[mckpoon]

Originally Posted by Khema

thanks mckpoon,
one more question - how did you buy the traink ticket Guangzhou to Lhasa? at Guangzhou train station? are you Caucasian looking?

i just went to the ticket counter!
i am chinese-canadian, so no to the second question.
i also can't speak mandarin, and can't read chinese, so that'll give you some background.

since you asked that, i'm going to assume you are:
i suggest you prepare the TTB permit, as i have spoken to others and they think i was lucky that i got away with so much. but that's what i think.

the lhasa train departs from the guangzhou station, NOT guangzhou dong (from HK). a train leaves everyday at about noonish, and is about 880RMB for a hard sleeper (6 to a cabin, no doors) and 2400RMB for a soft sleeper (4 to a cabin, with doors). it supposedly takes 56hrs, but we arrived early (!!!?!).

i went hard, because i am poor and unconcerned. i felt that it was relatively safe, clean and efficient, relative to how Chinese trains *can* be.

if i spoke *no* chinese, i would get someone to write down "1 ticket to lhasa on a soft/hard sleeper on the top/middle/bottom bunk." and then hope for the best.


tip:
the top bunk (hard sleeper) feels safest, but the head room is very limiting.
the bottom bunk (hard sleeper) is most convenient, but other people WILL sit on your seat during waking hours.
they spell lhasa "lasa". don't be scared.


feel free to ask if you need to know anything more!
=]

good luck!