Need to Know
For more information, see Survival Guide
Currency
Language
Visas
Money
Mobile Phones
Time
When to Go
High Season (May–mid-Oct)
AThe warmest weather makes travel, trekking and transport easiest.
APrices are at their highest, peaking in July and August.
ABook ahead during the 1 May and 1 October national holidays.
Shoulder (Apr & mid-Oct–Nov)
AThe slightly colder weather means fewer travellers and a better range of vehicles.
APrices are 20% cheaper than during high season.
Low Season (Dec–Feb)
AVery few people visit Tibet in winter, so you’ll have key attractions largely to yourself.
AHotel prices and many entry tickets are discounted by up to 50%, but some restaurants close.
ATibet is closed to foreign tourists in March.
Useful Websites
Land of Snows (www.thelandofsnows.com) Inspirational and practical travel advice, including on Tibetan areas outside the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR).
Phayul (www.phayul.com) Good for Tibet-related news.
Central Tibetan Administration (www.tibet.net) The view from Dharamsala.
China Tibet Information Center (http://eng.tibet.cn) News from the Chinese perspective.
Tibetpedia (www.tibetpedia.com) Travel inspiration on Tibet inside and outside the TAR.
Lonely Planet (www.lonelyplanet.com/tibet) Destination information, hotel bookings, traveller forum and more.
Important Numbers
| China’s country code |  %86 |
| International access code | %00 |
| Ambulance | %120 |
| Fire | %119 |
| Police | %110 |
Exchange Rates
| Australia | A$1 | ¥5 |
| Canada | C$1 | ¥4.90 |
| Eurozone | €1 | ¥7.80 |
| Japan | ¥100 | ¥5.90 |
| Nepal | Rs100 | ¥6 |
| New Zealand | NZ$1 | ¥4.60 |
| UK | UK£1 | ¥8.80 |
| US | US$1 | ¥6.30 |
For current exchange rates, see www.xe.com.
Daily Costs
Budget: Less than US$75
AOne-way hard sleeper Xīníng–Lhasa train: US$75
ARoom without bathroom: US$8–12
AMeal in local restaurant: US$5
Midrange: US$75–150
AOne-way flight to Lhasa from Kathmandu: US$280–400
AOne-way flight to Lhasa from Chéngdū: US$180–260
ADaily shared vehicle rental per person: US$50–60
ADouble room with bathroom: US$30–60
APotala Palace entry ticket: US$30
Top End: More than US$150
ABoutique or four-star hotel in Lhasa: US$90–150
AMain course in a top restaurant in Lhasa: US$8–10
Opening Hours
Opening hours listed are for summer; winter hours generally start half an hour later and finish half an hour earlier.
Government Offices & PSB 9.30am to 1pm and 3pm to 6.30pm Monday to Friday, sometimes 10am to 1pm Saturday
Banks 9.30am to 5.30pm Monday to Friday, 10.30am to 4pm Saturday and Sunday
Restaurants 10am to 10pm
Shops 10am to 9pm
Bars May close at 8pm or 2am, depending on their location and clientele
Arriving in Tibet
Gongkar Airport Your tour guide will meet you in your rented vehicle. Taxis are ¥300 to Lhasa.
Lhasa Train Station Your tour guide will pick you up in your rented vehicle. Taxis cost around ¥30 to Lhasa’s old town.
China-Nepal Border Kyirong/Rasuwagadhi Your tour guide and driver will meet you at the China customs post just across the border bridge.
Getting Around
Tibet’s transport infrastructure has developed rapidly in recent years. Most of the main highways are now paved. Airports are springing up across the plateau and the railway line is slowly extending beyond Lhasa. In 2011 Tibet’s Metok county was the very last of China’s 2100 counties to be connected by road.
Car The only way to travel around Tibet at the moment, since foreign travellers have to hire private transport as part of their obligatory tour.
Train Great for getting to and from Tibet but of limited use inside Tibet, unless you are just taking a short trip from Lhasa to Shigatse and back.
Bus Lots of services, but foreigners are currently not allowed to take buses or shared taxis in Tibet.
For much more, see Getting Around