Altitude is the real decision, not the timetable
Both routes land you in Lhasa at 3,650 m (12,000 ft). What differs is how fast you get there, what you pay, and how your body copes in the first 24 hours.
The short answer
For a first trip, fly to Lhasa: two hours from Chengdu beats 21 hours on the rail, and the time saved is better spent on three acclimatisation nights at 3,650 m. Take the train from Xining if the plateau scenery is the point — the line crosses the Tanggula Pass at 5,072 m — but it does not remove the risk of altitude sickness. Either way you must travel with a licensed agency, because the Tibet Travel Permit cannot be arranged individually.
- Chengdu to Lhasa flies in about 2 hours 20 minutes; the train from Xining takes 21–22 hours.
- Lhasa sits at 3,650 m (12,000 ft), and the train crosses the Tanggula Pass at 5,072 m, so the ride is not the soft option it is sometimes described as.
- Rail fares run about ¥495 for a hard sleeper and ¥781 for a soft sleeper; flight prices vary far more with the season.
- The Tibet Travel Permit must be arranged through a licensed agency as part of an organised tour — you cannot apply for it yourself.
- A UK passport is visa-free for China for up to 30 days in 2026; the Tibetan permit is required on top of that, however you arrive.
| Train | Flight | |
|---|---|---|
| Journey time | 21–22 hours from Xining | About 2 hours 20 from Chengdu |
| Cost, one way | About ¥495–781 by sleeper | Higher, and seasonal |
| Highest point | 5,072 m at Tanggula Pass | Cruise altitude only |
| Altitude on arrival | Gradual climb | Step off at 3,570 m |
| Scenery | Plateau, lakes, the pass | Little, from the window |
| Space and comfort | Sleeper berth, shared cabin | Standard aircraft seat |
| Oxygen on board | Supplied on the train | Supplied on the aircraft |
| Best for | Slow travel, fear of flying | Travellers short on time |
Which one fits you
This is your first trip and time is short
Flight
Two hours from Chengdu saves most of a day each way, and those days are better spent on three acclimatisation nights in Lhasa than on a moving train.
You want the plateau scenery and have a day to spare
Train
The Xining–Lhasa line crosses the Tanggula Pass at 5,072 m and runs past the Kunlun range and Namtso, scenery no aircraft window can show you.
You are worried about altitude sickness
Train
The gradual climb from Xining gives your body 21 hours to begin adapting, though it does not remove the risk at 3,650 m and you should still take the first day slowly.
You are travelling with young children or older parents
Flight
A 21-hour train with shared berths is hard on small children and on guests who need room to move; the flight arrives before fatigue and altitude both set in.
How altitude actually plays out
Lhasa's airport sits at about 3,570 m (11,700 ft), and the city itself at 3,650 m. Arrive by air and you step straight into thin air; arrive by train and you have climbed gradually from Xining, crossing the Tanggula Pass at 5,072 m on the way.
Whichever route you take, the first day in Lhasa should be slow: no stairs, no rushing, plenty of water, and an early night. Three nights at that height before going higher, to Namtso or Shigatse, is the pattern most travellers find works.
The permit, and why it decides the route
Foreign travellers cannot enter Tibet on their own. The Tibet Travel Permit must be arranged through a licensed agency as part of an organised tour, with a guide, and you need the permit in hand before you can board the flight or the train to Lhasa.
That means there is no fully independent version of this trip, however you travel. A UK passport is visa-free for China for up to 30 days between 17 February and 31 December 2026, but the Tibetan permit is a separate requirement on top of entry, and applies by train and by air alike.
What the train shows you
The Qinghai–Tibet railway is an engineering achievement as much as a way to travel. It runs at over 4,000 m for much of its length, past the salt flats of Qinghai, the Kunlun mountains and the grasslands where yaks and Tibetan antelope graze, before crossing the Tanggula Pass.
Oxygen is supplied to every carriage, and the berths come as hard sleeper, soft sleeper or a seat. For travellers who enjoy slow journeys and want to watch the plateau rise, the train is the more memorable of the two — if you have the day to give it.