General Tips
- Most trains originate at Urumqi station (Wulumuqi), but they also pass through Urumqi South station (Urumqi Nan).
- Tickets can be purchased up to 60 days ahead of time on trip.com. Although trip.com charges a small fee, we think their English language interface, ability to confirm tickets in advance, and ease of use makes this worthwhile.
- You can pick up your tickets at any train station in China with a passport and the booking number provided.
Selecting your Train and Seats
Depending on the train, the journey will take between 25 and 18 hours. Train numbers with letter prefixes are faster and offer more options then numbered trains. We recommend T9516 (as of August 2018), which leaves Urumqi around 16:00 and arrives in Kashgar at 09:00 the next day. This gives you some time to relax on the train in the evening and in the morning, with a good amount of sleep in between.
Long distance sleeper trains in China usually offer 2 options actually worth considering: soft-sleeper and hard sleeper. Hard sleepers consist of open-plan compartments with 6 beds in each. Contrary to what the name might indicate, the beds are mattresses and not wooden planks. Soft sleepers feature 4-bed compartments with doors. Both are fine options, although in our opinion soft sleepers are preferable and still affordable.
Once you have selected your train and your tickets are confirmed, you will receive a booking number starting with E*****. You will need this to pick up your ticket.
Collecting your Tickets
Collecting tickets at the railway station is straightforward but involves passing through airport style security. In Xinjiang this can appear intense, but the process is efficient and straightforward. Just make sure to allow enough time to pass security before catching your train. Cameras, books and maps might get a little extra attention, and you should not be alarmed if you are taken aside and asked a question or two. Don’t worry, the most difficult question we were asked was “Do you travel?”. The officers are not rude, and often are simply wondering what you are doing in this far off place, almost more out of curiosity than because their job requires it.
You will need to go to the ticket office to pick up your tickets. Follow the signs – the office is indicated by a hand holding some tickets. Once you’ve found it, get in a line, and present your passport and E***** booking number to the clerk. You will receive your train ticket.
One helpful thing to note is that all Chinese train ticket offices allow you to pick up tickets departing from any station in China. So if you have multiple booking numbers for different trips, you can collect everything the first time you are at a train station. Just present all the booking numbers and passport(s). You will be given all your tickets. Once you have your ticket, proceed to the entrance. Your ticket and ID will be checked again when you enter the station, and again as you board the train.
Train Amenities and Scenery
Find your gate, and board the train. A train attendant will trade your ticket for a plastic card, and will give back your original ticket about an hour before the train arrives in Kashgar. In the soft sleepers there is room to store your backpacks underneath the bottom bunks, and a shelf at the foot of the top bunks.
The trains feature hot water boilers at the end of each car, which are handy if you want to make tea or instant noodles. There is a canteen car, but it is very basic. Drinks are generally room temperature, but beer is available.
There are basic bathrooms at each end of the car, and if you hunt around some even have a seated toilet.
Once you get to Kashgar you will find many shared taxis waiting near the station. They will charge about 10RMB per person for a ride to the centre of town. For more about where to stay, and what to do, check out Things to Do in Kashgar.
