Hard Sleeper vs. Soft Sleeper to Tibet / Pre-buy Return Tkt?

None of the tour agencies I've spoken to have been able to prebook Beijing-Lhasa tickets in Soft-Sleeper Class. (We are travelling in July.) Why are these tickets so hard to book as opposed to hard-sleeper tickets and where do these tickets go?

Is there that much diffefence between hard/soft sleeper cabins to justify the additional expense?

Lastly, we're planning on only spending 4 days in Lhasa, then heading onward to Shanghai. Is it wise to have a tour agency arrange to purchase onward/return train tickets, or is it fine just to purchase them when you get to Lhasa? We're on a tight schedule, so we'd really like to leave on our preferred date.

Tickets wont be on sale yet for July.

That I know. But the agents that do bookings for you ONCE THE BOOKING WINDOW IS OPEN always say that they are unable to book soft-sleeper tickets.

Others on this branch have said that soft sleepers are all sold out before the public get a chance to buy them. Seems to go to people with connections: welcome to China. Hard sleepers are fine.

We were told the opposite of what James has said. It proved true for us and we had to pay for soft sleeper.

Getting soft sleeper tickets are very, very difficult to get. There are a limited number of these for each train and often they are reserved for government officials who are going to Lhasa. Very few travel agencies can guarantee to get these for customers.

I guess we were lucky to get tickets at all!!

Does anybody know which agencies (either with or without a package tour) can garantuee soft sleeper tickets? Please give me the name of the agencies and their E-Mail address! Thanks!

I dont think you'll find any travel agent who'll guarantee any tickets on the train unless they already have them on hand. After having touble getting our tickets, there were empty berths in our carriage and the adjoining one so dont know who ever held those tickets.