How to Travel to Tibet from Germany?

The number of German travelers visiting Tibet annually is continuously increasing. The reason for this is that a lot of Deutschland tourists are discovering the unique beauty of Tibet. Upon entering Tibet, tourists would readily feel that they are entering a different world—a world that showcases a tradition and culture that is straightforwardly different from what they commonly experience.

Of course, the journey from Germany to Tibet is an 11,000-km long journey. Yet, you don't have to worry about this long journey because there are direct flights from the major cities of Germany like Frankfurt and Munich to five specific international airports in China. From these five cities(Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Guangzhou and Hong Kong), you can take a direct or connecting flight to Lhasa, Tibet. Moreover, from Munich and Frankfurt, there are also direct flights to Kathmandu, Nepal from where you can either travel overland or by plane to Lhasa, Tibet.

From Germany to Tibet: Your Two Options

So basically, you have two options if you are traveling from Deutschland to Tibet. On the one hand, you can take a flight to mainland China and from there board a flight or train to Lhasa, Tibet. On the other hand, you can board a flight to Kathmandu, Nepal, and from there, you can either travel by land to Tibet or by plane over the Himalayas to Lhasa.

As mentioned above, there are direct flights from the busiest airports in Germany to five major cities of mainland China. These five cities include Chengdu, Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Guangzhou. From these cities, you can either board a flight to Lhasa, Tibet or travel by land via train.

From Munich or Frankfurt to Beijing

From Munich or Frankfurt, you can board a flight to Beijing at a cost of 820 EUR / 685 EUR. Upon arrival in Beijing, you can take a flight to Lhasa. This flight usually costs around 445 EUR. You can also opt for train travel. The cost of the Beijing to Lhasa train is around 183 EUR.

From Frankfurt to Chengdu

From Frankfurt, you can board a direct plane going to Chengdu at a cost of 595 EUR. From Chengdu, you can either board a plane or train to Lhasa, Tibet. The Chengdu to Lhasa flight usually costs around 226 EUR. On the other hand, a Chengdu to Lhasa train ticket usually costs around 183 EUR. 

From Frankfurt or Munich to Shanghai

From Frankfurt or Munich, you can board a plane to Shanghai at a cost of 635 EUR / 715 EUR. In Shanghai, you can board a plane to Lhasa. This Shanghai to Lhasa flight costs you around 455 EUR. Via the Shanghai to Lhasa train, you will have to shell out around 183 EUR.

From the major airports of Germany like Frankfurt and Munich, you can travel by plane to Kathmandu, Nepal at a cost of 780 EUR / 915 EUR. Upon arriving in Kathmandu, Nepal, you can make overland travel to Tibet by bus or car. You can also board a plane at Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) to Lhasa Gonggar Airport or go overland along the Friendship Highway.

Necessary Travel Permits and Documents

There are certain travel permits and documents that you should secure prior to traveling from Germany to Tibet. One such permit is the Tibet Travel Permit. Other necessary permits include China Visa or a China group visa. To secure these permits, you need to contact a travel agency in Tibet to pre-arrange your itinerary. Moreover, you can’t travel alone to Tibet. You need to be in a travel group.

Necessary Permits if You Travel via Mainland China

Upon arriving in China, you would need to have your Tibet Travel Permit before you can board a plane or a train to Tibet. Your travel agency will express this document to you at your booked hotel in mainland China.

You need to present this travel permit before you board your flight to Tibet. If you are going to travel by train, however, you can present scanned printed copies of this permit before boarding a train to Tibet.

You also need to secure a Chinese Visa aside from having the Tibet Travel Permit and your passport.

Necessary Permits If You Travel via Kathmandu, Nepal

If you choose to travel to Tibet via Kathmandu, Nepal, there are two necessary documents that you need to secure before you can move overland to Tibet from Nepal. Upon arriving in Kathmandu, you need to secure your China Group Visa ASAP.

You can obtain this visa via the joint effort of your travel agency in Lhasa and Kathmandu. The visa fee for German citizens is around 109 EUR. You need to present your China Group Visa before you board your flight to Lhasa, Tibet. After your arrival in Lhasa, your tour guide will show your Tibet travel permit to the customers therefore you can enter Tibet. If you go the land route, your guide will also wait for you at the border to present your Tibet permit and let you get through successfully.

Nota Bene:

The processing of the Tibet Travel Permit usually takes around 10 to 30 days. Hence, you should ensure that you contact your travel agency several weeks prior to your appointed dates of travel. The Tibet Travel Permit, as mentioned above, is usually forwarded to you at your hotel when you arrive in China or hand it to you at customs. Thus, it's better to choose a legitimate travel agency in Tibet.