet is a land of extraordinary environmental diversity and the impact of the train is a tremendous concern for the Chinese authority. More than $192 million have been granted for environment protection. Many endangered species such as the Tibetan antelopes are vulnerable to the brutal modification of their habitat. In order to avoid such trouble and to let them cross the railway, 33 overpasses were constructed at various locations along the route.

The train is specially built to face the difficult environment of high altitude and provide oxygen supply for each passenger to prevent the altitude sickness. UV-protection systems make the journey even more pleasant. There are a couple of options to be accommodated on the train. You can choose to stay in soft sleeper beds cabin which are designed for business men from commercial cities of China and tourists from all over the world or to experience the hard sleeper beds and thus travel with Chinese and Tibetan locals. The last option is a complete immersion into the Chinese customs and way of life. On the last section from Golmud to Lhasa, you can expect to travel with yak herdsmen on hard sleeper cabins.

A restaurant is available on board and provides wider selections of delicious Chinese cuisine. It is a real delight to discover and taste the local food while enjoying the Tibetan landscapes. It is highly recommended to bring a Chinese phrasebook as the train crews don’t speak English.

It is a captivating journey which gives you a glimpse of Chinese countryside composed essentially of flat cultivated land, brown hill and riverside valleys. You can witness extraordinary scenes of rural life as you cross Mainland China. The scenery changes completely as you get closer to Tibet. The train goes up on the Tibetan plateau and reaches its average altitude of 4000 meters high after passing Golmud. The green hills are replaced by huge mountain range with 7000 meters peaks dominating the entire landscape. The polluted industrial Chinese cities disappear to let you discover the purity of Tibet. Nomadic settlements, ancient monasteries, high mountain passes, turquoise Lakes and deserts will fascinate and conquer your imagination. You will encounter Yaks herds, itinerant Tibetans, wild donkeys and horses while going through the Tibetan grassland.

After 48 hours of a fantastic trip, you arrive at the train station of Lhasa which is located 45 minutes away of the town itself. Your next adventure will be to discover the highlights of the Tibetan capital including the Potala Palace, home of the Dalai Lamas, the Norbulingka monastery, the Jokhang temple and the Barkhor Market.

Traveling on the Sky train is the most enjoyable way to reach Lhasa from mainland China. But the visit of Tibet is not complete until you get a bit more adventurous and drive through the Tibetan plateau by 4WD land cruiser. Exploring typical Tibetan cities such as Shigatse, Gyantse and Lhatse while driving towards Nepal are a must-do experience. Tibet has a lot to offer and a trip on the roof of the world will convince you that Tibet is the most accessible land despite of its location.

Julien Van Loye
Explore Himalaya Travel & Adventure
www.explorehimalaya.com
julien@explorehimalaya.com
sales@explorehimalaya.com

When to go
The best time to go on this tour is from April to November in order to avoid the cold winter season.
Despite the high altitude of the Tibetan Plateau, the daytime temperatures are actually quite mild. Between April and November the average temperature ranges form 15-25 degrees Celsius and the skies are generally clear and blue. From July to August though there can be the odd shower during the day, the nights, however, can be very cold and temperatures can drop below 0 degrees Celsius.

Tour
Explore Himalaya organizes an 18 day tour from Beijing to Lhasa which includes a full immersion into the Chinese, Tibetan and Nepali cultures.