What is the best way to get to Tibet from Beijing? Air or Train? Easiest way to get a permit to Tibet?

First of all, you will NEVER find a clear answer on the permit question because there are too many ways to travel with and without this permit into and inside Tibet!!! Find similar questions to the permit question on Travel Forum: http://community.travelchinaguide.com/d_forum.asp?d=104 (this forum is mostly visited by people living in China) Most of the backpackers are going through first Chengdu, Goldmud, Kunming, Nepal, some even from West Tibet. Mostly be plane, a few by local buses or bicycle or hitchhiking In your case, never ask at your ambassy, they are not able to help you. Beijing plane: It´s just a question of time to find an agency in Beijing, which will help you to put you on a group list without paying a tour. train: It´s very hard to get train tickets even if you go through a travel agency. Chengdu Backpacker Guesthouses are specialist in buying flight tickets for foreigners (ex. famous Traffic Hotel). Most of the people fly in from Chengdu. In general: Flight tickets are expensive but probably the best way for you, it depends how adventurous you like it. No permit is requested for the main routes and locations like Lhasa, Shigatse, route to Nepal. Once you are in Tibet, the travel permit for visiting diff. locations can be bought at the Shigatse (if it is still possible!?!) Again, check the forum web site given to you above and look up the answers of Rita. Don't worry about the permit and take more care about the dogs and the high altitude illness. Me as well I like to go again to Tibet next year, but I will not plan it from abroad. Good luck with your investigations

The catch 22 is that you need a permit to buy an airline ticket to Lhasa, but can't get a permit without an airline ticket. My experience may be a bit out of date (I traveled to Tibet about 8 years ago), but certain things, especially the ones regarding to burocracy change very slow. Given the internal situation in China, it is extremely unlikely that the permit requirement was dropped. Streamlining burocracy is not chinese cup of tea either. There was no railway to Tibet then of course, and we had to fly to Chengdu first. There, my wife (she was a Beijing lady, fluent in Mandarin and familiar with the local red tape etiquette) found out about the solution to the idiotic practice. The travel agent "persuades" the lady from the permit office to accompany her to the airline office, and there, the permit and ticket are written simmultaneously! In return for the favor, we had to book hotel arrangement, car, and a guide with the agent. Fortunately, the payment was due in Tibet. "Fortunately", because it turned out that the over-priced car was only required for transport from and to the airport, and not required at all in Lhasa, the over-priced hotel was mediocre, and the guide was less than incompetent. We fired them all, paid for what was used, and made own arrangements according to the (very reliable) information in the "lonely planet" guide. Plan for 3 days in Chengdu, and please take the advice about minimum of three days of acclimatizing to the extreme elevation seriously. Go to the Potala palace on a prayer day, otherwise you will miss a very impressive athmosphere. Tibet is a great place to visit, wonderful experience and worth all the trouble. Have a good trip.

The flight price is too high. I suggest flying to Chengdu then on to Lhasa. You can check the prices at www.ctrip.com. The offer English service and deliver the tickets to your hotel room. If you go with a tour, they will take care of the "permit" - you never actually see the "permit" however...

by train is more interesting. but a little bit long - around 40 hours. but is it really good and cheap - much cheaper than air. another way, you can book your air-ticket in Beijing, i mean take the Chinese airline. it is cheap most of the time. between RMB1000-2000. have a nice trip in Tibet. It is really worth going.

Didn't the Chinese government recently build a huge and expensive railway to Tibet? I suppose you can get train tickets via that route.