How to Travel from Beijing to Lhasa Tibet 2024
Tibet is a holy land always attracting tourists from home and abroad. Lhasa is the predominant gateway city to Tibet and the most important transportation hub for traveling around Tibet. Thus, if you are planning a journey from capital Beijing, Northern China to sacred Tibet in Southwestern Tibet, normally, you need to get to Lhasa first. Here we provide you available traffic guide, covering the detailed time, duration, frequency and advantages, etc. Check them to find the better one to realize your once-in-a-lifetime trip to Tibet and even the Himalayas.
Beijing to Lhasa Distance
How far is Tibet from Beijing?Capital Beijing is located in the North China Plain, North China, while Tibet lies in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, Southwestern China. Beijing is situated at the northeast of Tibet, with a long distance around 3,500 km (2,175 mi). At present, there are non-stop flights and direct trains running from Beijing to Lhasa on a daily basis. Read details one by one to choose your suitable way to visit Tibet from Beijing.
Beijing to Lhasa (Tibet) Transportation Map
Travel from Beijing to Lhasa Tibet by Flight
Flight Time: about 4.5 hours
From: Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK)
To: Lhasa Gonggar International Airport (LXA)
Making an air travel is a quite fast, comfortable and convenient way to travel from Beiing to Tibet. Every day, there are 3 non-stop flights taking off from Beijing to Lhasa, and one more flight with stopover in Chengdu. A few connecting flights are also offered, but they need extra transfers in Xian or Xining, which takes over 10 hours to nearly one full day. Two of the three flights are arranged in the morning and another one is leaving in the afternoon. Air China is the only airline operating non-stop route.
Advantages: time-saving, stunning aerial views of Beijing, Lhasa and other Chinese cities, luggage hassle free, etc.
Disadvantage: sharp rise of elevation, which is not good for high altitude acclimation
Transfer Tips: Beijing Capital International Airport is located in the northeast suburb of Beijing, taking nearly 1 hour to arrive from city center by taxi (about 35 km). Lhasa Gonggar International Airport lies about 60 km away from Lhasa city, costing around 1 h 20 mins by driving.
Recommended Beijing Tibet Tours (by Flight):
Beijing Capital International Airport
Lhasa Gonggar International Airport
Beijing to Lhasa (Tibet) Flight Schedules:
| Flight Route | Airline | Dep.~Arr. Airports | Dep.~Arri. Time | Duration | Frequency |
| Beijing - Lhasa | Air China | Beijing Capital International Airport (T3) - Lhasa Gonggar International Airport |
08:35 - 13:05 | 4 hrs 30 mins | daily |
| Beijing - Lhasa | Air China | Beijing Capital International Airport (T2) - Lhasa Gonggar International Airport |
10:35 - 15:05 | 4 hrs 30 mins | daily |
| Beijing - Lhasa | Air China | Beijing Capital International Airport (T2) - Lhasa Gonggar International Airport |
13:55 - 18:25 | 4 hrs 30 mins | daily |
Note: The above Beijing to Lhasa (Tibet) flights timetable is listed for reference only and is subject to change by the airline company. Please feel free to contact our private consultant to get latest flight information.
Travel from Beijing to Lhasa Tibet by Train
Beijing is one of the popular portals to take a train to Tibet from other cities in China. The Tibet train runs for over 40 hours long, letting you not only enjoy variation of breathtaking landscape across China from northeast to southwest, but also get unique travel experience on a specialized plateau train. Besides, the Qinghai-Tibet Railway itself is an engineering miracle, praised as “A Road to the Heaven”.
Train Type: Z Train
Running Speed: 120 km/h
Distance: about 3,756 km (2,334 mi)
Train Time: about 41 hours
Departure & Arrival Stations: Beijing West Railway Station - Lhasa Railway Station
Presently, there is only 1 train departing from Beijing to Lhasa, Tibet daily. It leaves at 20:00 pm in the evening and arrives in Lhasa at the 12:45 on the third day. You will pass 8 stations on the ways, including Shijiazhuang North (Hebei), Taiyuan (Shanxi), Zhongwiei (Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region), Lanzhou (Gansu), Xining (Qinghai), etc. The train journey of Qinghai-Tibet Railway is long but very helpful for adaption of high altitude gradually.
A Soft Sleeper is most recommended for you, because it’s cleaner, quieter with private space, much better than a Hard Sleeper or Hard Seat. After you leave from Beijing in a dark night, you will get to Ningxia next norming, and then arrive in Lanzhou at noon and pass the Yellow River. After Xining, you will drive through beautiful Qinghai Lake, Hoh Xil and start to see wonderful plateau scenery. On the third morning, you will climb Tanggula Pass over 5,000 meters above sea level, view vast grassland where groups of Tibetan antelopes grazing and magnificent snow-covered mountains afar, on the last ride to Lhasa.
Tibet Train Travel Notes: 1.）Cellphone signal is not stable on the Tibet train. 2.) There are special oxygen outlets in each carriage. 3.) To pass the time away, you can read a book, listen to music, watch movies and chart with friends or tourists near your sleeper, sharing travel stories each other.
Transfer Tips: Beijing West Railway Station is just 10 km from downtown Beijing, about 30 minutes by taxi. Driving from Lhasa Railway Station to the accommodation area near Barkhor Street, Lhasa takes about 30 minutes.
Recommended Tour: ✔ 8 Days Tibet Train Tour from Beijing
Beijing West Railway Station
Lhasa Railway Station
Amazing Plateau Scenery Viewed along Qinghai Tibet Railway
Beijing to Lhasa (Tibet) Train Schedule:
| Train No. | Departure Station | Arrival Station | Departure Time | Arrival Time | Duration |
| Z21 | Beijing West Railway Station | Lhasa Railway Station | 20:00 | 12:45 (the 3rd day) | 40 hrs 45 mins |
Note: The above train schedule is listed for reference only. You can conatact us to know the train fares of each kind of ticket.
How to Plan a Beijing Tibet Tour
Your Beijing Tibet tour can be flexibly designed according to your holiday time and personal appetite. A classic Beijing Lhasa trip can be done in around one week while an in-depth exploration tour of Tibet can be over 10 days and more. First, you can take 2 to 3 days to hike the Great Walls (like Mutianyu, Jinshanling Great Walls) in or near Beijing and visit world-famous landmarks in downtown Beijing, including the Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace, etc. Meanwhile, you can explore Beijing in more interesting ways, maybe try the Peking duck and other featured Beijing food, watch a Peking Opera and wander around the twisted Hutongs.
Useful Links: Beijing Tibet Tours / Top Beijing Tours / Things to Do in Beijing
Next, take a fast flight or scenic train to Tibet. Start Tibet journey from spiritual center - Lhasa. Apart from the arrival and departure, it usually needs 2 full days to visit landmarks in Lhasa, like the Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Street, Sera Monastery and other must-visits. If time allows, travel further regions of Tibet, to Gyantse - the City of Heroes, to Gyantse, Mount Everest, Mount Kailash, Nyingchi, Shannan and others. Or, cross the border to visit Nepal in the south Himalayas or continue to explore other great destinations in China, such as Xian, Chengdu, Lijiang, Guilin, Zhangjiajie and so on.
Useful Links: Top Tibet Tours / Top Things to Do in Tibet / Chengdu Lhasa Tours
Extended China Tours with Beijing & Tibet:
✔ 11 Days Beijing Tibet Overland Tour to Kathmandu
✔ 14 Days China Treasure Tour with Tibet Dream
✔ 15 Days China Tour with Tibet Discovery and Panda Visit
✔ 17 Days China Paradise Tour with Tibet Discovery & Yangtze Cruise
Travel with China Discovery
China Discovery is a leading comprehensive travel agency in China, providing excellent customized tour packages across China. We have helped thousands of travelers fulfill their dream tour in China. Just telling us your schedule and budget, we can arrange a satisfied China tour including Beijing, Shanghai and other popular tourist destinations and covering transport, sightseeing, tour guide, local vehicle and driver, accommodation, Chinese Visa application assistance, etc. The length, places to visit, theme can be arranged depending on your individual requirements. You may choose from our most popular Beijing Tibet tour packages or contact us to customize a special one!
Our Austrlian Tourists Enjoyed Mutianyu Great Wall Hiking in Beijing
Tibet Tour Customized by China Discovery
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Recommended Beijing Tibet Tours
Top 3 Beijing Tibet tours chosen by most customers to explore Beijing Tibet in the best way. Check the detailed itinerary, or tailor your own trip now with us.
7 Days Classic Beijing Lhasa Tour by Flight
Beijing / Lhasa
8 Days Tibet Train Tour from Beijing
Beijing / Lhasa
11 Days Beijing & Soul of Tibet Tour
Beijing / Lhasa / Gyantse / Shigatse / Everest
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