日本去西藏

How to Get to Tibet from Japan? Multiple ways to travel from Tokyo to Tibet.

Getting to Tibet from Japan means a flight from Tokyo’s Narita Airport to either China or Nepal. Once in China, you can choose to fly to Lhasa from Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, etc., or take one of the trains that leave from the seven gateway cities across the country, which take from 22 to 53 hours to get to Tibet. From Kathmandu, you have the options of a low-level flight across the Himalayas to get to Lhasa, or you can start your tour at the Sino-Tibet Border, and travel overland to the Tibetan capital.

By Flight to China

Flights to China from Japan are frequent, and can be found for a relatively good price using the many comparison websites available to get the best deal. There are flights from Narita International Airport and Haneda International Airport in Tokyo, as well as Osaka International Airport, Central Japan International Airport in Nagoya, and Fukuoka International Airport. Flights to China are direct from Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka. The average flight times are:

a. Tokyo to Beijing: non-stop - 3 hours 45 minutes, one-stop – up to 22 hours 45 minutes (MNL, ICN, GMP)
b. Tokyo to Shanghai: non-stop - 3 hours 15 minutes, one-stop – up to 14 hours 15 minutes (MNL, ICN, GMP)
c. Tokyo to Guangzhou: non-stop - 4 hours 45 minutes, one-stop – up to 24 hours 25 minutes (HKG, MNL, DMK)
d. Tokyo to Chengdu: non-stop - 4 hours 50 minutes, one-stop – up to 22 hours 15 minutes (DMK, PEK, SHA)
e. Tokyo to Hong Kong: non-stop - 4 hours 35 minutes, one-stop – up to 19 hours 20 minutes (KIX, HIJ, TAE)

After Your Arrival in China

On your arrival in China, your Tibet Travel Permit will be sent to your hotel by express courier, so that you are ready to take your tour to the Roof of the World. In some extreme situations, our staff will deliver the permit it to you in person at the airport or railway. You will need the permit to book and board the trains or flights to Tibet, and it is also required for hotel check-ins and for inspection at the various military and police checkpoints across the region.

From Beijing to Lhasa

By flight
There is currently only one direct flight per day to Lhasa from Beijing, although there are a larger number of indirect flights that stopover in Chengdu en route to Lhasa. The direct flight takes around 5 hours to get to Lhasa Gonggar International Airport, and costs from around US$ 500 for an economy ticket.

By train
The train from Beijing to Lhasa is the Z21, which leaves daily at around 8:00pm. The journey covers 3,757 kilometers across eight provinces in mainland China as well as Tibet, arriving in Lhasa around 40 hours later at 12:10pm on the third day. However, in the summer season, from May to September, it can be hard to get a ticket for the train from Beijing to Lhasa, due to the huge demand. One option to counter this would be to take a flight to Xining, in Qinghai Province, and then get the train from there, as there are more carriages on the Xining train and a better chance of being able to procure a ticket.

From Shanghai to Lhasa

By flight
Flights from Shanghai leave several times a day, although there is currently no direct flight to Lhasa. The flights stop at Xi’an, Chengdu, Chongqing, or Kunming, and take from around 8 hours to as much as 26 hours for the multiple-stop flights. The cheaper flights start from around US$ 455.

By train
The Z164 leaves Shanghai daily at 8:10pm, and takes around 47 hours to reach Lhasa, as distance of around 4,373 kilometers. The train arrives in Lhasa at around 7:15 in the evening of the third day, and the journey is the second longest of all the routes to Lhasa.

From Guangzhou to Lhasa

By flight
Similar to Shanghai, there are no direct flights to Lhasa from Guangzhou, although there are a number of indirect flights, with stopovers in Chongqing and Chengdu. The average flight takes from 5 hours 55 minutes to 10 hours 30 minutes, and costs from around US$ 455.

By train
Departing at 11:45 am daily, the train from Guangzhou takes over 53 hours to get to Tibet, making it the longest of all the train journeys to Lhasa, which might be a challenge for small kids and the elderly. Covering almost 5,000 kilometers, the train arrives in the Tibetan capital at around 5:05 pm on the third day.

From Chengdu to Lhasa

By flight
From Chengdu, there are numerous direct flights to Lhasa, which take around 2 hours 15 minutes on average. With more than 15 flights a day from Chengdu, it is one of the best airports from which to fly to Tibet, and with the short travel time, it is one of the best options for those with time constraints. It is also relatively inexpensive, costing from around US$ 233 for an economy flight.

By train
The trains from Chengdu depart every other day at around 9:37 pm, and arrive in Lhasa on the third day at around 9:55 am. Covering a distance of 3,070 kilometers across mainland China and Tibet, the journey takes a little over 36 hours, and is one of the more popular gateway cities to travel to Tibet from. Scheduled departures from Chengdu are on odd days of the month (1st, 3rd, 5th, etc) in January, April, May, August, November, and December, and even days of the month for the rest of the year.

From HongKong to Lhasa

Without a direct flight to Lhasa, there are several options for connecting you to the Tibetan capital. Flights to Chengdu from Hong Kong and then on to Lhasa are very popular, as is the flight to Xining via Chengdu, and then taking the train to Lhasa. You can also take the train direct from Chengdu, or for the very adventurous, you can get a train direct to Guangzhou from Kowloon Station in Hong Kong, and then get the train from there to Lhasa, a total journey time of around almost 60 hours, that covers nearly 5,000 kilometers.

By Flight to Kathmandu

Flights to Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport in Nepal are not direct, and require at least one stopover from all airports in Japan. The indirect flights to Nepal from Japan range from between 10 hours and 14 hours, with stopovers in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, and Kuala Lumpur, among many others, and for some, there is a change of airport, which increases the flight time greatly. However, these indirect flights are relatively cheap, starting at around US$ 240 for an economy flight.

Kathmandu to Tibet

By Kathmandu to Lhasa flight

There are several daily flights from Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport, provided by Air China, Tibet Airlines, and Sichuan Airlines. The flight normally takes just 90 minutes, and has the added advantage of allowing you a bird’s-eye view of the summit of Mount Everest as the plane flies over the Himalayas. An average economy ticket costs from around US$ 400.

By the Epic Overland Tour from Kathmandu to Lhasa

The most amazing journey in Asia has to be the overland tour from Kathmandu in Nepal to Lhasa in Tibet. The tour route crosses the mighty Himalayas at Gyirong port, the international land border crossing checkpoint between Nepal and China, and is an adventure of epic proportions. Starting with a 7-8 hour bus ride along narrow mountain roads to get to the border, once across you will be met by our guide and driver and transferred to Gyirong Town for your first night.

After that, you will travel across Tibet, from Mount Everest Base Camp in the west of the region to Shigatse, and Lake Yamdrok as you progress east, finally reaching Lhasa for the last few days of your tour. In Lhasa, the capital of the region and the center of Tibetan religion and culture, you will get to experience Tibetan life first hand, at the Jokhang Temple and infamous Barkhor Street, before heading to the airport or railway station for your flight or train onwards.

The trip is there waiting for you to travel! All you need to do is get in touch with us and tell us your requirements, and we will do most of the work for you, including booking your hotels, train tickets, etc., if you require it. All you need to think about then is enjoying your holiday at the Roof of the World.