The Location of Potala Palace: Where It is and How to Get There

Potala Palace, the top attraction to see in every Tibet tour, is located in the central of Lhasa city. Standing on the RedMountain (Marpori), the stunning Potala Palace is the landmark of this holy city, as well as the mysterious Tibet. How to reach the Potala Palace, the symbol of Tibet? How to get there from Lhasa Gonggar Airport? Is it far from other attractions in Lhasa? In this guide, we help tourists and pilgrims from around the world in reaching the magnificent Potala Palace.

The Location of Potala Palace

Potala Palace was the residence to the Dalai Lama until 1959, thanks to its elegant structure and unbelievable location. It is based on a rocky hilltop site called the Red Hill in the center of the Lhasa valley. Well above the city of Lhasa at an elevation of 130 meters above the Lhasa river valley, it gives the visitors a view of the unique Lhasa city.

The exact address of Potala Palace is 35 Beijing Middle Rd, Chengguan Qu, Lasa Shi, Xizang Zizhiqu, China, 850000.

Get to Potala Palace from Lhasa Gonggar Airport

The Lhasa Gonggar Airport is the busiest airport in Tibet and is an experience by itself when arriving by flight in the runways of the airport. This airport is located at the south river bank of YarlungZangbo River. At an elevation of around 3,500 meters above sea level, get your cameras ready to take pictures of the spectacular view from the top.

Gonggar Airport

As of now your flight to Lhasa Gonggar Airport started with flights from Beijing or Chengdu in 1965 and is now a connection to major domestic cities such as Shangai, Xian, Chongqing, etc. This advanced airport has developed itself and is now a gateway for tourists and pilgrims flying in from Kathmandu, Nepal.

The simplest way of getting to the Potala Palace once you arrive in the airport is by taking the airport shuttle bus. This airport shuttle bus is at the gate of Civil Aviation Administration which is located at the east gate of the Potala Palace. At a mere price of 25 yuan, you can reach the beautiful palace in luxury comfort.

You can even opt for a taxi in case you want to travel more privately, and you have too much of baggage to carry. Make sure you agree on a price with the driver, and the best price that can be bargained would be 160-200 yuan to the Potala Palace that oversees Lhasa city. There is a new tunnel near the airport opened, which makes road travel from the airport quicker and with more ease.

Get to Potala Palace from Lhasa Railway Station

The Lhasa Railway Station is the central station in Tibet, connecting most of the inner cities of Tibet with it along with major cities in China such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangdong. It is the largest and the end of the line for the Qinghai-Tibet Railway. This station lies in Niu New Area, Doilungdêqên District, which is only a few kilometers south-west of the Potala Palace.

Lhasa Railway Station

As you approach Tibet by train, you will notice the city of heaven having a mix of an old city and a new city. Where the train station is located in the ultra-modern city, where a lot of developments have taken place. Just across the river, is where the old city resides and the Potala Palace is the highlight of the sight.

A total of about 25-30 minutes by road, with a total of 10.3 KM needed to be covered from the Lhasa Railway Station to the Potala Palace. Experience the local life by traveling on the public bus. Bus No. 1, No.13, No. 14 and No. 30 will take you to near the Potala Palace. It comes to a low price of only one yuan.

If you got too many pieces of baggage, take a taxi drive to the Potala Palace. It will cost a few dozen yuan, and you can find a reliable taxi parked out by the main road in front of the railway station square. You might have to be patient, in finding a reasonable taxi drive that will not take advantage of the fact that you are new to the city.

Potala Palace holds a considerable significance to not only the locals but the vast pilgrims and tourists that flock to Lhasa, Tibet. It is no wonder that the VIP Waiting Room located in the southeast of the Lhasa Railway Station has luxury carpets on the floors with vast tapestries of the Potala Palace pattern on the wall.

Is Potala Palace far from the Jokhang Temple?

The Jokhang Temple, another must-see in a Lhasa tour, is the spiritual heart of the city and is only 1000 meters east of the Patola Palace. It is known as the house of the Buddha and has several statues of Buddha including the Jowo Rinpoche which is a life-sized statue. This sculpture is a significant reason for the many pilgrims that gather at Jokhang Temple.

Jokhang Temple

The Jokhang Temple has a historical thousand years of history with a very significant place in Tibetan Buddhist culture. The glittery golden roof will capture your attention as you are nearing this holy site.

Many Lhasa city tours make you visit both the Potala Palace and Jokhang Temple on the same day as it’s very near each other. The private guide will start the day with a drive to Potala Palace where you can enjoy the White and Red Palace. After a traditional lunch, they proceed to taking you to the Jokhang Temple.

The Jokhang Temple is so near to Potala Palace that you can witness the excellent overview of Potala Palace from the roof of Jokhang Temple. Don’t forget to visit Barkhor Street which is very near Potala Palace and Jokhang Temple, where you can do some local shopping, interact with the locals and eat some tasty street food. The saying ‘Not all those who wander are lost,’ by J.R.R Tolkien in the famous book of the Lord of the Rings says it best when traveling to Potala Palace.

There are many ways of arriving in this beautiful Palace, by taxi, bus or even a simple walk from the nearby Jokhang Temple. Don’t worry about how you do it, just wander into the direction of Potala Palace, and you will find yourself in the heart of Lhasa in a matter of minutes. You will find that the Potala Palace can be seen from all around the city, marking its place as the center stone for Tibet and its cultural existence.