A 94-year-old man traveled solo from Wuxi to Lhasa on a 43-hour train after travel agencies turned him away. He booked trains, hotels and transport himself and visited the Potala Palace.
Tags:At 94, Travel Agencies Turned Him Away—So He Crossed China Alone by Train
A 94-year-old Chinese man has travelled from Wuxi to Tibet on his own, taking a train journey of more than 40 hours.
He is originally from Guangdong. After retiring, he settled in Wuxi with his wife and continued travelling around China. He had already completed a trip to Xinjiang before deciding to travel to Tibet.
A 43-Hour Journey to Lhasa
Mr Tan left Wuxi on October 10 and arrived in Lhasa on October 12 after a 43-hour train ride. He visited the Potala Palace and Jokhang Temple and said he did not experience altitude sickness.
A video image of Mr Tan during his journey. Image: Xinhua
He Planned the Trip Himself
Because of his age, several travel agencies were unwilling to accept him. Instead, he booked his own train tickets and hotels, used ride-hailing apps and checked routes and altitude information with AI tools on his smartphone.
He handled the arrangements himself through his phone, including booking train tickets on 12306, reserving accommodation and arranging local transport. He also used AI to check routes and altitude information before and during the journey.
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A Lifetime of Long-Distance Travel
Mr Tan studied vehicle manufacturing at Shanghai Jiao Tong University after entering the university in 1954. He later worked at Nanjing Puzhen Vehicle Factory, now part of CRRC Nanjing Puzhen, and settled in Wuxi after retirement.
He entered Shanghai Jiao Tong University in 1954 and studied vehicle manufacturing in a five-year programme. His later work was connected to China’s railway vehicle industry.
His family was initially worried about the trip. Mr Tan said long journeys were not new to him, while his family found the travel more difficult. The Lhasa tourism bureau later contacted him and helped arrange visits to the Tibet Museum and Norbulingka.
The bureau also helped reserve the visits and accompanied him. He said he enjoyed using local buses and taxis, walking through the city and meeting people who treated him kindly.
Mr Tan says he arranged the journey with his phone. Image: Xinhua
What Comes Next?
Mr Tan says he would like to visit Guangxi, including the Pinglu Canal, and Hefei next. He also has a message for younger people: spend less time staying up late and travel more.
Xinhua noted that high-altitude travel still carries real health risks. Mr Tan’s trip is a reported personal story and should not be copied without considering individual health and safety.
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