A Train Journey to Lhasa: Like a Dream
Early last year, I felt this irresistible urge to visit Tibet. It was right during the off-season, so I booked a land tour myself, snagging a pretty good deal. And I was absolutely determined to take the train for the full experience. I asked the tour company to help me book a soft bed ticket, which cost around 5 million – I think that's the standard price.
The train departed from Chengdu on the evening of March 30th. After sleeping one night, I transferred to the Xining-Lhasa line around noon on March 31st. And from that moment on… it was just overwhelming. For the first time in my life, I cried because of the beauty – the vibrant blue lakes, the majestic snow-capped mountains flashing past the window.
The best part was meeting so many other people who were also traveling solo. I'll always remember us all sitting in the dining car chatting away, as the train passed through Golmud, surrounded by endless white snow – peaceful, grand, and breathtakingly beautiful.
If I have the chance, I'll definitely go back. And I've learned a few things:
- Book a lower bunk! The upper bunk is a bit dizzying, and it's harder to enjoy the view.
- Pack light… last time I was gone for almost a month, so I lugged around a 23kg suitcase everywhere.
- If you're traveling the Chengdu-Lhasa route, try to arrange to board the Xining-Lhasa train at night, so you can fully enjoy the snow mountain scenery the next morning.
Here are some photos I took during the train journey. Thank you for reading!
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