The Train from Beijing to Lhasa

48 hours on a train! When I first heard the proposition, I was a bit reluctant but soon succumbed to the temptation to try out the world's highest railroad line connecting the Chinese capital of Beijing with Tibet and its cultural center, Lhasa.

Beijing West station was busy on the night of our arrival, train departure is scheduled for 9:30pm and it's a good idea to arrive at least 45 minutes prior to clear security at the station entrance, and make your way to the appropriate waiting room where the Tibet travel permit is checked by the authorities, and on to the platform.

The friendly but serious conductors are helpful in finding the assigned seats, berths beds. Our group had tickets for the "soft sleeper", the most luxurious category on this train. Now make no mistake, I use the word "luxurious" with caution: this is by no means a deluxe train, or deluxe accommodations. The primary function of the Lhasa train is to carry government officials and military personnel between mainland China and Tibet, and us "tourists" are at best being put up with. Those of you who have traveled on overnight trains in Europe, however, will find numerous similarities. Our berths featured 4 beds each, 2 bunks on the left and 2 on the right. Luggage space is a bit of a problem for large, American or Japanese-style trolleys, but there is room underneath the bottom bunks as well as up above the sliding door of the compartment.

The temperature can be individually set for each compartment, but the system doesn't work very well, and it's generally relatively cold on the train.

Sanitary facilities are another story and tales thereof will adore many a Lhasa Train passenger's anecdotes. On one end of each sleeper car there are 2 toilets (one "Western", i.e., conventional, labeled "Ladies", and one Chinese (labeled "Gentlemen", see photo). There are also 3 wash basins whose water pressure resembles a lazy trickle at best, and which get flooded regularly as a result of careless splashing by fellow - mostly Chinese - passengers.

We depart right on time and head out into the night with our minds revolving about what there is to come during the following two and a half days. Our train, T027, features a dining car which is conveniently right next to our carriage. Meals on board are a la carte, breakfast is served from 7:00-9:00am, lunch from 11:30am-1:30pm, and dinner from 6:30pm-9:00pm. The officially posted opening hours of the dining care are pretty much early morning until midnight, but are for the most part politely ignored by the Chinese staff who will be sure to ask you to leave after the assigned dining hours.

"Western Breakfast" consists of 2 slices of deep-fried bread, a fried egg, and a slice of ham. In addition, there is (instant) coffee or tea. Lunch and dinner choices can be made from a printed menu (the same for both meals), but your waitress will point out in basic English that only 5-6 dishes are actually available. These dishes in our case included butterfish in soy-garlic sauce (tasty!), shredded pork with either green peppers or garlic sauce, chicken with green peppers, chicken with vegetables, a beef dish, and a couple of vegetarian options. The selection remained the same for the duration of the entire trip. The quality of the dishes was decent, and all are served with a rather bland egg drop soup as an appetizer, and steamed rice if requested. The pricing, subsidized by the Chinese government, is economical enough (appox. RMB 20 for breakfast, RMB 10 for beverages, RMB 26-35 for mains). There is bottled water available as well (at RMB 5), as well as soft drinks (Coke, Sprite, ice tea and Chinese plum tea), beer (Budweiser brewed in Wuhan, China), and Chinese wine (sold only in bottles of .75ml).

Once again, don't expect too much in terms of customer service. The staff is moderately nice, English is hardly understood, and from time to time passengers are subtly reminded that they are really only a nuisance to the train's crew.

Our compartment featured a power outlet (accommodating Chinese, European and American plugs) under the small table. There are also a few outlets in the dining car (on the sidewall on the first table to the left, and the beverage bar area immediately to the right). Charging cell phones and laptop computers was not a problem, but you will find that network coverage varies greatly throughout the journey and is often unreliable.

The first night and second day passed without any major incidence, the scenery in the provinces of Central China mostly dull - gloomy industrial towns, mining camps and farms with intermittent smaller cities. After stopping in Xining the evening of the first full day, we slowly gain altitude. One more nightly stop in Golmud, then the hissing oxygen valves in the compartments attest to the thinner air. After a good night's sleep, I wander on over into the dining car in the early morning. A glimpse at my GPS (which only works in the rubberized transition elements in between cars, as the metal and treated glass of the carriages prevents any satellite signal from reaching the inside) reveals 14,900ft and climbing.There is also a digital indicator as a part of the train's technical equipment at the end of each carriage providing an altitude readout in meters (see picture).

Personally, I had no problem with the altitude, and did not have to resort to supplemental oxygen (apart from the O2 pumped into the passenger compartments through the train's ventilation system). Some group members, however, complained about headaches, fatigue and similar symptoms. The recommended remedies are Diamox (prescription-only), which should be taken from the stop in Xining onwards, and Ibuprofen-based pain killers as required.

The second morning is also where Tibet's amazing scenery slowly unfolds before us - wide, steppe-like plains, high, snow-capped mountains, and smaller and larger herds of lazily grazing Yak. I caught myself staring at the incredible vastness of Tibet for quite a while.

Several operational stops occur during the day, including one to meet the oncoming train traveling past us in the opposite direction from Lhasa to Beijing. The speeds are generally around 60mph on the Tibetan section of the line, and the train is pulled by large twin-diesels changed in Golmud to replace the electric engines of the lowland segment.

Passing the highest point at Tangula Pass was a non-event, and in the late afternoon we slowly descend through valleys lined with small nomad villages, lakes and what seemed to be small industrial plants towards Lhasa. Our train winds parallel to the meandering river and small highway across a triple-section bridge towards the ending point of the line. The train station in Lhasa is far out from the actual city center (a good 10 minute drive, the reasons being in my humble opinion of political/military nature), and we arrive despite several delays during the 2-day ride about 45 minutes ahead of schedule at 8:00pm. Lhasa train station is a vast complex, and there is seemingly no other activity than the arrival of our train. Passengers are forced to walk across the wide platform, through the building and out onto a barely illuminated plaza to meet their waiting parties, if any. Bear in mind that cars or taxis are not permitted to pull up to the station, so one has to walk another 300ft or so to the curb. Vans and tour buses are parked even further.

In conclusion, the train ride from Beijing to Lhasa is certainly a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and add a lot to the avid traveler's horizons. The 48 or so hours do pass, and especially the second half of the journey provides riveting scenery and amazing views. Life on the train is bearable, but by no means luxurious, and should only be undertaken by the more experienced and open-minded traveler.

For more information, and to book your ticket on the Lhasa train, as well as pre and post train packages suiting any budget needs, I highly recommend www.customtravelnetwork.com, or e-mail to info@customtravelnetwork.com, a San Diego, CA, based outfit whose Asia experts will gladly assist you.