Ranked, with the working shown

The best train tours in China

13 trips in China had enough verified data to score. The ranking below is fully mechanical; here is exactly how it works:

  • Rail share (35%): the percent of the trip actually on trains, from the itinerary.
  • Value (20%): price per day against the other trips on this page (cheaper per day scores higher).
  • Data completeness (25%): full day-by-day itinerary, imagery, inclusions, and verified price.
  • Departure breadth (20%): how many months the operator publishes departures for.
  1. 1
    Undiscovered Horizons of China

    Golden Eagle Luxury Trains

    53.2

    Thirteen-day China rail journey ending on the Qinghai-Tibet Railway to Lhasa

    Rail share
    69
    Value
    8
    Completeness
    100
    Departures
    13

    13 days · from $19,900 ($1,531/day)

  2. 2
    6 Days Lhasa Three Major Monasteries Small Group Tour with Tibet Train Experience

    China Tibet Train (China Tibet Tour)

    51.6

    Xining-Lhasa train tour to Drepung, Sera and Ganden monasteries

    Rail share
    33
    Value
    100
    Completeness
    80
    Departures
    0

    6 days · from $645 ($108/day)

  3. 3
    5 Days Lhasa Small Group Tour by Tibet Train

    China Tibet Train (China Tibet Tour)

    47.8

    Small group hard sleeper train tour from Xining to Lhasa

    Rail share
    40
    Value
    69
    Completeness
    80
    Departures
    0

    5 days · from $599 ($120/day)

  4. 4
    9 Days Lhasa to Everest Base Camp Small Group Train Tour

    China Tibet Train (China Tibet Tour)

    46.2

    Small-group train tour from Xining to Lhasa and Everest Base Camp

    Rail share
    22
    Value
    92
    Completeness
    80
    Departures
    0

    9 days · from $1,035 ($115/day)

  5. 5
    7 Days Lhasa to Tsedang Small Group Tour with Tibet Train Experience

    China Tibet Train (China Tibet Tour)

    45.5

    Small-group Tibet train tour from Lhasa to Tsedang and Samye

    Rail share
    29
    Value
    77
    Completeness
    80
    Departures
    0

    7 days · from $835 ($119/day)

  6. 6
    9 Days Central Tibet and Namtso Small Group Tour with Tibet Train Experience

    China Tibet Train (China Tibet Tour)

    44.6

    Small-group Tibet train tour through Lhasa, Shigatse and Namtso Lake

    Rail share
    22
    Value
    85
    Completeness
    80
    Departures
    0

    9 days · from $1,045 ($116/day)

  7. 7
    6 Days Lhasa and Namtso Lake Small Group Tour with Tibet Train Experience

    China Tibet Train (China Tibet Tour)

    42.3

    Small-group Tibet train tour to Lhasa and Namtso Lake

    Rail share
    33
    Value
    54
    Completeness
    80
    Departures
    0

    6 days · from $745 ($124/day)

  8. 8
    7 Days Central Tibet Culture Small Group Tour with Qinghai-Tibet Train Experience

    China Tibet Train (China Tibet Tour)

    39.4

    Small-group Tibet train tour through Lhasa, Gyantse and Shigatse

    Rail share
    29
    Value
    46
    Completeness
    80
    Departures
    0

    7 days · from $879 ($126/day)

  9. 9
    6 Days Lhasa and Yamdrok Lake Small Group Tour with Tibet Train Experience

    China Tibet Train (China Tibet Tour)

    37.7

    Small-group Tibet train tour to Lhasa and Yamdrok Lake

    Rail share
    33
    Value
    31
    Completeness
    80
    Departures
    0

    6 days · from $779 ($130/day)

  10. 10
    11 Days Lhasa to Everest Base Camp and Namtso Lake Small Group Tour by Train

    China Tibet Train (China Tibet Tour)

    37.1

    Small-group Tibet train tour to Everest Base Camp and Namtso Lake

    Rail share
    18
    Value
    54
    Completeness
    80
    Departures
    0

    11 days · from $1,369 ($124/day)