Dunhuang Railway Station

Dunhuang Railway Station is 1 mile (1.7 kilometers) from Dunhuang Airport, 7.5 miles (12 kilometers) from the city center, and 10 miles (16 kilometers) from the Mogao Caves. The station is the second largest railway station in Gansu Province ranked after Lanzhou Railway Station, as well as the only one in the province dedicated to tourism use.

Address: Yangguan Main Road, Wudun Village, Mogao Town

As a major gateway of Dunhuang, the station was constructed in a cruciform symmetrical system with a distinctive Han (BC202 – 220) and Tang (618 - 907) Dynasties’ style. On exiting from the station one can see magnificent decoration and sculptures of flying fairies.

Get Onboard

Interior of a Hard Sleeper Carriage

The main building is of two floors with an area of 13,000 square yards (10,865 square meters). Though only a few trains go through every day, the station is well equipped for travelers’ convenience. The primary infrastructures in the station are as follows:
1. Ticket office: It is located on the first floor, with 7 ticket windows being in operation there.
2. Service center: Offer enquiry about train schedule and routes, hotel booking in the city, and Dunhuang travel itineraries and tips, etc.
3. Waiting room: The room has a capacity for 1,000 passengers. It is equipped with convenience store, news stall, wash room and drinking water room.
4. Left luggage service: Luggage storage office is located to the left of railway entrance/ right of exit. It provides 24 hour lockers of multiple sizes for selection.
5. Broadcast: The broadcast in the station gives the real-time train information in Chinese, English, and Japanese continuously.
6. Parking lot: There is a charged parking lot available in the station square.
7. Police office: It is located in the right side of the station exit, with police on duty 24 hours a day.
8. Wash room: Besides the wash rooms in the waiting room, it is also accessible in the station square. The one to the right side of the parking lot is a charged toilet, while the wash room to the right side of the waiting room is for free.

At present, the station only operates ordinary trains originating from Dunhuang to Jiayuguan, Lanzhou, and Xi'an.

 Major Rail Lines from the station to:

 1. By Bus:
Downtown –Railway Station – Mogao Caves Special Line: This is the only city bus available at the train station. It starts from Dunhuang Hotel, passes by Silk Road Hotel, Xinglong Hotel, railway station, and finally reaches Mogao Caves. The bus starts running at 08:30 with an interval of 30 minutes. Ticket fare is CNY8. The last bus returns from Mogao Caves to downtown at 18:00.

2. By taxi:

From	To	Fare (CNY)	Duration (minute)
Dunhuang Railway Station	Dunhuang Airport	10	5
	City Center	30	20
	Mogao Caves	40	25
	Echoing-Sand Mountain (Mingsha Shan)	50	30

Tip: Dunhuang is actually a small city and taxi ride is not expensive. Hence, it is recommended more than city buses, which are neither frequently seen nor scheduled. If one shares a taxi with others, it will cost even less.

3. Public Transportation to Echoing-Sand Mountain (Mingsha Shan): One can take the special line from the train station to its terminus stop, Dunhuang Hotel. Walk westward for about 300 yards to Shazhou Market Cross, and then take bus no. 3 to the mountain. The ticket fare for bus no.3 is CNY1.