The ‘Take the Train to Explore Xinjiang – Tianshan Train’ high-quality special tourist train is meticulously crafted by China Railway Urumqi Group Co., Ltd., featuring the travel concept of ‘the train moves with people, and people play while the train stops’. This train route connects major tourist cities in Xinjiang, including Urumqi, Beitun, Yining, Turpan, Kuqa, Aksu, and Kashgar, with a single journey lasting 14 days.
Starting from 2023, the Urumqi Railway Bureau has invested 3 million yuan of special funds to tailor-make and comprehensively renovate bar cars, entertainment cars, and dining cars for the ‘Tianshan Train’. The special train is not only equipped with hard sleeper cars and soft sleeper cars, but also makes great efforts in the interior decoration of the carriages, striving to achieve the effect of one scenery per carriage and create a comfortable and pleasant travel environment. High-quality fabrics are selected for the linen, carpets are laid in the corridors, and the display of individual items is also carefully designed to ensure a more comfortable and pleasant journey for passengers.
I. Overview of the Tianshan tourist train product in Xinjiang
The Tianshan tourist train in Xinjiang is an innovative high-quality special tourism product that perfectly combines train travel with colorful tourist itineraries. This train not only sells train tickets but also requires tourists to go through a unified ticket booking and registration process in conjunction with specific Xinjiang travel itineraries. It is exclusively built by the China Urumqi Railway Bureau and jointly launched with well-known travel agencies, introducing this unique "tourism + tourist train" model.
If you are interested in experiencing the all-new travel enjoyment brought by the Tianshan tourist train, please contact Maizi, the dedicated manager of the official ticket booking center of the Tianshan tourist train in Xinjiang for consultation. You can call the phone number 132 01333409 (it is recommended to copy the number and add it as a friend for free consultation and detailed travel route information) to learn more and start planning your trip.
Second, the operating schedule of the Tianshan tourist train in Xinjiang: The Tianshan tourist train operates from May to October, with the first departure scheduled on May 7 or May 1, and then operates every 15 days thereafter.
Third, the route of the Tianshan tourist train in Xinjiang: Urumqi-Beitun-Yining-Turpan-Kuqa-Aksu-Kashgar-Urumqi, a train loop tour that covers the panoramic views of both southern and northern Xinjiang.
Day 1: Pick-up at the departure point and check-in at a hotel in Urumqi. Gather at departure points across the country and take the Tianshan tourist train to Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang. Upon arrival, you will be received by a dedicated person and arranged to check into the reserved hotel. In the evening, you are free to engage in activities or rest to adjust to the time difference.
Day 2: Visit Tianshan Tianchi and then proceed to Beitun. After breakfast, take a car to the beautiful alpine glacial lake located in Fuxin Village, Fuxin Town, Fuxin County, Fukang City, in the Sangong River valley on the northern slope of Tianshan Mountain for sightseeing; after lunch enjoying local special cuisines, continue the journey north to arrive at one of the destinations, a county-level administrative unit named "Beitun", which is the seat of the Administrative Office of Altay Prefecture and also the headquarters of the Tenth Division of Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps. Here, you can visit historical relics such as the General’s Mansion and taste authentic local snacks such as hand-grabbed rice and grilled mutton kebabs. Stay overnight at a designated hotel in the city to rest up for the even more exciting adventure tour the next day!
Day 3: Explore Kanas and Jadinyu. In the morning, depart Beitun for a full-day in-depth tour of the famous Kanas scenic area; in the afternoon, enjoy the scenery along the Irtysh River while also witnessing the spectacular border river scenery along the China-Russia border~ In the evening, return to the hotel in the urban area by car to rest and prepare for new challenges tomorrow!
Day 4: Hemu Village visit, Beitun to Jinghe. In the morning, take a bus to visit the Hemu Town in Burqin County; in the afternoon, enjoy the scenery along the Irtysh River while also witnessing the spectacular border river scenery on the China-Russia border; in the evening, take a bus back to the hotel in the urban area to rest and prepare for new challenges tomorrow!
Day 5: Sayram Lake, Khorgos, then to Yining. After breakfast, take a bus to visit the Sayram Lake scenic area; have a picnic or enjoy local delicacies by the lake at noon; in the afternoon, take a bus to visit the Khorgos Port; stay overnight in a hotel in Yining City to rest and prepare for new challenges tomorrow!
Day 6: Nalati Grassland, Yining to Turpan. In the morning, take a bus to visit the Nalati Grassland scenic area in Xinyuan County; in the afternoon, take a bus to Turpan City to check in and rest, preparing for new challenges tomorrow!
Day 7: Turpan (Grape Vineyard, Flaming Mountain, Karez Wells), departure to Kuqa. In the morning, take a bus to visit the Grape Vineyard in Turpan City; in the afternoon, take a bus to visit the Flaming Mountain scenic area; in the evening, take a bus to Kuqa City to check in and rest, preparing for new challenges tomorrow!
Day 8: Kuqa Grand Canyon, Kuqa Royal Palace, departure to Aksu. In the morning, take a bus to visit the Kuqa Grand Canyon scenic area in Kuqa City; in the afternoon, take a bus to visit the Kuqa Royal Palace scenic area; in the evening, take a bus to Aksu City to check in and rest, preparing for new challenges tomorrow!
Day 9: Shenmu Garden visit, arrival in Kashgar. In the morning, take a bus to visit the Shenmu Garden scenic area in Wensu County; in the afternoon, take a bus to Kashgar City to check in and rest, preparing for new challenges tomorrow!
Day 10: Karakul Lake sightseeing. In the morning, take a bus to visit the Karakul Lake scenic area in Tashkurgan Tajik Autonomous County; in the afternoon, take a bus back to Kashgar City to check in and rest, preparing for new challenges tomorrow!
Day 11: Kashgar Old Town, Mosque visit, departure to Hotan. In the morning, take a bus to visit the Kashgar Old Town in Kashgar City; in the afternoon, take a bus to Hotan City to check in and rest, preparing for new challenges tomorrow!
Day 12: Desert Viewpoint, Hotan Old Town tour, return to Urumqi. In the morning, take a bus to visit the Desert Viewpoint scenic area in Hotan City; in the afternoon, take a bus to visit the Hotan Old Town scenic area; in the evening, take a bus back to Urumqi to check in and rest, preparing for new challenges tomorrow!
Day 13: Check-in at Urumqi Hotel. In the morning, enjoy free activities within Urumqi or choose to participate in a local half-day tour; in the afternoon, gather at the designated time to take a vehicle to the airport/train station for return transfer services. At this point, the entire itinerary has come to a successful conclusion! Looking forward to seeing you again next time!
Day 14: Airport/Train Station Transfer Based on Return Time
Section 4: Overview of Scenic Spots on the Tianshan Xinjiang Tourist Train
The Tianshan Xinjiang Tourist Train has meticulously planned a rich tourism route that encompasses the geographical features of Xinjiang’s ‘three mountains and two basins’, passing through numerous popular attractions. The train will take tourists to experience the beauty of Tian Chi in Tianshan, the mystery of Kanas, the tranquility of Sayram Lake, the vastness of Nalati Grassland, and the charm of Kashgar Old Town, cleverly connecting multiple scenic areas.
During this journey, tourists will enjoy comprehensive ‘all-inclusive’ services, effortlessly exploring diverse natural landscapes such as snow-capped mountains, plateaus, lakes, deserts, gobies, oases, and grasslands. Whether it’s the magnificent natural scenery or unique cultural ambiance, both will captivate you and make you reluctant to leave.
Section 5: Services Included in the Tianshan Special Train Xinjiang Tourist Train
The Tianshan Xinjiang Tourist Train offers an all-inclusive service, including train tickets from/to Urumqi, full-board meals, luxury hotel accommodation, air-conditioned tourist buses, excellent tour guide service, travel agency liability insurance, scenic spot tickets, and scenic area shuttle buses. In addition, it also provides Urumqi airport/train station transfer services. Basically, there are no additional expenses required beyond the scenic area entertainment projects you wish to experience.
Section 6: Tianshan Booking Process and Reservation Notes
1. Book Through Official Channels
The Tianshan Tourist Train is a customized tourism product. If you plan to participate in the Tianshan Tourist Train and enjoy this brand-new travel experience, please consult and call Maizi, the dedicated manager of the Xinjiang Tianshan Official Booking Center, at 132 01333409 (you can copy the number and add as a friend for free consultation and detailed tourism route information).
2. Comprehensive Booking
Train tickets for the Tianshan Special Train are not sold separately and must be booked together with the travel itinerary. When booking, please provide valid ID information and sign the unified electronic contract on the national tourism supervision platform.
3. Price and Time Selection
Prices will vary based on your travel date and selected tourism route. Specific prices will be adjusted according to the peak and off-peak seasons of the Xinjiang tourism market and the travel date. Please arrange your travel time reasonably and choose a suitable tourism product.
4. Complete Booking
Provide your personal name and ID card number to customer service to confirm the departure time and tourism product. After paying the train ticket deposit, sign the unified electronic contract regulated by the national tourism service, which constitutes successful registration.
Given the customized nature and limited schedules of the Tianshan Tourist Train (only 2 departures per month, totaling 12 trains throughout the year), we recommend booking as early as possible to ensure a smooth trip. Considering the popularity of the Tianshan Tourist Train, sales and booking data from the past two years indicate that consulting customer service in advance to understand detailed itinerary arrangements and cost information will help you better plan your trip.