More questions on the Tibet Travel Permit

Hey guys,

I plan to travel to Tibet in the first half of October, ideally taking the train from Shanghai to Lhasa to get there, and fly out after the trip.

I have found an agency in China that offers a permit-only service and organizes the Tibet Travel Permit for the rather inflated price of RMB600. What worries me is that the agency says that they can send the permit to me by fax or email, such that I can print it by myself. Did anyone of you have a similiar experience? Does this really work, or do I have to hold an original permit in my hands when I board a train to Lhasa?

Do you know any other (possibly cheaper) way to obtain a Tibet Travel Permit without booking a group tour? For me, it is important that I can pay the permit through a credit card and have it sent to the address of a friend in China.

Thanks for your help,

Patrick

A faxed or emailed copy of the permit will be fine. Many guesthouses and travel agencies across China get their permits from the Tibet Tourism Bureau or from a travel agency in Lhasa. Though some agencies in Lhasa will send the permit through express mail, most just fax or email the permit to the travel agency in China where a copy is made and given to the customer. You will have no problems with a copy of the permit. However, to be on the safe side you should have the phone number of the agency that arranged your permit as well as the phone number of the agency in Lhasa that assisted with it.

Are you sure that's an inflated price It sounds about right to me.

could u plz tell me the agency frm which u got the permit