Kashgar Transportation: A Detailed & Practical Travel Guide

Major ways to get to Kashgar include flying, railway, and long-distance coaches. Among them, flying is currently the fastest way for international travelers to get to Kashgar, while the railroad provides an excellent experience for visitors who wish to witness the diverse Xinjiang landscapes on the way.

Kashgar is located in southwestern Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region which borders countries like Tajikistan and Pakistan. It is a major stop on the ancient Silk Road as well as an important transportation hub to many destinations including Pamir Plateau, China-Pakistan Highway, and Tashkurgan.

No matter your plans for how to get to Kashgar, reach your hotel after arrival, or visit major attractions like Tashkurgan and Karakul Lake, this article will provide you with a complete and useful transportation guide.

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• How to Get to Kashgar
• How to Get to Kashgar City Center After Arrival
• Kashgar City Transportation
• Getting to Popular Attractions from Kashgar
• Kashgar Transportation Tips

How to Get to Kashgar

For most international visitors, you need to first travel to Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, or Urumqi and then transfer for a domestic flight or train to Kashgar.

Due to the fact that Kashgar is over 4,000 kilometers away from major cities in eastern China, flying is almost always the most time-efficient option. If you have an ample amount of time in your itinerary, you can choose to take the Xinjiang railroad and enjoy a change of sceneries from the Gobi Desert, snow mountains, to oases along the way.

Ways to Get to Kashgar

Different Cities to Kashgar	Recommended Way of Transport	Estimated Travel Time	Estimated Cost (RMB)
Urumqi to Kashgar	Flight / Train	2 hours by flight 12-26 hours by train	¥400-1200 by flight ¥300-500 for soft-sleeper trains
Beijing to Kashgar	Flight (mostly with transfers)	6-8 hours	¥1650-3500
Shanghai to Kashgar	Flight (with transfers)	7-9 hours	¥2200-4000
Guangzhou to Kashgar	Flight (with transfers)	7-9 hours	¥2200-4200
Xi’an to Kashgar	Flight / Train	4-5 hours by flight 40 hours by train	¥900-2200
Chengdu to Kashgar	Flight	4.5-6 hours	¥1200-2500
Dunhuang to Kashgar	Seasonal flights / Train with transfers	4-10 hours	from ¥800

Travel Tip: If your budget allows, taking a flight to Kashgar is the top choice for international travelers. If you’re already on a Xinjiang tour in a different part, flying or taking an over-night sleeper train from Urumqi can be good options.

Flying to Kashgar

Kashgar Laining International Airport (KHG) is one of the biggest air hubs in South Xinjiang. There are flights to many cities including Urumqi, Beijing, Xi’an, Chengdu, and Shanghai. Among them, flights to Urumqi are the most frequent with several flights each day.

If you’re traveling to Kashgar from abroad, we usually recommend taking an international flight first to Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, or Urumqi and then transferring for a domestic flight to Kashgar.

Travel Tip: It’ll save you a lot of money to book your flight one or two months in advance during the peak season (June to October).

Recommended Classic Kashgar Tours:

• 7 Days Classic Xinjiang Tour of Kashgar, Urumqi, Turpan
• 5 Days Best Urumqi and Kashgar Tour by Flight

Traveling to Kashgar by Rail

If you enjoy traveling by rail, you can choose to take a train to Kashgar. As of now, Kashgar railway mainly connects cities including Urumqi, Aksu, Hotan, Turpan, Lanzhou, and Xi’an.

The most popular rail route is from Urumqi to Kashgar. Depending on the type of train, the total journey will be around 12-26 hours. Overnight sleeper trains are a good choice to save on the accommodation for the night.

• Are there high-speed trains to Kashgar?

It’s a frequently asked question by travelers. The answer is unfortunately no. There are currently no direct high-speed trains to Kashgar.

Services available right now are Xinjiang normal trains and partly D-series trains that are faster than normal trains but do not meet the standard for high-speed trains (over 250 km/h). Thus, with limited travel time, flying is still the best option.

How to Get to Kashgar City Center After Arrival

After arriving in Kashgar, most travelers will first head to the hotel or Kashgar Old Town. Whether you arrive at Kashgar Airport or Kashgar Railway Station, the city center is not far, usually 15-30 minutes away. Taxis and ride-hailing services are the most convenient.

Kashgar Airport Transportation

Kashgar Airport is about 10 km from the city center, about 15-20 minutes by car.

Way of Transport	Time Needed	Estimates Cost	Rating
Taxi	15-20 minutes	¥20-40	★★★★★
DiDi ride-hailing service	20-25 minutes	¥20-35	★★★★★
Bus	40-50 minutes	¥2	★★★☆☆
Airport shuttle bus	30-40 minutes	¥10-20	★★★★☆

If this is your first time in Kashgar, we recommend taking a taxi or using DiDi. It’s not only fast but also convenient for getting straight to your hotel.

• From Kashgar Airport to Kashgar Old Town

Kashgar Old Town is the most popular area of stay for travelers.

From the airport, it’ll take about 20 minutes to get to the old town by car. You can also take a bus with a 500-meter walk.

If your flight arrives at night, we recommend contacting your hotel beforehand to see if there’s an airport pick-up service.

You can contact us if you need a local airport pick-up service.

Kashgar Railway Station to Old Town

Kashgar Railway Station is about 7 km from the old town.

It’ll take about 20 minutes by taxi for RMB 15-25.

For bus services, you can take the No. 20 bus to the Old Town East Gate stop and then walk for about 5 minutes to the old town.

Walking is not recommended even though the old town is not very far from the railway station. It’ll be difficult to walk with luggage especially in the summer heat. Taxis are a lot more convenient for a low fare.

Kashgar City Transportation

The city center area of Kashgar is not big. Most attractions are located within Kashgar Old Town, around Id Kah Mosque and Abakh Hoja Tomb.

For travelers, the drive between most attractions won’t be over 20 minutes, so getting around by walking and taxi should be enough for most itinerary plans.

Walking

If you’re staying near Kashgar Old Town, these attractions should be within walking distance:

• Kashgar Old Town
• Id Kah Mosque
• The century-old Kashgar Teahouse
• Zhiren Street and residential alleys
• Night markets and food streets

The streets and alleyways within the old town are narrow. Motor traffic is restricted, so walking is the best way to experience local life and culture and see the architecture.

Taxis in Kashgar

There are plenty of taxi services in Kashgar. It’s the most common way of transport for travelers.

You can almost get a taxi anytime within the city center for a cheap price. Payment methods such as cash, Alipay, and WeChat Pay are supported. It’s very convenient for getting to the airport or railway station.

It usually costs about RMB 10-30 to get around within the city center, RMB 20-40 to the airport, and RMB 15-25 to the railway station.

We recommend using the meter for your taxi trips. If you’re traveling a long distance, you and the driver can agree on a price beforehand.

DiDi (Ride-Hailing) in Kashgar

DiDi now covers the entire city center area of Kashgar. It’s a pretty recommended way of transport for international travelers.

Its advantages include

• allowing you to book your ride in advance,
• offering set prices so there’s no need to negotiate with the driver,
• allowing you to directly set your hotel or attractions as the destination.

Most foreign travelers can use DiDi without trouble by linking international bank cards or Alipay.

It’s a good idea to save the name of your hotel in Chinese so your driver won’t mistake where you’re going.

Buses in Kashgar

Buses are the cheapest way of getting around Kashgar. There are frequent services priced from RMB 1-3 covering the airport, city center, and major residential areas.

However, for international travelers, buses can be difficult to navigate because most of the stops and route information are in Chinese. If you’re only visiting Kashgar Old Town and some nearby attractions, we don’t usually recommend taking the time to learn about local bus routes.

Getting to Popular Attractions from Kashgar

Kashgar is not just a famous city of history and culture, but the starting point for exploring Pamir Plateau as well.

Whether you’re traveling to Tashkurgan, Karakul Lake, Muztagata, or Khunjerab Pass, you need to begin your journey from Kashgar, travel down south along China-Pakistan Highway (Karakoram Highway, G314). Along the way, you’ll witness the change of sceneries from snow mountains, lakes, to grasslands, and canyons. It’s been named one of the most beautiful highways in China.

Kashgar to Tashkurgan

Tashkurgan is about 300 km away from Kashgar. It’s the most popular travel destination on Pamir Plateau.

Here are the major ways of transportation to get there and get around.

Way of Transport	Travel Time	Estimated Cost	Recommended Rate
Hired private car (5 seats)	5-6 hours	¥800-1200 per day	★★★★★
Shared ride	5-6 hours	¥200-400 per person	★★★★
Sightseeing bus	Over 6 hours	¥80-150 per person	★★★★
Organized day or 2-day tour	/	From ¥600 per person	★★★★★

If you wish to stop along the way to photograph Baisha Lake, Karakul Lake, and Muztagata, we recommend hiring your own private car or book an organized tour. You’ll be able to enjoy a more flexible trip.

We provide professional local tour guide services and comfortable vehicles. You can also customize your trip from Kashgar with us.

Kashgar to Karakul Lake

Karakul Lake is about 190 km from Kashgar. It’s the best spot for seeing Muztagata and the reflected Kongur Tagh.

Recommended ways to get there:

• hired private car (most flexible)
• shared ride
• Tashkurgan sightseeing bus stopover
• organized day tours

Most travelers plan for a day trip to Karakul Lake and Baisha Lake. From there they either keep heading towards their accommodation in Tashkurgan or return to Kashgar.

Kashgar to Khunjerab Pass

Khunjerab Pass is located on the border between China and Pakistan. With an altitude over 4,700 meters, it’s one of the highest passes on land in the world.

It’s usually visited together with Tashkurgan.

Note: In the winter, Khunjerab Pass may be closed or restricted for entry due to weather conditions. Visitors should check the latest opening information beforehand. International travelers usually need to go through the required procedures in order to visit border regions.

Kashgar Transportation Tips

Kashgar transportation is overall very convenient, and more and more international visitors are traveling to Kashgar. However, due to the sheer size of Xinjiang and the fact that parts of Kashgar are under border control, it’s important to get to know the transportation policies and travel document requirements in advance to ensure a smooth trip.

Here are some important things to consider:

• Can tourists go to Kashgar?

Yes, foreign travelers eligible for entering China can travel to Kashgar.

• Carry your passport with you the whole time. Flying, taking a train, and checking in at the hotel all require identification.
• Before traveling to border regions like Tashkurgan and Khunjerab Pass, make sure you check for the latest policy to see whether you need to apply for certain border travel permits.

• Customs and security can be strict at airports, train stations, and highway inspection points. We recommend reserving for at least 30 to 60 minutes in your itinerary.
• Book your flights and hotels in advance during the peak season (June to October).

• You can purchase your train ticket at the official 12306 site. International travelers can use passports as proof of identification.
• DiDi, Alipay, and WeChat Pay are all pretty common in Kashgar. It’s a good idea to set up your account beforehand.

• If you’re planning on traveling to Pamir Plateau, you should contact a reputable travel agency or your hotel to book a private car. There may not be such services available during the peak season.
• Choosing Kashgar transportation in short:

✓ With limited time, flying to Kashgar is the best option.

✓ To get around Kashgar city center, take a taxi or DiDi ride. They are convenient and cheap.

With the travel guide above, most visitors can get to and around Kashgar without trouble, as well as plan an efficient trip to Kashgar Old Town, Pamir Plateau, and the most representative landscapes of western Xinjiang.