Read the previous post here:
- Overland Trip From China to Nepal (Chengdu-Tibet-Kathmandu)
- Chengdu-Tibet-Nepal: Budgeting Recap, Documents, Tips & Trick
- Things To Do While on Transit - Chengdu, China
The Serene Ambience While Reading a Book
Along The 36 Hours Train Ride
The Ticket
Transit at Xining Railway Station (To change to special train which can
operate on high altitude along Qinghai Tibet Plateu)
Along The Ride, Fruits and Food (Non Halal) are Available on The Train
There are Bedding on One Side and Window Coach on The Other Side
How Locals Spend Their Time: Reading, Watching Drama, and Enjoy Hot Drinks and Eat!
The Dramatic View Along The Journey
Coffee Given to Me by Neighbor
My Neighbor (Locals Traveling From Chengdu to Lhasa)
One of My Open Trip Member Have to Use Nasal Cannula to Heal
The Symptom of Altitude Mountain Sickness (AMS)
Lhasa Train Station
When I was reading about Lhasa, there I stumble upon the so called highest railway in the world. The train on this journey will travel from Xining, China to Tibet, China through Qinghai Tibet Plateu, reaching the highest altititude when passing Tanggula Pass on 5200 meters above sea level. There are another high railway in the world, some of them are journey from Lima to Huancayo and from Cuzco to Lake Titicaca but this route from Xining to Lhasa is on the top of the list. So, who wouldn't want to put this journey on their bucket list?
So, purposely, I chose an open trip which taking train instead of plane to reach Lhasa. And turns out it really was once in a lifetime experience. The journey was taking 36+ hours train ride. Departing at 21:37 p.m from Chengdu, I take the hard sleeper train to Xining (2283 meters above sea level). The seat available are couch, hard sleeper, and soft sleeper.
The couch is clearly not recommended for this two nights journey, the soft sleeper is the most comfortable one because it only consists of 4 beds in one private room, whilst the hard sleeper gives the most local experience; consist of 6 beds in a compartment without door, so clearly it will be a little bit noisy but this is how we can have interaction with locals who take the train, experience the way they enjoy the journey, mostly by watching movie, reading, playing cards, eating and eating!
One night was spent in a usual sleeper train from Lhasa to Xining. At the next day at around 10 a.m. we change train in Xining Railway Station to a special train suitable for high altitude, a completely sealed train with oxygen system which deliver oxygen to each of the carriage, nasal cannula is also available for those who feel AMS sympotms such as headache, nausea, and heavy vomitting. This train has the same seating and bedding configuration with the first train and we also got the same seat number.
In the second night, at about 10 p.m., we started to ascend to a higher altitude. I chose to sleep early because I am afraid that I might get AMS for I have never traveled to altitude higher than 2500 meters above sea level before. And a little tips, it's been a common knowledge around mountain climbers that Acetazolamide (Usually known by its brand: Diamox) could help with AMS symptopms. And after did a consultation with my doctor, she said that it might help with AMS symptomps, looking from its drug's mechanism of action. It is okay to consume this drug as long as we have no contraindication condition to this drug (such as hypersensitivity to Acetazolamide) and as long as it is not consumed in a long time (more than 7-10 days). So, I take Acetazolamide 125 mg, 2 times per day before ascending and take 250 mg, 2 times per day when I am in 4000+ altitude. And I have no AMS at all :)
Some of my group tour members get AMS symptomps such as vomiting and nausea when we are passing the Tanggula Pass on the train, therefore they have to use nasal cannula to get more oxygen. And this also happen with a lot of locals. So, AMS is real issue when traveling to high altitude guys! Make sure to consult with your doctor about the best way to prevent it, including taking Acetazolamide in the right dose.
And finally at the second day, around 10 a.m. we arrived at Lhasa Station. It was really a once in a lifetime experience. Sleeping in a hard sleeper train for two days, passing the most dramatic landscape, from cities, to desert, until the snow capped mountain along the highest railway in the world, while seeing what locals do, talking with them, sipping hot coffee once or twice, reading my favorite book, until enjoying fresh fruit from the cart is really an unforgettable memories. I would not choose to take plane to reach Lhasa, for this experience is worth to be ticked from my bucket list, and from your bucket list too for sure, no?
