Travel from Netherlands to Tibet

Traveling to Tibet from the Netherlands, Dutch tourists first need to fly to Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, or Chengdu with your own passport and a Chinese visa (preferably a tourist visa, "L" Visa) and then fly or take a train to Lhasa with your Tibet Travel Permit. Another option for Netherlanders is to fly to Kathmandu first and then enter Tibet from Nepal. In this case, you will need to apply for a China Group Visa at the Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu, Nepal, as well as a Tibet travel permit from your Tibet travel agency. You can choose to travel to Tibet from Kathmandu by land via Gyirong Port or by flight. As an experienced Tibet travel agency, we are happy to provide Dutch citizens with various Tibet tours. How do you get to Tibet from Holland? Check feasible ways below.

Netherlands - China - Tibet

To get from the Netherlands to China, you will first need to apply for a China Visa then fly to Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, or Chengdu, and go to Lhasa by flight or by train. Before flying to Lhasa, foreign tourists can visit various attractions in these cities. Our travel agency can also help you arrange China and Tibet tours in these cities as well as Tibet, providing a one-stop service. Flight prices provided below are for reference only and may vary greatly depending on the season and different airlines.

Amsterdam -Beijing - Lhasa

There are direct flights from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) to Beijing Daxing International Airport (PKX), reaching up to 10 hours and 45 minutes, with fares of about € 982. Arriving in Beijing, the capital of China, you can learn about Chinese history by visiting the stunning Forbidden City, and the majestic Great Wall. After the tour, you can then travel from Beijing to Lhasa.

You can take a direct flight from Beijing to Lhasa Gonggar Airport(LXA), taking 4 hours and 20 minutes at the soonest, with a fare of about € 467.

Alternatively, you take the train Z21 from Beijing to Lhasa, which takes 40 hours and 34 minutes, at a price of about € 148 for a soft sleeper. It is a long trip, but you can enjoy the wonderful sightseeing along the Qinghai-Tibet Railway; on the other hand, it can help you gradually adapt to the high-altitude environment.

Amsterdam - Shanghai - Lhasa

There are direct flights from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) to Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) in China, arriving in as fast as 11 hours and 55 minutes, with a fare of about € 982. Arriving in Shanghai, you can visit Oriental Pearl TV Tower, Shanghai World Expo, and the Bund. After enjoying the charm of the Chinese metropolis city, you can travel from Shanghai to Lhasa.

You can take connecting flights from Shanghai to Lhasa, with a layover in Xi'an, reaching up to 7 hours and 40 minutes and at a fare of about € 545.

Alternatively, you can take a train from Shanghai to Lhasa, Z164 departs daily at Shanghai Railway Station and takes 46 hours and 44 minutes, at a price of about € 164 for a soft sleeper. On the train, you can enjoy the stunning views of the Tibetan plateau, especially the section from Hol Xih to Nagqu, only on this Shanghai to Lhasa train, you can see this most brilliant part of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway.

Amsterdam - Chengdu - Lhasa

From Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) to Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport (CTU), with a stopover in Beijing, it takes 15 hours and 20 minutes to arrive, with a flight fare of about € 1350. After arriving in Chengdu, the land of abundance, you can visit scenic spots and historical sites such as Qingcheng Mountain and Dujiangyan, Panda Breeding Center, as well as taste delicious Sichuan cuisine and experience hot pots. Chengdu is also the nearest gateway city to Lhasa, so many tourists choose Chengdu as a transit point to travel to Lhasa.

You can take direct flights from Chengdu to Lhasa, taking about 2 hours and 15 minutes, at a flight fare of about € 380.

Alternatively, you can take a train from Chengdu to Lhasa. Z322 is the only train from Chengdu to Lhasa but it only runs every other day. It costs about € 130 for a soft sleeper and takes about 37 hours and 16 minutes. From Chengdu West Station, the train passes through Shaanxi, Gansu, and Qinghai, with breathtaking scenery along the way and enjoys an incomparable Qinghai-Tibet Railway journey.

Amsterdam - Guangzhou - Lhasa

From Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) to Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport (CAN) with a stopover in Hong Kong, the fastest arrival time is 14 hours and 40 minutes, at a flight fare of about € 840. Once you arrive in Guangzhou, you can mount the Guangzhou Tower for a panoramic view of the city. You can learn about traditional Chinese culture at Chen Family Temple and learn about China's modern history at Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall. A circus show will delight your eyes and the night market will satisfy your appetite with its delicious snacks. After a fantastic exploration in Guangzhou, you can travel to Lhasa.

You can take a flight from Guangzhou to Lhasa, with a stopover in Shangrila, taking about 5 hours and 35 minutes, at a flight fare of about € 390.

Alternatively, you can take a train from Guangzhou to Lhasa, which is known as the most beautiful train travel route. Train Z265 departs at Guangzhou Railway Station every day. It costs about E € 190 for a soft sleeper and takes 54 hours and 24 minutes, about two days to experience the "leisure life" of traveling across half of China, all the way from south to north, from east to west, seeing the scenery change from the beautiful coastal Pearl River Delta into the bleak inland Tibetan Plateau.

Netherlands- Nepal- Tibet

If Nederlanders choose to start your trip this way, you should arrive at the Chinese Embassy in Kathmandu 3 working days in advance to apply for a China Group Visa. Currently, it requires a group of at least 4 applications to apply for a group visa and the group members must present and have their fingerprints collected. Otherwise, the group visa application will be declined. Therefore, going to Tibet from Nepal is only suitable for groups of 4 participants or more.

Amsterdam - Kathmandu - Lhasa

From Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) to Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM), there's no direct flight but you can choose a connecting flight with a stopover at Hamad International Airport (DOH), about 12 hours, at a flight fare between €510 and €768.

Before the Coronavirus pandemic, there were direct daily flights from Kathmandu Tribhuvan International Airport(KTM) to Lhasa Gonggar International Airport(LXA), and now the direct flights are resuming(three flights on Mon/Wed/Fri). If you are flying from Kathmandu to Lhasa on other days, you will need to fly to Chengdu first and then to Lhasa. Therefore, you will need to apply for a Chinese visa instead of a Chinese group visa.

Nowadays, going from Kathmandu to Lhasa via Gyirong Port is also a good option, if you have more than 4 participants. Along the way, you will pass through the sino-Nepal Highway with magnificent Himalayan and plateau scenery, and visit major attractions along the way to Lhasa, which is an epic trip.