Only some certificated travel agents in China can apply the Tibet Travel Permit. It usually takes about 5-7 working days and costs at RMB100-150Yuan per person.

Foreigners need a "tourist group visa" for Tibet. It can be issued form official agencies which organize fixed tours. Many Chinese Agency exploit this situation and offer Tibet tours for >15'000yuan/week where one has to attend the full program.

There are however some workarounds for people who want to travel more freely. Some (hard to find) agencies issue 'group' visa, where you just have a list of other people on the paper. The organized tour consists only of the train ticket and your first stay in a hotel. Once in Lahsa you can organize yourself. ticket (one way) + visa within 3-4days 1000yuan (!Visa policy can change quickly! Not all parts of Tibet are covered with this Visa!)