Here are the recommended Xinjiang train tourism routes for 2025:
1. New Oriental Express Luxury Tourism Train for Northern and Southern Xinjiang – 13-15 Day Tour
• Route: Starting from Urumqi, passing through Kanas, Hemu, Koktokay, Colorful Beach, Tianshan Tianchi, Nalati Grassland, Sayram Lake, Bayanbulak Grassland, Tianshan Mysterious Grand Canyon, Duku Highway, Lop Nur Village, Taklamakan Desert, Grape Valley, Kizil Grottoes, Pamir Plateau, Karakul Lake, Stone City, Kashgar Old Town, Xiangfei Garden, Karez Wells, Jiaohe Ancient City, etc.
More tourism consultations (Panda Special Train, Chengdu Train, Anyi Train, Shifang Train, New Oriental Express, Silk Road Dream Train, Lindu Train, Yichun Train, Gobi Cruise Ship, New Western Train, New National Train, Tianyuan Train, Tianshan Train) Special Train Reservation Center: 180-9596-9599 (Copy and add as a friend for free consultation and detailed route information)
• Features: High-end hardware configuration, equipped with large glass viewing windows, carriages with showers, shared refrigerators and kitchens, bar entertainment carriages, and Chinese dining carriages, with one dedicated butler service per carriage.
2. Tianshan Tourism Train – 15-day Tour
• Route: Urumqi – Beitun – Yining – Turpan – Aksu – Kashgar – Hami – Urumqi.
• Features: Panoramic view of both northern and southern Xinjiang, the train moves with the passengers, no need to change berths throughout the journey, equipped with hard sleeper carriages, soft sleeper carriages, bar carriages, entertainment carriages, and dining carriages, providing an "all-inclusive" service.
3. New Western China Tourism Train – 12-day In-depth Round Trip of Northern and Southern Xinjiang
• Route: Starting from Urumqi, passing through Tianshan Tianchi, Kanas Scenic Area, Colorful Beach, Hemu Village, Nalati Grassland, Sayram Lake, Bayanbulak Grassland, Tianshan Mysterious Grand Canyon, Sleeping Hu Yang, Desert Gate, Pamir Plateau, Karakul Lake, Stone City, Kashgar Old Town, Xiangfei Garden, Karez Wells, Jiaohe Ancient City, etc.
• Characteristics: Suitable for middle-aged and elderly tourists, offering 4 nights of accommodation at high-end boutique hotels, 1 night at a resort hotel, and an upgrade to 1 night at a five-star hotel.
4. Great Beauty of Xinjiang Tourism Special Train: 6-Day Northern Xinjiang Kanas-Ili Tour
• Route: Departing from Urumqi, the train passes through famous attractions in northern Xinjiang such as Kanas, Nalati, and Sayram Lake.
• Characteristics: Shorter duration, suitable for tourists with limited time, offering an in-depth exploration of the essence of attractions in northern Xinjiang.
5. Sunset Red Middle-aged and Elderly Tourism Special Train
• Route: Departing from Urumqi, the train passes through major tourist cities in both northern and southern Xinjiang, such as Altay, Ili, Turpan, Hotan, and Kashgar.
• Characteristics: The special train covers important tourist attractions in both northern and southern Xinjiang, featuring a schedule of “night travel, day sightseeing”. The train cars are equipped with soft sleeper and hard sleeper configurations, as well as multi-functional leisure cars.
In 2025, there are multiple Xinjiang train routes to meet the needs of different travelers:
Northern Xinjiang Classic Circuit Route: Starting from Urumqi, take the train to Beitun to begin the journey of natural scenery in northern Xinjiang. First, visit Kanas, where the lake and mountains are breathtakingly beautiful, and the mysterious legend of the Kanas Lake monster adds to its mystery; then proceed to the village of Hemu, where the unique Tuvinian village is surrounded by snow-capped mountains and forests, creating a peaceful and serene atmosphere; next, go to the Colorful Beach, where the river divides the shore into two distinct landscapes—lush greenery on the south bank and colorful Yardan landforms on the north bank, creating a striking contrast. Afterwards, travel south to Sayram Lake, where the azure lake water is crystal-clear, and the surrounding grasslands are adorned with flowers, before returning to Urumqi.
Southern Xinjiang Folk Customs Route: Starting from Kashgar, the Aitiqa Mosque in Kashgar Old City is solemn and respectful, and the streets within the old city are full of exotic charm, where visitors can also taste authentic southern Xinjiang cuisine. Then, take the train along the edge of the Taklamakan Desert to experience its vastness and grandeur. Upon arrival in Hotan, visit the Yotgan Ancient City to feel the prosperity of trade on the ancient Silk Road. Afterwards, proceed to Kuqa to explore the Kuqa王府 and learn about the history and culture of the local nobility.
Xinjiang Grand Circle Route: It integrates the essence of attractions in both northern and southern Xinjiang, starting from Urumqi, first visiting the natural scenery of Kanas, Hemu, and Sayram Lake in northern Xinjiang, then traveling south to Kashgar to experience the cultural atmosphere of southern Xinjiang, and subsequently heading to Aksu, Kuqa, and other places to cross the desert, enjoy the Populus euphratica forest, and finally returning to Urumqi. The entire journey not only allows visitors to appreciate magnificent natural scenery but also to gain an in-depth understanding of the cultural customs of multiple ethnic groups such as Uyghurs and Kazaks.
The “Traveling Xinjiang by Train • Tianshan” high-quality special tourism train will continue to operate in 2025
The “Traveling Xinjiang by Train • Tianshan” high-quality special tourism train adopts the “special train + bus” mode, which not only meets passengers’ needs for comfortable travel by train but also allows them to experience “the train moves with people, people play while the train stops”, truly realizing a worry-free trip throughout the journey.
Traveling Xinjiang by Train
The entire train is equipped with sleeper seats, including high-class sleeper carriages, soft sleeper carriages, and hard sleeper carriages. The carriages are decorated with different scenes for each carriage, featuring landscapes from six major regions: Altay, Aksu, Yili, Turpan, Hami, and Kashgar. Through hanging paintings, prints, and other methods, Xinjiang’s natural scenery and cultural folklore are deeply integrated, allowing passengers to feel a strong ethnic flavor as soon as they board the train.
Tianshan Tourism Special Train Schedule
••Advance bookings are being taken••
May 9th – May 21st, May 22nd – June 3rd
June 4th – June 16th, June 17th – June 28th
June 30th – July 12th
July 13th – July 25th, July 26th – August 7th
August 8th – August 20th, August 21st – September 2nd
September 3rd – September 15th, September 16th – September 28th
September 29th – October 11th
13 days: Urumqi/Kanas/Yining/Kuqa/Kashgar/Korla
October 15th – October 22nd, 8 days
Urumqi/Kashgar/Kuqa/Luntai/Hotan
Brief itinerary of the Tianshan Train for Xinjiang
Day 1: Nationwide – Urumqi (pick-up and hotel check-in). Arrange meals on your own. Urumqi.
Day 2: Urumqi – Tianshan Heavenly Lake – Beitun. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Tianshan Special Train.
Day 3: Beitun – Kanas – Jiadengyu. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner in Jiadengyu.
Day 4: Jiadengyu – Hemu – Colorful Beach – Beitun – Yining. Breakfast and dinner. No lunch. Tianshan Special Train.
Day 5: Yining – Sayram Lake – Guozigou Bridge – Yining. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner in Yining.
Day 6: Yining – Nalati Grassland (River Valley Grassland) – Nalati Town. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner in Nalati Town.
Day 7: Nalati Town – Northern Section of the Duku Highway – Kuqa. Breakfast and lunch. No dinner. Tianshan Special Train.
Day 8: Kuqa – Tianshan Mysterious Grand Canyon – Kashgar. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Tianshan Special Train.
Day 9: Kashgar – N39 Desert Tourist Area – Kashgar. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner in Kashgar.
Day 10: Kashgar – Karakul Lake – Baisha Lake – Kashgar. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner in Kashgar.
Day 11: Kashgar Old City – Craft Street – Century-old Tea House – Id Kah Mosque – Turpan. Breakfast and lunch. No dinner. Tianshan Special Train.
Day 12: Turpan – Karez Well – Flaming Mountain – Urumqi. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner in Urumqi.
Day 13: Send the group according to the return flight and train schedule in the morning. No meals provided.
More tourism consultations (Panda Special Train, Chengdu Train, Anyi Train, Shifang Train, New Oriental Express, Silk Road Dream Train, Lindu Train, Yichun Train, Gobi Cruise Ship, New Western Train, New National Train, Tianyuan Train, Tianshan Train) Special Train Reservation Center: 180-9596-9599 (Copy and add as a friend for free consultation and detailed route information)
"Travel Xinjiang by Train: Tianshan Train"
High-quality special tourism train
Depart again in 2025
Are you tempted?
Quickly invite your friends and set off together~