How to Get to Urumqi & Get around Urumqi 2024
With frequent domestic flights and available high speed bullet trains, Urumqi (Wulumuqi 乌鲁木齐) is often used as the gateway city in Xinjiang and a vital transportation hub for travelling around Xinjiang. No matter you’re an enthusiastic fan of China’s ancient Silk Road history and culture, or very curious about the mysterious Xinjiang in northwest China, it’s always popular to get to Urumqi to start your Xinjiang exploration. Significantly, knowing the Urumqi transportation helps you quickly find the best way to get to Urumqi and the most efficient way to extend trip further to Kanas Lake, Ili, Kashgar, Turpan or Dunhuang, Zhangye, Xian and other destinations. Are there any direct flights from Beijing to Urumqi? Which station in Dunhuang should I take the bullet train to Urumqi? How to travel from Urumqi to Kashgar? Check Urumqi location and detailed traffic between major destinations below to prepare your trip to Xinjiang.
Where is Urumqi located in China?
Urumqi is located in central Xinjiang, north slope of the middle range of Tianshan Mountain, southern edge of the Junggar Basin, northwest China. It is adjacent to Changjia Hui Autonomous Prefecture in the west and east, Altay Prefecture in the north, Turpan in the southeast and Bayingolin Mongol Autonomous Prefecture in the south. Urumqi is located about 2,770 km away from Beijing, 2,535 km from Xian, 1,380 km from Zhangye, 990 km from Dunhuang, 1,465 km from Kashgar and merely 167 km from Turpan. The travel distance between most China’s destinations and Urumqi is really far. But, you can fly to or take a train to Urumqi within several hours from some cities.
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Get to Urumqi by Flight
Most recommended for long-distance travel and travelers on a tight schedule.
Urumqi has only one airport serving tourists in Xinjiang - the Urumqi Diwopu International Airport. The airport is also the largest airport in Xinjiang, one of the two international airports of Xinjiang and the sole airport having flights between Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Kyrgyzsatn.
Totally, it operates up to 150 air routes to more than 80 cities, including lots of domestic destinations like Beijing, Shanghai, Xian, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Sanya, Shenzhen, Lanzhou, Lhasa, etc., and a few Central and Southeast Asian destinations, such as Kuala Lumpur, Alam-Ata, Phuket, Baku (Azerbaijan) and Tashkent (Uzbekistan) and so on. In 2019, the airport handled nearly 24 million passengers. Except offering great convenience for Xinjiang arrival, Urumqi Diwopu International Airport still runs many regional flights to Kashgar, Altay, Korla, Bortala, Karamay, Ili and other places of Xinjiang.
Urumqi Diwopu International Airport 乌鲁木齐地窝堡国际机场
IATA: URC ICAO: ZWWW
Address: Yingbin Road, Xinshi District, Urumqi City, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region 新疆维吾尔自治区乌鲁木齐市新市区迎宾路
Transportation: about 17 km, 30 minutes’ drive from the Urumqi city center; about 25 km, 30 minutes’ drive from Xinjiang International Grand Bazaar; about 15 km, 20 minutes’ drive from Xinjiang Regional Museum; around 75 km, 1 hour’s drive from Tianchi Lake (Heavenly Lake) of Tianshan; nearly 75 km, 1.5 hours’ drive from Nanshan Pasture.
▶ Urumqi Diwopu International Airport: Location, Flight Schedules, Transportation
Urumqi Diwopu International Airport
Urumqi Airport Location Map
(click to enlarge)
Major Urumqi Flight Schedules:
| Flight Route | (Direct) Flight Time | Flight Route | (Direct) Flight Time | Flight Route | (Direct) Flight Time |
| Beijing → Urumqi | 4hrs-4hrs20mins | Shanghai → Urumqi | 5.5hrs | Xian → Urumqi | 3.5hrs |
| Guangzhou → Urumqi | 5hrs | Chengdu → Urumqi | 3.5hrs | Lanzhou → Urumqi | 3hrs |
| Xining → Urumqi | 42.5hrs | Lhasa → Urumqi | 5.5hrs | Urumqi → Khotan | 2hrs |
| Urumqi → Kashgar | 2hrs | Urumqi → Korla | 1hr | Urumqi → Burqin | 1.5hrs |
Note: The above flight schedule is listed for reference only. You can contact us to get the frequency, up-to-date flight timetable and other flight routes.
Get to Urumqi by Train
With the operation of Lanzhou-Xianjiang High Speed Railway, tourists can get to Urumqi by faster high speed bullet train from Lanzhou, Zhangye, Jiayuguan, Dunhuang, Tupran, Xian, Tianshui and other destinations on the ancient Silk Road. And it shortens the train journey between Turpan to Urumqi within just 1 hour.
Meanwhile, there are daily normal trains running to Urumqi from distant cities, like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzou, Chengdu, Chongqing, etc. The normal trains will cost dozens of hours and arrive in Urumqi on the next or the third day. Thus, for those who wishing to make a fast train to Urumqi, we suggest you fly to a closer destination first and then take a bullet train to Urumqi.
Moreover, Xinjiang has several intercity and regional railways in operation. So you can take a train to travel between Urumqi and Korla, Kashgar, Yining, Usu, Shihezi, Kuitun and other destinations in Xinjiang. Some routes have the green Fuxing Trains available.
Urumqi Railway Station 乌鲁木齐站
Address: No.1, Gaotie Beiliu Road, Tunhe District, Urumqi, Xinjiang 新疆维吾尔自治区乌鲁木齐市头屯河区高铁北六路1号
Transportation: about 10 km, 20 minutes’ drive to downtown Urumqi; about 15 km, 30 minutes’ drive to Xinjiang International Grand Bazaar; about 7 km, 15 minutes’ drive to Xinjiang Regional Museum; about 71 km, 1 hour 10 minutes’ drive to Heavenly Lake (Tianchi Lake) of Tianshan Mountain; about 65 km, 1.5 hours’ drive to Nanshan Pasture.
Urumqi Railway Station - the Only Railway Station & High Speed Train Station in Urumqi
Urumqi Railway Station Location and Transportation Map
(click to enlarge)
Popular Urumqi High Speed Bullet Train & Normal Train Schedules
Get from Dunhuang to Urumqi
Dunhuang to Urumqi by Train
Train Time: about 4 hours-12 hours
Dunhuang City no train running from Dunhuang Railway Station to Urumqi directly. If you want to go on a train travel, you need to transfer to the train stations in Liuyuan (柳园) first. There are two kinds of trains you can choose from.
By High Speed Bullet Train (Most Recommended):
Each day, Liuyuan South Railway Station delivers 3 high speed bullet trains to Urumqi. The trains all depart in the afternoon and arrive in the evening with about 4 hours 10 minutes to 4 hours 20 minutes’ ride.
Tips: Liuyuan South Railway Station (柳园南站) is about 130 km, 2 hours’ drive from Dunhuang City.
By Normal Speed Train:
From Liuyuan Railway Station, there are more than 10 normal speed trains heading to Urumqi daily. They run at a slower speed and take longer time for about 7 hours to 12 hours.
▶ Dunhuang to Urumqi Trains | Urumqi to Dunhuang Trains
Dunhuang to Urumqi by Flight
Flight Time: over 7 hours
Dunhuang has no direct flights to Urumqi either, except a few connecting flights with transfer in Lanzhou or Xining. The transit takes at least 2 hours. Counting that, the connecting air travel is much longer than the bullet train trip.
Popular Dunhuang Urumqi Tour:
☛ 10 Days Classic Silk Road Tour (Xian/Dunhuang/Turpan/Kashgar)
Dunhuang to Urumqi Transportation Map (click to enlarge)
Liuyuan South Railway Station
Get from Zhangye to Urumqi
Zhangye to Urumqi by Train
Train Time: about 7 hours-17 hours
By High Speed Bullet Train (Most Recommended):
Zhangye West Railway Station runs 3 high speed bullet trains to Urumqi on a daily basis. They depart at about 12:00, 12:50 and 14:00 and travel for 7 to 7.5 hours. They will all arrive in Urumqi on the same day. You will make stops in midway stations in Jiayuguan, Liuyuan, Hami, Turpan.
By Normal Train:
Zhangye at the same time runs nearly 20 normal trains to Urumqi from Zhangye Railway Station. The train journey ranges from 12 hours to 17 hours.
▶ Zhangye to Urumqi Trains | Urumqi to Zhangye Trains
Zhangye to Urumqi by Flight
Flight Time: over 7 hours
So far, Zhanye Ganzhou Airport has no direct flight flying to Urumqi. Only some connecting flights via Lanzhou, Xian and Beijing are offered. It takes a much longer time for the transit spends 1.5 hours to 14.5 hours.
Popular Zhangye Urumqi Tour:
☛ 11 Days In-depth Wild Silk Road Adventure (Cultural Relic and Unrivalled Landscape)
Zhangye to Urumqi Transportation Map (click to enlarge)
Zhangye West Railway Station
Get from Lanzhou to Urumqi
Lanzhou to Urumqi by Flight (Most Recommended)
Flight Time: about 2.5 hours
Frequency: about 10 flights per day
There are about 10 non-stop flights flying from Lanzhou Zhongchuan International Airport (LHW) to Urumqi Diwopu International Airport (URC) every day. The air travel is around 2.5 hours. It’s the fastest way to get from Lanzhou to Urumqi. You can choose from a flight taking off from 10:00 to 21:00 depending on your itinerary.
Lanzhou to Urumqi by Train
Train Time: about 10 hours-25 hours
Frequency: more than 20 trains per day
By High Speed Bullet Train:
Lanzhou is the starting point of the Lanzhou-Xinjiang High Speed Railway. It sends 3 high speed bullet trains from Lanzhou West Railway Station to Urumqi Railway Station each day. For the long distance, the bullet train journey is still 10 hours to 11 hours long, but you may visit famous Silk Road destinations along the rail, including Xining, Zhangye, Jiayuguan, Dunhuang, Turpan, etc.
By Normal Train:
Every day, Lanzhou Railway Station offers nearly 20 normal speed trains to Urumqi. They all are overnight trains with a duration of 17 hours to 25 hours.
▶ Lanzhou to Urumqi Trains | Urumqi to Lanzhou Trains
Popular Lanzhou Urumqi Tour:
☛ 11 Days In-depth Wild Silk Road Adventure (Cultural Relic and Unrivalled Landscape)
Lanzhou to Urumqi Transportation Map
Lanzhou to Urumqi Bullet Train
Get from Xining to Urumqi
Xining to Urumqi By Flight (More Recommended)
Flight Time: within 3 hours
Frequency: 3 to 4 flights per day
Xining Caojiabao International Airport has a couple of direct flights to Urumqi daily. The flights are scheduled to take off in the afternoon hours and spend less than 3 hours. If you plan to visit Urumqi from Xining straightforward, flying is a better choice.
▶ Xining to Urumqi Flight Schedule
Xining to Urumqi by Bullet Train
Train Time: 9 hours-9.5 hours
Frequency: 3 trains per day
Generally, there are 3 bullet trains departing from Xining Railway Station to Urumqi Railway Station each day. They leave at about 10:00, 11:00 and 12: 20 and stop in Urumqi in the evening. The train journey is scenic with variation of landscape of wild northwest China. If you think it’s a little bite long, you can visit Zhangye, Jiayuguan, Dunhuang, Turpan en route to make the train trip into several sections.
▶ Xining to Urumqi Bullet Trains | ▶ Urumqi to Xining Bullet Trains
Popular Xining Urumqi Tour:
☛ 12 Days Epic Silk Road Tour including Qinghai Lake and Zhangye Danxia
Xining to Urumqi Transportation Map (click to enlarge)
Xining Railway Station
Get from Beijing to Urumqi
Beijing to Urumqi by Flight (More Recommended)
Flight Time: about 4 hours
Frequency: nearly 20 flights per day
The distance between Beijing and Urumqi is 2,770 km. Sure, the flight is more time-saving and convenient. Beijing operates nearly 20 non-stop flights to Urumqi per day. The flights take off from Beijing Capital International Airport and Beijing Daxing International Airport and spend about 4 hours. The earliest flight leaves at about 07:30 am and the last flight flies away at 21:00.
▶ Beijing to Urumqi Flight Schedule
Beijing to Urumqi by Train
Train Time: 31 hours-38 hours
Frequency: 2 trains per day
From Beijing West Railway Station, there are 2 daily normal trains running to Urumqi each day. Passengers will pass by about 20 midway station en route and reach Urumqi on the second or the third day.
▶ Beijing to Urumqi Train Schedules | Urumqi to Beijing Schedules
Best-selling Urumqi Tour Package:
Beijing to Urumqi Transportation Map
Beijing Capital International Airport
Get from Shanghai to Urumqi
Shanghai to Urumqi by Flight (More Recommended)
Flight Time: about 5.5 hours
Frequency: about 15 flights per day
Shanghai is about 3,910 km away from Urumqi. Flying is faster than taking a train for it needs half a day while the train needs over 40 hours. Both Shanghai Hongqiao and Shanghai Pudong International Airports have direct flights to Urumqi. You can select a flight taking off from about 06:30 to 18:30.
▶ Shanghai to Urumqi Flight Schedule
Shanghai to Urumqi by Train
Train Time: over 41 hours
Frequency: 2 trains per day
Shanghai Railway Station runs 2 normal trains to Urumqi every day. They begin from the first day afternoon and arrive in Urumqi on the third. Since the train ride is more than 41 hours, you’d better take the air way.
Shanghai to Urumqi Transportation Map (click to enlarge)
Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport
Get from Xian to Urumqi
Xian to Urumqi by Flight (More Recommended)
Flight Time: about 3.5 hours
Frequency: over 15 flights per day
Urumqi is about 2,535 km northeast of Xian. Getting from Xian to Urumqi by flight is the best way because it takes merely around 3.5 hours. More than 15 direct flights are arranged between about 08:00 and 21:40 each day. The departure airport is Xian Xianyang Airport.
▶ Xian to Urumqi Flight Schedule
Xian to Urumqi by Train
By High Speed Bullet Train:
Xian has one and only high speed bullet train running from Xian North Railway Station to Urumqi Railway Station. It starts at 08:00 in the morning and gets to Urumqi at night after more than 13 hours’ travel. For China’s Silk Road culture fans, the bullet rail perfectly links Xian, Tianshui, Lanzhou, Zhangye, Jiayuguan, Dunhuang, all highlights on the ancient Silk Road, so that you can take a modern vehicle to trace back the ancient route.
By Normal Train:
At the same time, Xian Railway Station offers more than 10 normal trains to Urumqi as well. But the train time is much longer than the bullet train, up to 25 hours to 31 hours. That means you will arrive in Urumqi on the next day.
▶ Xian to Urumqi Train Schedule | ▶ Urumqi to Xian Train Schedule
Popular Silk Road Tours including Xian & Urumqi:
☛ 10 Days Classic Silk Road Tour (Xian/Dunhuang/Turpan/Kashgar)
☛ 15 Days Classic Ancient China Silk Road Tour with Bullet Train Experience
Xian to Urumqi Transportation Map (click to enlarge)
Xian North Railway Station
Get from Lhasa to Urumqi
Lhasa to Urumqi by Flight
Flight Time: about 5.5 hours
Frequency: 1 to 3 flights per day
Lhasa is about 2,703 km southwest of Urumqi. You can fly from Lhasa to Urumqi, but need to make a stopover or transit in Xining. The flights are scheduled irregularly. Most of the time, the earliest flight takes off at 07:30 from Lhasa Gonggar International Airport and sometimes the first flight is at 07:30.
▶ Lhasa to Urumqi Flight Schedule
Lhasa to Urumqi by Train
So far, there is no direct train connecting Lhasa and Urumqi. If you have enough time and want to take an in-depth exploration of the northwest China, you can fly (about 2 hours) or take a Qinghai Tibet train (20 hours-21.5 hours) to Xining and then continue your Silk Road adventure to Urumqi via Zhangye, Jiayuguan, Dunhuang, Turpan, etc.
Lhasa Gonggar International Airport
Lhasa to Xining Train on Qinghai Tibet Railway
Get around Urumqi - By Private Car, Taxi, Bus, BRT...
As the capital city and the biggest city of Xinjiang, Urumqi has most-developed public transportation system in Xinjiang. Depending on your trip itinerary, time and budget, you can get around Urumqi by different transportation.
By China Discovery’s Private Car:
Traveling with China Discovery, taking advantage of our private transfer service is the most comfortable, time-saving and efficient way to get around Urumqi. No matter you’re a first timer to Xinjiang or have already visited Urumqi before, you can always enjoy worry-free transfer during your entire Urumqi tour and Xinjiang travel. We will pick you up at the airport, train station or your hotel by a clean, non-smoking, licensed private car and escort you to your hotel and to Xinjiang Regional Museum, Grand Bazaar, Heaven Lake (Tianchi Lake), Nanshan Pasture and all attractions you will visit with speed and comfort.
By Taxi:
At Urumqi Airport, Railway Station and downtown areas, it’s easy to take a taxi which charges by mileage. If you want to get from downtown to the suburb, the cost is high.
By Metro:
Until June 2021, Urumqi has one metro line in service - Urumqi Metro Line 1. It runs between Urumqi Diwopu International Airport Station and Santunbei Station. The subway can get to the city center and reach the Erdaoqiao Bazaar (Xinjiang International Grand Bazaar).
By BRT, Loop Express &Local Bus:
Airport expresses are offered for transferring from the airport to the downtown. And in the city area, there are many BRT lines, loop express and local bus lines serving the local transport.
China Discovery's Private Car Service
Taxi in Urumqi
Get from Turpan to Urumqi and Urumqi to Turpan
Turpan is located about 167 km southeast of Urumqi. There are fast bullet trains, normal speed trains, buses and connecting flights for transferring from Turpan to Urumqi and from Urumqi to Turpan.
Turpan to Urumqi by High Speed Bullet Train
Train Time: within 1 hour
Frequency: about 10 trains per day
Taking a bullet train for less than 1 hour is the most convenient and speedy way. Between 10:30 and 20:20 each day, there are about 10 high speed bullet trains departing from Turpan North Railway Station to Urumqi Railway Station.
▶ Turpan to Urumqi Train Schedule | ▶ Urumqi to Turpan Train Schedule
Turpan to Urumqi by Normal Train
Flight Time: about 1.5 hours-2 hours
Frequency: over 30 trains per day
Meanwhile, Turpan has many normal speed trains to Urumqi. The trains depart from the Turpan Railway Station and Turpan North Railway Station, and spend a longer ride. Compared to the ticket fare and travel time, the bullet train is more popular.
Turpan to Urumqi by Bus
Bus Time: about 3.5 hours
Turpan Bus Station (吐鲁番汽车站) and Turpan Passenger Transportation Center (吐鲁番地区客运中心) both have frequent buses to Urumqi. The buses leave from 07:30 and 18:00/20:00.
Turpan to Urumqi by Flight
Turpan is so close to Urumqi that almost no one ever consider the flight. And, there is only one connecting flight flying from the Turpan Jiaohe Airport to Urumqi Diwopu International Airport with a transfer in Korla. The flight takes 9 hours and gets to Urumqi on the next day.
Tips: If you’re planning an in-depth Xinjiang travel covering both the Northern and Southern Xinjiang, the land drive via Korla, Kuqa are highly suggested for you can enjoy various natural scenery along the well-paved highways.
Popular Turpan Urumqi Tour Packages:
☛ 5 Days Urumqi Discovery to Turpan and Heavenly Lake
☛ 8 Days Xinjiang Classic Tour (Urumqi-Turpan-Kashgar)
Turpan to Urumqi Train
Turpan North Railway Station
Urumqi Turpan Transportation Map (click to enlarge)
Get from Kashgar to Urumqi and Urumqi to Kashgar
Kashgar is situated about 1,465 km southwest of Urumqi. 3 ways are available for traveling between Urumqi and Kashgar.
Urumqi to Kashgar by Flight (Most Recommended)
Flight Time: about 2 hours
Frequency: over 15 flights per day
Making an air travel is the most popular and common way to travel from Urumqi to Kashgar. Every day, there are more than 15 direct flights flying from Urumqi Diwopu International Airport to Kashgar Airport. The earliest flight departs at around 07:00 and the latest flies at about 22:30.
▶ Kashgar to Urumqi Flight Schedule | ▶ Urumqi to Kashgar Flight Schedule
Urumqi to Kashgar by Train
Train Time: about 14.5 hours-24 hours
Frequency: omore than 5 trains per day
Every day, Urumqi Railway Station dispatches over 5 normal trains to Kashgar Railway Station between about 10:00 and 20:00. They are all overnight trains reaching Urumqi the next day. The midway stations include Aksu, Luntai, Korla, Turpan and so on.
Urumqi to Kashgar by Bus
Urumqi Nanjiao Bus Station (乌鲁木齐南郊客运站) has long-distance coaches getting to Kashgar. For the nearly a whole day drive, the bus all offer sleepers for passengers. Tourists seldom choose the bus to waste time on the tedious ride.
Popular Urumqi Kashgar Tour Packages:
☛ 5 Days Urumqi and Kashgar Tour
☛ 8 Days Xinjiang Classic Tour (Urumqi-Turpan-Kashgar)
Urumqi Kashgar Transportation Map (click to enlarge)
Kashgar Airport
Get from Urumqi to Tianchi Lake
The Heavenly Lake (Tianchi Lake) of Tianshan Mountain is one of the must-see attraction for trippers to Urumqi. It is located about 70 km northeast of Urumqi City.
By China Discovery’ Private Transfer - Most Recommended
Taking our private car is the fastest way to get from Urumqi to Heavenly Lake of Tianshan Mountain. We can meet you and pick you up from your hotel in downtown, or from the airport, train station and directly take you to the scenic area. The drive is about 1 hour, much shorter than the public traffic. You can save lots of time on searching related information, just rest well and fully focus on the sightseeing itself for we will take care of the details.
By Bus:
Get to Urumqi Beijiao Bus Station (乌鲁木齐北郊客运站), or Urumqi Nanjiao Bus Station （乌鲁木齐南郊客运站）, Urumqi Gaotie International Bus Station (乌鲁木齐高铁国际汽车客运站) or Urumqi Bayi Jungong Bus Station Tourist Distribution Center (乌鲁木齐八一军供客运站旅游集散中心) first, and then take a tourist bus to Heavenly Lake of Tianshan Mountain.
Each bus station has two buses departing from Urumqi between 09:30 am and 11:30 am, and running back to Urumqi in the afternoon hours at 17:30 and 18:30.
Tips: Urumqi Beijiao Bus Station is about 5 km, 15 minutes’ drive from the downtown. The Bayi Jungong Bus Station Tourist Distribution Center is about 7 km, 15 minutes’ driving distance from the downtown.
Popular Urumqi Tours including Tianchi Lake:
☛ 3 Days Urumqi Tour including Heavenly Lake and Mummy Visit
☛ 4 Days In-depth Urumqi Holiday Tour
Serene Heavenly Lake of Tianshan Mountain
Urumqi to Tianchi Lake Travel Map (click to enlarge)
Get from Urumqi to Kanas Lake
The fairyland Kanas Lake is located in Burqin County, Altay Prefecture, Northeast Xinjiang, about 770 km north of Urumqi. You can get from Urumqi to Kanas Lake by flight, private car, long-distance car and train.
By China Discovery’ Private Car (Most Recommended):
It takes at least 11 hours to drive from Urumqi downtown to Kanas Lake directly. However, the driving journey is scenic and interesting. If you choose the west driving route, you can stop in Karamay and visit the wind-erosion landform in Wuerhe Ghost City, and view colorful Rainbow Beach streching along the banks of Irtysh River in Burqin. If you go the longer eastern route, you can make a detour to the Wucaicheng (Rainbow City) and Keketuohai UNESCO Global Geopark in Fuyun.
By Flight:
Altay Prefecture has two airports near the Kanas Lake - Altay Airport and Burqin Kanas Airport.
Option 1: Fly from Urumqi Diwopu International Airport to Altay Airport (duration: about 1 hour 15 minutes - 1 hour 20 minutes, frequency: 5 non-stop flights per day); drive 262 km (5 hours) from Altay Airport to Kanas Lake.
Option 2: Fly from Urumqi to Burqin Kanas Lake (duration: about 1.5 hours, frequency: 2 direct flights per day); drive 50 km (1 hour 15 minutes) to Kanas Lake.
By Train:
There are 3 normal trains running from Urumqi to Altay Railway Station every day. The train takes 10.5 hours to 12 hours and reach Altay on the following day. After arrival, you have to take an extra drive (about 255 km, 4 hours 40 minutes) to Kanas Lake.
By Long-distance Bus:
Urumqi has none direct bus to Kanas Lake. You can firstly take a long-distance bus to Burqin from bus station near the Urumqi Railway Station. It takes up to 10 hours. Next, you can take a chartered car (about 3 hours) or another long-distance bus (about 4 hours) to Kanas Lake. It’s quite complicated, so not recommended for travelers.
Fairyland Kanas Lake in Autumn
Burqin Kanas Airport
Wucaitan - Five Colors Beach (Rainbow Beach)
How to Plan A Urumqi Xinjiang Tour
How to Get to Urumqi: Fly to Urumqi from Beijing (4-4.5hrs), Shanghai (5.5hrs), Guangzhou (5hrs), Shenzhen (5.5hrs), Xian (3.5hrs)..., or take a high speed bullet train from Dunhuang (4hrs), Zhangye (7-7.5hrs), Turpan (1hr), etc.
Best Time to Visit Urumqi: May to October when the temperature is comfortable and the seasonal scenery is very beautiful.
Top Places to Visit Urumqi: Tianchi (Heavenly Lake) of Tianshan Mountains, Xinjiang International Grand Bazaar, Xinjiang Regional Museum, Red Hill Park, Nanshan Pasture.
Most travelers start a Xinjiang tour from Urumqi and take Urumqi as the transfer center of visiting the Northern Xinjiang. Usually, tourists spend one day exploring Urumqi’s highlights in the down area, including the Xinjiang International Grand Bazaar, Red Hill Park and Xinjiang Regional Museum. Making a day trip to Tianchi Lake is a popular itinerary if you won’t visit Kanas. Nanshan Pasture is a good summer resort worthy of your visit if you happen to visit Urumqi in summer.
☛ 3 Days Urumqi Tour including Heavenly Lake and Mummy Visit
Xinjiang is vast and beautiful. The Northern Xinjiang is most known for the natural beauty while the Southern Xinjiang is characterized rich cultural and historical treasures. Depending on your time and personal interests, you can extend trip to more destinations, such as the Turpan, fairyland Kanas Lake and Hemu Village in Altay, incredibly beautiful Sayram Lake, Wu’erhe Ghost City in Karamay, Ili (Kalajun Grassland, Narati Grassland, Guozigou...) in Northern Xinjiang, and travel further to the Southern Xinjiang’s Kashgar and vicinal Tashkurgan, Taklamakan Desert, Bosten Lake, Tomor Peak, Kuqa, Khotan, etc. You can pick up some highlighting places for a week's travel or haven an in-depth discovery for up to one month.
☛ 8 Days Urumqi Turpan Kashgar Xinjiang Tour
☛ 9 Days Kanas Lake Fairyland Tour from Urumqi
Northwest and Southwest China are two mysterious regions travelers love to visit. Following the ancient Silk Road from Xian to Xinjiang is also a popular travel route. It’s highly suggested that you visit Xinjiang with Dunhuang, Zhangye, Jiayuguan along the ancient Silk Road, or with the holy land of Tibet (Lhasa, Shigatse, Mount Everest, Mount Kailash, Nyingchi...). The nature scenery and distinctive culture will impress you deeply. China Discovery provides not only all-inclusive Xinjiang tours, Silk Road tours, but also can help you customize a wonderful trip on your own.
☛ 10 Days Classic Silk Road Tour from Xian
☛ 11 Days Wild In-depth Silk Road Adventure Tour
☛ 15 Days Classic Ancient China Silk Road Tour with Bullet Train Experience
- Urumqi Tours
- Urumqi Travel Guide
- Things to Do in Urumqi
- Urumqi Weather & Seasons
- Bullet Trains to Urumqi
- Urumqi Maps
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- Urumqi Airport and Flights
- Urumqi Railway Station
- Tianchi Lake
- Urumqi to Tianchi Lake
- Nanshan Pasture
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Keep Reading About Urumqi
- Xinjiang Tours
- Urumqi Tours
- Kashgar Tours
- Turpan Tours
- Kanas Tours
- Tashkurgan Tours
- How to Plan Xinjiang Trip
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- Xinjiang Attractions & Things to Do
- Xinjiang Weather & Seasons
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- Urumqi Travel Guide
- Turpan Travel Guide
- Kashgar Travel Guide
- Shache Travel Guide
- Altay Travel Guide
- Hotan Travel Guide
- Kucha Travel Guide
- Ili Travel Guide
- Taklamakan Desert
Keep Reading About Xinjiang Tours & Travel Guide
Recommended Xinjiang Tours
Top 3 Xinjiang tours chosen by most customers to explore Xinjiang in the best way. Check the detailed itinerary, or tailor your own trip now with us.
11 Days In-depth Wild Silk Road Adventure Tour (Cultural Relic & Unrivalled Landscape)
Lanzhou / Zhangye / Jiayuguan / Dunhuang / Turpan / Urumqi / Kashgar
8 Days Classic Xinjiang Tour including Urumqi Turpan Kashgar Tashkurgan
Urumqi - Turpan - Kashgar - Tashkurgan
13 Days In-depth Xinjiang Silk Road Adventure Tour
Urumqi / Turpan / Korla / Kuqa / Taklimakan Desert / Minfeng / Hongtan / Kashgar / Tashkurgan
Start planning your tailor-made holiday to China by contacting one of our specialists. Once inquired, you’ll get a response within 0.5~23.5 hours.
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Questions & Discussions
Following are latest questions and answers from our webusers and customers. You can learn many useful information from the discussion and cases. You can also join in the discussions or ask your own question. Our experts will help you ASAP.
Thanks for your message. I am sorry to tell you there is no bus from Urumqi to Tashiken currently. You can get through Irkeshtam port to Kyrgyzstan from Kashgar, then transfer from Kyrgyzstan to Tashiken. You can also take flight to Tashiken from Urumqi. There are several non-stop flights each week, and several daily flights with stopovers at Alma-Ata or Astana.
Best wishes to you.
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- Submit
