Nagqu Railway Station

Station name and what to look for

Match the Chinese characters on your ticket to the characters above. English translations of Chinese station names vary between booking sites, but the Chinese name is the same everywhere.

About the station

Nagqu is the highest significant stop on the Qinghai–Tibet railway, at around 4,500 m, on the northern Tibetan grassland. Trains pause here briefly, and the altitude is high enough that stepping onto the platform is noticeable.

The town is a pastoral centre rather than a tourist destination, and the surrounding grassland with its nomad camps and yak herds is the reason anyone stops. The famous horse festival, held in summer, draws visitors from across Tibet.

There is no high-speed rail here and no alternative station. What arrives is what you get.

Getting to and from Nagqu

The station is a short distance from the small town centre, reachable by taxi or on foot if you are lightly loaded.

Onward travel is by road or by the same railway. Distances on the plateau are long and the roads are subject to weather closures.

What catches travellers out here

• At 4,500 m, altitude sickness is a real risk even for people who felt fine in Lhasa. Do not plan a long first day here.
• The plateau has very little shade and intense UV. Sunburn happens fast even on overcast days.

Other station guides in Tibet

Before you travel

Tickets are issued against your passport and there is no paper ticket to collect for most domestic services. Read the booking guide if this is your first Chinese train, or the seat class guide if you are choosing between a hard sleeper and a soft sleeper. For the station itself, the general station guide explains how gates and boarding work at any Chinese station.