Tibet is changing rapidly, so you should research the most current options before making any travel plans.
You will most likely fly to a neighboring gateway city such as Kathmandu, Chengdu, Zhongdian, Xining, Kunming, Lanzhou, Kashgar, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chongqing, or Xi'an. If you are interested in one of these flights, you should should go online to find price and scheduling information.
Chengdu is by far the most popular gateway city due to the regular flights to Tibet, especially for individual travelers. Chengdu also has the best connections for traveling in or out of China, and flights frequently connect to Beijing, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, and Hong Kong. Chengdu is home to multiple carriers and flights go in and out of China daily.
Kathmandu is the only city that offers an international flight directly to Lhasa. While in Kathmandu, you may be offered a tour to Tibet but you should be very skeptical and demand all the details before agreeing. Some tour operators may cancel at the last minute or may not be forthcoming in the exact information. You should be especially wary of any tour with a group visa because it means you will be forced to stay with the group at all times since you don't have any other documentation. However, you should not be discouraged because there are many legitimate tour agents who can set you up with a good group.
Once you have arrived in a gateway city, if you still wish to fly into Tibet, the only civilian airports are in Gongkar (near Lhasa), Pomda (near Chamdo), Gyeltang (near Dechen), Dzitsa Degu National Park, Ziling, or Kermo (in Amdo). As expected, prices and schedules are subject to change. After touching down, taxis and/or buses can take you to your final destination.
You should keep in mind that 20 kg is the weight limit for baggage, and you may be subject to fees for extra weight. All necessities and valuables should be in your carry on bag.
Traveling by bus is most economical, but roads are often rough and in poor condition. Overland roads leading to Tibet are frequently over 2,000 km and through rough terrain, so be sure you will be comfortable being in the bus or vehicle for such a long time. The main roads start in Kalpa, India; Kathmandu, Nepal; Gangtok, India; Kyirong, Nepal; Chengdu, China; Golmud, China; and Dali, China, as well as smaller cities in Sichuan.
The Kathmandu to Lhasa trip usually takes at least three days, and you are technically not allowed to enter Tibet as an individual, so there may be problems. The other option is the trip from Golmud, China, which usually takes takes two days or longer as well. You should note that the Golmud to Lhasa journey is said to be incredibly boring.
Long overland trips are available as well. A bus trip from Chengdu to Lhasa takes ten to fifteen days without stops. Another possibility is the trip from Kashgar, Xinjiang to Lhasa, but without a travel permit, this route is officially off limits. However, some travelers have been able to enter. This highway is the highest road in the world and is closed from December to February due to winter weather. The entire trip takes 4 days and you should bring food, a sleeping bag and a tent in case of an emergency. A new land route is from Chengdu to Zhongdian, but this journey can take up to two weeks. You may want to consider the Yunnan-Tibet highway, but this route is limited strictly to tour groups. However, individuals have managed to get through. Indian pilgrims who are on a quota system may enter from the Lipu Lekh pass into Purang.
If you take the Friendship Highway from Nepal to Tibet, you should be wary of the rapid increase in altitude that may cause altitude sickness. This road is well toured, however Chinese authorities prohibit individuals visitors from entering Tibet from Nepal without an official permit or tour group. Consequently, many Kathmandu travel agencies offer "budget" tours so you can enter Tibet as part of an official group, but you should note that there may be many discrepancies between what the tour agents promise and what actually transpires.
Trains are significantly more expensive than buses, but given the amenities such as full bathrooms, televisions, gourmet meals, and butler service, it's up to you to decide if its worth the cost. Of course, trains will get you to your destination much quicker and are more comfortable. The 4000 km Beijing to Lhasa express train is much faster than than the older Lhasa to Golmud line, but both are appropriate for travelers. A train ride provides you an excellent opportunity to enjoy the landscape and wildlife of Tibet. Trains are frequently equipped with power sockets, but laptops and MP3 players may stop functioning due to the high altitude.
To travel from Gangtok to Kathmandu, all you have to do is drive down to the Nepali border which is about half an hour drive beyond the airport of Bagdogra, so a total of 4 hours or so from Gangtok. The border is called Kakarbitta. There, you cross on foot and go to the immigration office to get your Nepali visa. Then you take a taxi to Bhadrapur airport (half an hour) from where you catch your flight to Kathmandu. A number of airlines are servicing Bhadrapur: Buddha Air and Cosmic Air but there may be others. You can buy your Buddha air ticket in Gangtok, in Kakarbitta, or at the airport. Can't remember the price but it's probably around 150$ one way.
To travel from Gangtok to Thimpu, the obvious way is overland. It takes about 5 hours to drive from Gangtok to the border at Phuntsoling. The delay here is that you have to go through Indian immigration at Jaigon, and then again Bhutanese immigration in P'ling. The big delay can be on the Bhutanese side as it all depends on opening hours. So if you don't clear immigration the day you arrive from Gangtok, you won't be able to leave for Thimpu early morning the next day and will have to waite for the govt offfice to open. Then, there are problems with the roard to Thimpu. It takes about 7 hours I think to reach Paro or Thimpu but the road is being widened and is even closed on Mondays and Tuesday at the moment (according to Francoise) but it might be different by October. If it's still the case, it will be opened on the 8th and a number of Bhutanese conference participants will be going back at that time, leaving Gangtok on the 7th. If this closure is cancelled by then, they will all leave on the 6th.
The other expensive option is to fly from Bagdogra to Kolkata and then take Druk Air Kolkata-Paro. The cheap airlines Bagdogra-Kolkatta are SpiceJet and Kingfisher, you can book on line.
Elizabeth Tseng