| The Siberian Express across Russia to Moscow has | | | | kilometers of track have been laid at over 4,000 |
| been described as the best train ride in the world. | | | | meters (12,000 feet) above sea level, and Tanggula |
| Maybe not anymore. The Tibetan Railway from | | | | Station, at 5,068 meters (over 15,000 feet) above |
| Qinghai to Lhasa has thrown its hat in the ring. It will | | | | sea level, is the highest railway station in the world at. |
| eventually be extended to the Nepalese border, only | | | | Lhasa sits on a high desert plateau. Accordingly, |
| an hour's drive from Kathmandu. Some things you | | | | altitude sickness is a very real danger. Fortunately the |
| might want to think about before boarding: Price: | | | | gradual acclimatization of going by rail rather than by |
| Tibetan Railway tickets are CHEAP, ranging from | | | | air reduces this risk substantially. I flew to Lhasa from |
| US$49 to $180 depending on how much comfort you | | | | Chengdu in 1994 and got altitude sickness from my |
| require and where you're coming from. A soft sleeper | | | | first breath of Tibetan air. I stayed that way for the |
| from Beijing, a 48 hour journey, cost only $158 in | | | | rest of the trip, and then spent the next 10 years |
| early 2007. Although a travel agency might charge | | | | wanting to go again, because it was worth every |
| more than that, the frugal can purchase a ticket | | | | single minute of discomfort. Be warned, however - |
| directly from the station. Visas: A China visa is of | | | | extreme altitude sickness can be life-threatening, and |
| course necessary. Contrary to some information on | | | | the only treatment is to get to a lower altitude as |
| the Internet, though, a Tibet Permit is also required | | | | soon as possible. Accordingly, a trip to Tibet may not |
| for foreigners. They are relatively inexpensive and | | | | be appropriate for the elderly, the infirm, and people |
| not difficult to obtain, and can be arranged through a | | | | with lung ailments. |
| travel agency. Altitude Sickness: Tibet is often called | | | | The Discount World Travel blog offers |
| the "roof of the world", and the Tibetan Railway is | | | | comprehensive information about discount travel to |
| the world's highest altitude railway. Nearly 1,000 | | | | various international destinations. |