Earlier this month, I got the chance to rattle along the "roof of the world" on part of the newly-constructed Qinghai-Tibet railway.

The train's trial run, ahead of first passenger service set to begin July 1, rolled along a 1,100-kilometre-long new line on the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau, linking Nanshankou Station in Golmud, the second largest city in Northwest China's Qinghai Province to Lhasa, capital of the Tibet Autonomous Region.

Oxygen enriched

Because of the thinness of the air en route, each carriage has an oxygen-generating cabinet. The oxygen is fed into two systems. One is like air conditioning, ventilating each cabin. The other is an "emergency oxygen supply" system, with each passenger having access to a special socket, whether near the windows, under the seat or at the side.

Perhaps even more comforting was that I heard there would be at least one doctor travelling on each train when the regular service starts.

Broader inside

As I wandered through the train, I found the train rather different from others in China.

The carriages themselves seem more spacious than those in other Chinese trains, and for good reason: made by a Sino-Canadian joint venture, Bombardier Sifang Power Transportation Ltd (BSP), each carriage offers 98 hard seats, compared with 108 in a standard hard-seat carriage.

Signs and high-tech screens display weather and altitude information as well as the names of upcoming stations in Tibetan, Chinese and English.

All the sliding doors were decorated with traditional Tibetan designs.

And passenger comfort was the focus of the train's designers. The conductor, whose surname was Zhang, told me: "The soft seats are exactly the same as those on a plane, easy to adjust to avoid sore backs and necks. The windows are larger, and the glass is treated to screen out ultraviolet rays."

The soft sleepers feature various gadgets including a VCD player, a TV and an attendant call system.

Passengers can also recharge their mobile phones or laptops using available power sockets.

For the environmentally conscious, the train has vacuum toilets and sewage collection tanks and solid waste compressors. There is also bathroom for the disabled.

Destination: Lhasa

Our train howled out of a tunnel only tens of meters from a grand bridge, hurled itself onto it and blew its whistle, trumpeting its arrival at the terminal, safe and sound.

The next day, I took a look at Lhasa Railway Station. Sitting near the southern bank of the Lhasa River, it is almost within walking distance of the famous Potala Palace.

The two-storey structure is a traditional Tibetan building. It is painted red, yellow and white or constructed with materials that are naturally so coloured.

"The use of coloured cement is one of three things that make this station special," said Zhang Qiang, a worker with the China Railway Construction Engineering Group, which built the station.

"Our wood beams in the main waiting hall are also reinforced with steel, and the VIP waiting rooms use gold leaf on the ceilings. This is rare among railway stations in China."

For passengers, the end of the train ride will be just the beginning of a trek to a mysterious land.

GIANT leaps

Although it is really hard to get a train ticket to travel on the world's highest rail line in the upcoming month, it is not entirely impossible.

The Municipal Government of Lhasa promises train tickets for participants in the first walking tour in the region surrounding Namtso Lake in Dangxiong County, from August 5 to 11. The event, organized by the local government, and China Volkssport Association (CVA), will be the first of its kind held in Lhasa, aimed to promote a safe, sustainable, fashionable travel style on the altiplano.

As the first member of Internationaler Volkssportverband (IVV) in China, CVA is dedicated to working out proper walking routes and letting people walk for health. Over the years, they have organized walking tours along the Great Wall, the Silk Road and the origin of the Yellow River.

Those interested in the tour may check out its English website (http://www.chinawalking.net.cn/english/index1.htm) or call 8489-6319. The cost for the 8-day event is 2,530 yuan (US$312.50) excluding transportation fee from and to Lhasa.

TRAVEL Q&A

What documents should I hold for travelling in Tibet?
There are two documents required for foreign tourists who want to travel in Tibet a Chinese Visa, and the Alien's Travel Permit issued by the Tibet Tourism Bureau.
How do I get the permit?

1) Your local travel agent can be your representative to apply for the permit. But do contact them in advance and give them enough time for the paperwork. The Tibet permit can be issued two weeks prior to your entry into Tibet.

2) You can get it from a local office of the Tibet Tourism Bureau. To apply for the permit, you should provide copies of your visa, passport and Foreign Residence Permit (if any) by fax or email. Contact Tibet Autonomous Region Tourism Bureau, Beijing Office (149 Gulou Xidajie, 6410-5822), Shanghai office (021-3313-0524), Chengdu office (028 -333-988), Hong Kong and Nepal (00977-0111-9787).

Is independent travel allowed in Tibet?

Not yet. You must be part of an organized tour group.

Can I fly direct to Lhasa without the permit?

No, the Tibet permit must be obtained beforehand

Train or air?

Beijing-Lhasa: Train vs plane (one-way only) Ticket price

Train: 389 yuan (US$48.60) for a hard seat, 813 yuan (US$101.62) for a hard sleeper, or 1,262 yuan (US$157.80) for a soft sleeper.

Air: Around 2,500 yuan (US$312.50)

Duration

Train: 48 hours

Air: 9 to 10 hours

Scenery along the way

Train: Qinghai Lake, Kunlun Mountain, the origin of Yangtze River, Qiangtang Grassland and Tibetan antelopes.

Air: Blue sky and clouds, clouds, clouds, clouds!

Travelling comfort

Train: The train will stop at nine stations along the way from Golmud, a large city in Qinghai Province, to Lhasa, which allows tourists to stretch their legs and take photos.

Air: Lucky if you can find the seat area spacious enough to relax your legs.

Ticket availability

Train: Although theoretically one can get tickets for trains 10 days before each scheduled train, the possibility of getting your hands on the most sought after train ticket from regular channels in July is almost none. It is said that all the tickets for July have been booked out by official organs and travel agencies.

Air: Available by reservation in advance.

China Daily