2021 Xinjiang Travel Guide – Essential Tips for Traveling to Xinjiang
Guo Jing, your guide to travel in Xinjiang
(Same) 0991-8585456
Xinjiang has always been the dream of self-drivers, the paradise of photographers, and the desired destination of travelers. Perhaps you have seen your friends post breathtaking photos on their social media, or frequently encounter videos of various scenic spots in Xinjiang on short video platforms, or perhaps during casual conversations, your friends’ eyes light up when talking about Xinjiang. Suddenly, you also want to visit Xinjiang, but don’t know which scenic spots to go to or how much it will cost.
How much does it cost to travel to Xinjiang?
Located in the northwest border of China, Xinjiang occupies one-sixth of China’s territorial area. Xinjiang is really huge. Many people enjoy long-distance travel in Xinjiang, but not many have truly traveled the entire region, even if excluding the uninhabited areas. If I say that when you travel to Xinjiang, most of your time may be spent on the road, you may still have little concept of ‘how big Xinjiang is’. But if I say that when Hami, the easternmost part of Xinjiang, has already seen sunset, Kashgar, the westernmost part, still needs two to three hours before the sun sets, do you have a mental picture now?
01
Regarding local transportation costs in Xinjiang
As a ‘big Xinjiang’, the distance between each scenic spot is measured in hundreds of kilometers. A drive of around three to four hours is considered short, and it is common to only visit one scenic spot in a day.
Xinjiang is really expensive!! Just calculating the major transportation costs alone can be painful. Even if you book in advance or keep an eye on some special offer websites for air tickets to get relatively cheaper ones, the discounted round-trip price is generally around 2000-3000 yuan. If you plan for a spontaneous trip to Xinjiang, air tickets are still relatively expensive and indeed require careful consideration. It is recommended to plan your Xinjiang trip early and make arrangements as soon as possible.
The main factor is that flights from most parts of the country to Xinjiang take more than 4 hours, which is considered relatively far, and therefore the cost is also relatively high.
If you have plenty of time and want to enjoy the scenery along the way, you can also choose to take the train. Most train tickets to Xinjiang cost between 600-800 yuan and take about 40 hours!
It takes a long time, which can be quite testing on one’s patience. If you have never been to the northwest, you should definitely give it a try. (This refers to hard sleeper train tickets. If you choose a high-speed train, the one-way full fare is around 2,000 yuan, and it’s a combination type because most southern cities do not have direct high-speed trains to Xinjiang.)
Within Xinjiang Province, the transportation options are mostly trains, chartered cars, self-drive, buses, and airplanes may be relatively less common.
Transportation guide within Xinjiang Province
01
Train
The train is a cost-effective transportation mode between cities within Xinjiang. The advantage is that it is less affected by weather and can usually depart and arrive on time, making it convenient to arrange travel schedules with a small margin of error. It is suitable for small groups and those unfamiliar with the route. The disadvantage is low flexibility, as it can only follow the established route and cannot stop and go as you please to enjoy the scenery along the way.
Currently, Xinjiang’s railway lines mainly include the Xinjiang section of the Lanzhou-Xinjiang Railway, the Northern Xinjiang Railway, and the Southern Xinjiang Railway. Important cities and scenic areas near Urumqi, Turpan, Hami, Altay, Yining, Kashgar, Hotan, etc., can be reached by train.
Travel Information
Train tickets
Ticket prices departing from Urumqi (for reference)
D8816 Urumqi-Turpan, second-class seat: 52
Z42 Urumqi-Turpan, hard seat: 25
T9516 Urumqi-Kashgar, hard sleeper: 305
C8747 Urumqi-Yining, second-class seat: 128
T9526 Urumqi-Hotan, hard sleeper: 370
D56 Urumqi-Hami, second-class seat: 167
02
Self-drive
For Xinjiang, where "the most beautiful scenery is on the way", self-drive travel is currently a popular choice among young people. There are two mainstream ways to self-drive in Xinjiang: one is to drive your own car from your city of residence to Xinjiang, and the other is to choose other transportation to Urumqi and then rent a car for self-drive travel.
The advantage of self-drive travel is that it is not affected by time and space, with a high degree of freedom, allowing you to follow your own planned route and stop wherever you like. The disadvantage is that the driver gets very tired, and long hours of driving can lead to fatigue, affecting the travel experience. In addition, it is difficult to handle emergencies when unfamiliar with the local area, which can disrupt the entire itinerary. Self-drive travel in Xinjiang is suitable for physically fit groups of experienced drivers, with drivers taking breaks or swapping every 4 hours.
Travel Information
Road conditions
Self-driving in Xinjiang has high requirements for driving experience and skills
The overall road conditions within Xinjiang are good, but the conditions in mountainous areas and deserts are relatively complex. Some road segments are dangerous and have certain requirements for driving experience and skills!
Some road segments are closed or restricted in certain seasons due to seasonal or geological disasters. For example, the Duku Highway needs to cross the Bingdaban Pass, and it will be snowed in during winter (if you want to travel on the Duku Highway, you need to pay attention to the dynamics of the local government or scenic area in advance as the opening time each year is unstable). The Yili-Ruoqiang segment of National Highway 218 may sometimes be buried by the desert. All of the above require advance information collection on the relevant road segments to adjust your itinerary in a timely manner.
03
Charter a car
For tourists who are visiting Xinjiang for the first time and want to choose a highly flexible way to play, chartering a car is undoubtedly the best transportation option. Compared to self-driving, chartering a car means you don’t have to drive yourself, saving you worry and providing a better travel experience. The driver is more familiar with the local situation and can provide valuable and reasonable suggestions regarding road conditions, accommodations, dining, and attraction activities. It can unlock more authentic local ways to play and is suitable for larger groups. The disadvantage is that chartering a car is relatively costly. You need to arrange for the driver’s accommodation and meals, as well as the chartering fee and additional fuel costs (if you choose a travel agency or car service company that offers chartering services, all the fees involved will be bundled into a package price for you. The price may be relatively higher, but it saves you worry).
There are several car models to choose from when chartering a car in Xinjiang. Most people choose 5-seat and 7-seat cars. It is best to choose 7 seats or fewer because some special road segments in Xinjiang, such as the Duku Highway, have strict requirements on car models. If you miss out on scenery due to improper car selection, it won’t be worth it.
Travel Information
Small group carpooling
Economical and highly cost-effective way to play
If you want to choose a cost-effective way of travel that is between chartering a car and self-driving, consider small group carpooling. It is both economical and convenient, saving you worry. Taking the classic 5-day/7-day Northern Xinjiang loop as an example, the cost for one person to carpool is around 3-4K (depending on the time period, prices may increase during peak seasons, and fees can be divided into full-package, partial-package, and other services based on your needs). With a group of 6, it’s relaxing and freer. It includes full transportation, driver, and guide services (cars with fewer than 7 seats, usually the driver doubles as the guide). You can stop and play along the way, freely and flexibly.
It’s said that southern Xinjiang is known for its human culture, but its scenery is also absolutely stunning. From October to November, explore the ancient Western Regions, traverse 2000 kilometers, and take in the Gobi Desert, great deserts, snow-capped mountains, canyons, and Hu Yang trees. Step into Kashgar Old Town to understand authentic Xinjiang. Sitting in a small shop by the roadside, you can listen to the stories of the locals, observe the passing crowds and buildings, and search for traces that have lasted for thousands of years.
Small car groups, saying goodbye to coach buses, more flexible and freer;罗布人村寨, Hu Yanglin Park, the Mysterious Grand Canyon of Mount Tianshan, Kizil Thousand Buddha Caves, Kashgar Old Town, Baisha Lake, and other Internet-famous attractions are all covered. There are also unique travel experiences such as climbing sand dunes in the Taklamakan Desert and stopping by handmade artisan workshops.
04
Long-distance bus
Cars are the most convenient mode of transportation in Xinjiang. All prefectures and cities have long-distance bus stations, with frequent and stable bus schedules. Often, taking a long-distance coach is faster than taking a train. Therefore, when train options are limited or trains cannot reach a destination, long-distance buses become an important mode of transportation for traveling to and from attractions. Convenient, efficient, and fast have become synonyms for Xinjiang long-distance buses. Of course, if the journey is long, it is not recommended to take a long-distance bus for round trips. You can adopt a combined transportation method to optimize travel time, increase playing time, and improve the quality of your trip.
05
Airplane
Xinjiang has the most airports in the country. Centered on Urumqi, it has opened air routes to more than a dozen prefectures, cities, and counties such as Yining, Korla, Altay, Turpan, Hami, Kashgar, Nalati, and Hotan. Airplanes are the fastest way to travel to various parts of Xinjiang, but airfares are relatively high. Not only can you not enjoy the scenery along the way, but they are also susceptible to weather conditions, which may result in the reduction or cancellation of some routes, with low flexibility. They are suitable for the first and last stops when leaving or entering Xinjiang. Of course, if time is urgent and the destination is far away, consider flying directly.
Travel Information
Airport
Airport contact information for various prefectures, cities, and counties
Urumqi Airport 0991-96556
Turpan Airport 0995-8621960
Kashgar Airport 0998-2926600
Hotan Airport 0903-2086114
Korla Airport 0996-2364033
Yining Airport 0999-8222332
Nalati Airport 0999-5022888
Altay Airport 0906-2120572
Fuyun Koktokay Airport 0906-8761118
Hami Airport 0902-6553000
Aksu Airport 0997-2123592
Kuqa (Qiuci) Airport 0997-7772999
Karamay Airport 0990-6931287
Shihezi Airport 0993-2660555
Kanas Airport 0906-2826116
Tumxuk Airport 0998-6309048
Bole Airport 0909-6777777
Tacheng Airport 0901-6666118
*The above information is for reference only. Some airports may be grounded due to weather or other factors. Please contact in advance for consultation.
If you choose to visit southern Xinjiang in autumn, fly directly from Urumqi to Kuqa on the way there, and fly directly from Kashgar to Urumqi on the way back. The purpose is clear – go straight to southern Xinjiang to save time on the round trip and avoid backtracking. From various landscapes to human culture, southern Xinjiang has it all, including the Ancient City of Subashi, Pamir Plateau, Daolang Tribe, Kashgar Old Town, etc. Experience the immersive and enchanting scenery and culture in depth, and together pursue the footprints on the ancient Silk Road…
02
About accommodation costs in Xinjiang
During the peak season, it is difficult to find accommodation in Xinjiang. If you don’t book in advance, there will almost be no rooms available (especially for the route to Kanas in Northern Xinjiang), and prices will also rise. It is recommended that you make reservations in advance. Don’t be greedy for cheap and convenient hotels with excessively low prices to avoid being deceived.
Travel Information
Hotel Accommodation
Accommodation in Urumqi
In Urumqi, budget hotels—7 Days Inn, Home Inn, Hanting Hotel, etc., can be booked in advance for less than 200 yuan;
Mid-to-high-end hotels—Xinjiang Zunmao Yindu Hotel, Urumqi Bingtuan Grand Hotel, Xinjiang Tianyuan Hotel, Urumqi Ruihao International Hotel, etc., have a reservation price of around 600 yuan.
*The above information is for reference only. Prices will fluctuate during the off-season and peak season.
When you arrive in Xinjiang, I suggest you can experience yurts and wooden cabins. The price of a yurt is between 300-500 yuan, and it can accommodate 10 people. Wooden cabins are also a feature of Xinjiang. The price in Kanas is between 400-700 yuan, and the price of wooden cabins in Hemu is between 200-600 yuan (the above are off-season price ranges, which may be adjusted according to the season. If you have a travel plan, you can check the situation on the hotel booking website in advance. During the peak season, be sure to book the hotel in advance).
If you want to save trouble, you can contact a travel agency to help you match the accommodation hotel, provide options based on your needs and acceptable price, offer carpooling/customized and other travel methods, and various packages, all in order to give you a better travel experience and provide a worry-free trip.
03
Travel Tips for Xinjiang
1. Xinjiang has a dry climate and strong ultraviolet rays in tourist attractions. It is recommended to wear a hat or apply sunscreen before going out. There are many mountainous areas in Xinjiang, and the temperature difference between morning and evening is large. It is recommended to bring cold-resistant clothing and flat shoes so that you can add or remove clothing;
3. For commonly used medicines, it is recommended to bring cold medicine, gastrointestinal medicine, wound plaster, mosquito repellent water, essential balm (special reminder: The north is dry, so you must prepare fire-reducing and throat-soothing medicines);
4. There is a two-hour time difference between Xinjiang and the mainland. The work and rest schedule should be postponed by 2 hours. When traveling in Xinjiang, Beijing time is used as the standard. Many tourists may feel unaccustomed to it. Therefore, everyone should be prepared to adapt to the time difference;
5. Xinjiang is known as the hometown of fruits and melons. From July to September in summer, grapes, Hami melons, watermelons, pomegranates, apples, flat peaches, fragrant pears, apricots… The fragrant fruits in Xinjiang will definitely let you indulge in fruits. Eating fruits in Xinjiang is a great pleasure, but please be sure not to drink hot water after eating fruits to avoid diarrhea;
6. During your trip in Xinjiang, remember to drink more water. Since most of the food is beef and mutton, and the taste in most northern areas is heavy, spicy and hot; especially be reminded that do not drink cold water immediately after eating meat to avoid gastrointestinal discomfort, diarrhea, and other digestive problems;
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