A luxury $10,000 Beijing-Lhasa train to chug along

A luxury train from Beijing to the capital of Tibet autonomous region, Lhasa, is expected to put into services this year, Tibet Daily reported on Thursday.

According to Tibet tourism authorities, the train can accommodate up to 108 passengers and the ticket price per person would be around or more than $10,000.

The travel time of the train between Beijing in China and Lhasa in Tibet would last a week, Liao Lisheng, director of policies and regulations department of Tibet Tourism Bureau, told the media.

It is believed that the train is luxurious not only in terms of ticket price but a host of world-class amenities to pamper passengers. Rooms will be available in different standards and luxuries for passengers include baths and meeting areas, Liao said.

As Tibet's tourism department maintained that more detailed plans for the train is expected sometime in April, Liao said that limited availabilities of rooms would require advance bookings.

Many tourists from Beijing drive down to Lhasa during the peak of tourism season. While most of the airlines provide flights to the place, a luxury train journey would support China's plan to invest in Tibet tourism, Liao said.

China plans to invest $1.5 billion in Tibet's tourism during the 12th Five-Year Plan period (2011-2015), up from $53 million it invested in tourism infrastructure construction during the 11th Five-Year Plan period (2006-2010), he added.