I would like next month to travel from Nepal to Tibet by land and there to split my visa and proceed onwards to China by train. Is this possible or too difficult? I understand that I have to join a group in KTM to get group visa for China. Does anybody recently travel this way?
Any fresh input would be much appreciated or point some recent thread where it was discussed, please (just short on time to browse).
Its fairly common knowledge here that group visas issued in Nepal are good for at most 15-21 days. Plus the fact they cannot be altered, exchanged or extended. They basically are good for your time in Tibet plus additional time to leave China.
but people on china forum tell me it's possible. visas are max for 28 days, if i ask i can get group visa with only my name. groups leaving KTM every sat and tue.
Correct. If you request, the maximum reported here is 30 days and at present people do seem to be getting that amount of time.
Assuming that you aren't wanting to spend more than 8-10 days in Tibet, then you should be able to take a train to Beijing, spend a few days there and then depart for Mongolia and Russia before your 28-30 days expire.
Train from Lhasa to Beijing takes just under 48 hours.
Train from Beijing to Erlian (border with Mongolia) only departs twice a week but there are daily overnight buses. Trip takes about 12-13 hours.
If you take the train, you'll have to spend the night in Erlian because the border is only open during the day. This post from summer 2007 by manulike with update from Nov 2008 has useful information: Erlian Fact Sheet.
Or if you are heading directly for Russia, you can take the train from Beijing to Manzhouli. I'm not sure how often it operates but the K274/K275/K277 takes about 31 hours and other options are a little longer. Again border is only open during the day.
Of course, I am assuming that you are heading directly home...
Ruth
thank you so much Ruth. it's very unlikely i will go through Mongolia at this time of the year and with my budget for trip home. I will see in next two weeks whether just fly directly to Beijing or take Tibet route. And I will be back with questions about logistics of crossing China-Russia border once I browse relevant pages of China guidebook.
I did the Manzhouli - Zabaikalskcrossing in 2005. It's not difficult. Just remember to check what times the trains depart from Zabaikalsk because it's a small town with few options. If you aren't going to make it across by mid day, then spend the night in Manzhouli where the options are better for lodging and food.
Ruth
Read through the following for information on traveling from Nepal to Tibet and then on to mainland China:
You can get 28 days and with just your name on the group visa, I am currently in Xian having left Kathmandu on the 30th Oct, I did a 8 day Tibet tour with an extra night in Lhasa, train to Chengdu (44 hours) a few nights there, then still got 2 weeks left to travel. It did cost $114 and I put my passport in on Monday and got it back on Friday for a Saturday departure.
#6 Losang
Don't you think you need an update for information on your site? It says that only 15 days group visas issued in KTM, not 28 days with single name as #7 reports.
#8....Thanks for the tip. Before I do updates on my site, I wait until I have heard at least 15 to 20 reports of something being changed before I update it on my site. I have been following the visa situation going from Nepal into Tibet for quite sometime (I have friends that run tours in Nepal into Tibet as well as a contact at the Chinese embassy in Kathmandu) and there is a good chance I will be making an update in the near future. Travel regulations regarding Tibet change like the wind. In order to give the most accurate, up-to-date travel information, I wait and confirm changes first hand.
Less than 6 weeks ago I came across travelers who were only given a 21 day group visa for China. Before I update it that 28 day visas are being given, I need to research it a bit more. However, it does look like the strict regulations coming from Nepal into Tibet are changing and loosening up a bit. Again, I base my posts on thorough research on a situation and not just on a handful of reports. I have owned and managed my own travel agency in Tibet for many years and stay in the loop regarding travel requirements to Tibet.