Lhasa, as the capital city of Tibet, is also the transportation hub in Tibet. AlthoughTibet is becoming more and more accessible, Lhasa is still the main entry and exit point on this high land. Sometimes, Lhasa is the only choice for outside visitors. The transportation system in the city has been updated as the development ofLhasa. It consists of air, railway and highway networks. In recent years, especially after the construction of Qinghai-Tibet Railway, Lhasa is much closer with other parts of Chin as well as the other regions in the world.
Getting to Lhasa by Air
Gonggar Airport is situated in Gonggar County in Shannan, about 100 kilometers south of Lhasa. At an attitude of 3,600 meters, it is one of the highest airports in the world. Lhasa Gonggar Airport was opened in 1965, which is the first airport in Tibet region; what’s more, it is also the one that has the most flights in Tibet. Currently, the airport has flights to Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, Diqing, Chongqing, Guangzhou, Kunming, Chengdu, Lanzhou, Xian, Xining, Chamdo and Katmandu. Generally speaking, there are over 40 flights every week in Gonggar Airport.
Getting to Lhasa by Train
Lhasa Railway Station is located on Liuwu Village, Duilong Deqing County. It is at an altitude of 3,641 kilometers and also the largest station on the Qinghai-Tibet Line. Opened in July 1st, 2007, Lhasa Railway Station is an important hub connecting Lhasa with the rest part of China. There are 7 waiting halls as well as 10 lines including 8 passenger lines and 2 freight lines. You can travel to Lhasa by train from the following cities which operate daily trains to Lhasa: Beijing, Guangzou, Chengdu, Xian, Lanzhou, Xining and Golmud.
Getting around Lhasa by City Bus
As a city on the highland, the roads and streets in Lhasa are narrower than the cities on the plain area, thus the public transit system in this city is not so developed. There are only a few lines and the time interval is half an hour. Besides, there are private buses or jeeps on the streets which are the major transport form here.
Getting around Lhasa by Taxi
Lhasa is not a large city; however the city has 1,500 taxis. The starting fare is 10 yuan for 5 kilometers and then 2 yuan per kilometer. Usually, the starting fare would be enough if you just travel within Lhasa City. As to the famous temples, like Drepung Temple, the driver may charge you about 20 yuan. Visitors are highly suggested to negotiate with the driver about the fare in advance.