Xining Transportation

Air

Xining Caojiabao Airport, located at Gaozhai Township, Huzhu County, is about 17 miles (28 kilometers) away from downtown area. Built in 1991, the airport is a very important transitional center in Qinghai Province as well as in the Northwest of China. Untill now, airlines leading to Beijing, Guangzhou, Xi'an, Shanghai, Wuhan, Lanzhou, etc. have been opened.

Train

As the traffic hub of Qinghai Province, in the important northwest region of China, Xining Railway Station possesses 4 trunk and 17 feeder railway lines, radiating out in all directions. The world famous Qinghai-Tibet Railway traverses the city, taking on part of the transportations links between Tibet, Qinghai and Gansu Provinces. The Lanzhou-Qinghai, Lanzhou-Xinjiang and the Qinghai-Tibet railways meet here, transporting passengers to/from Beijing, Shanghai, Xi'an and Qingdao, Zhengzhou and Lhasa by non-bullet trains and transporting passengers to/from Lanzhou, Jiayuguan, Zhangye, Kumul, Urumqi by high speed trains.

Major Rail Lines from Xining to:

Train at Xining Railway Station

Xining Railway Station

Address of the Railway Station: Huzhu Road, Chengdong District in Xining city

Available Trains to Lhasa: Z265, Z323, Z917, Z165, Z21. Their duration is about 21-22 hours. Ticket fare is CNY815 for a soft sleeper, CNY530 for a hard sleeper, and CNY224 for a hard seat.

The letters of ratification to Tibet, which is issued by the Foreign Affairs Office of Tibet Autonomous Region, is required when foreigners buy tickets. Meanwhile, the letters of ratification to Tibet issued by the Tourism Administration or by the Business Department of Tibet Autonomous Region are also accepted. The later two are also applicable for Taiwanese compatriots.

See detailed Xining Train Schedule

Long-Distance Buses

Visiting the city by long-distance buses will make your trip more convenient, with a majority of passenger and freight being taken by highway. The Xining Bus Terminal has an advanced administrative systems and service establishments. With the investment of the local governments, five main arteries were constructed here. They connect to major cities and counties both within and outside of Qinghai Province.

Every day, before noon, long-distance buses spectacularly depart en rout to Dunhuang and Liujiaxia of Gansu Province, Suide and Xi'an of Shaanxi Province and Henan Province. As well as the afternoon, there are also buses to some parts of Gansu Province and Yinchuan of Ningxia Province.

Address: Western end of Jianguo Lu, separated from the Railway Station by Huangshui River.

Subway

At the moment, Xining has no subway system yet. Three metro lines will be constructed to serve the city in long-term plan: Line 1, Line 2 and Line 3. Line 1 will serve as the traffic artery, running from east to west across the city. The L-shaped line 2 will connect Beichuan and Dongchuan areas, while line 3 will link Xichuan and Nanchuan areas. As scheduled, Line 1 and the first phase of line 3 between Qingshui Road and Sanjiao Huayuan will be constructed first.

Line 1: Jinkai Road - Xicheng Street
Length: 18 miles (29 kilometers)
Opening Time: 2021
Route: Jinkai Road - Jinyuan Road - Mingxing Road - Jinqiao Road - Minhe Road - Bowen Road - Bayi Road - Chujiaying - Xining Railway Station - Qiyi Road - Huayuan Street - Dashizi - Central Square - Tongren Road - Xinning Square - Haihu Road - Wenhui Road - Tonghai Road - Sports Center - Huangshui Road - Taobei Village - No. 15 Road - Xicheng Street

Line 2: Bowen Road - Huayuantai Village
Length: 13 miles (21 kilometers)
Route: Bowen Road - Delingha Road - Ledu Road - South Street - Changjiang Road - Medical College of Qinghai University - Xinning Square - Qaidam Road - Menyuan Road - Tianjin Road - Jiangyuan Road - Weier Road - North Passenger Transport Station - Qinghai University - Qinghai Normal University - Huayuantai Village

Line 3: Kumbum Monastery - No. 21 Road
Length: 25 miles (41 kilometers)
Opening Time: 2023
Route: Kumbum Monastery - No.19 Street - Xujiazhai - Qingshui Road - Zongzhai 4th Road - Yuanding Road - Ruiyuan Road - Huasheng Road - Xunhua Road - Xingwang Road - Huangyuan Road - Zhuanchang Road - Liuyi Road - Changjiang Road - Changjiang Road - Central Square - Sanjiao Huayuan - Qilian Road - Chaoyang Community - Menyuan Road - Haihu Road North - Yanzhuang - Tonghai Road North - West Railway Station - Xigang - Yanxiaocun - No. 21 Road

City-Bus

Bus stop and bus in Xining

A number of bus routes in the city offer visitors convenient tourist arrangements. Generally speaking, they can be divided into two kinds; first is the common regular self-service busses that reach the downtown districts and some suburbs. Before boarding, you need to prepare some change for the fare. On the other hand, the buses from No.101 to No.109 are pint-size, mainly connecting the city center with suburbs and the new zone of the Southern District. Except No.80 and No.81, the fare is CNY1 for one person.

For the minibuses, the cost is CNY0.5 per person within six stops and CNY1 for more than six stops.

Taxi

Taxi is an easy way to tour the city, and 5,000 cars are available here. The rate of local taxis is not expensive, so a large number of people would choose to travel by cab. Travelers touring in and around the city sometimes even hire a cab for an efficient trip. See the taxi charging standard below:

Starting Fare		CNY8 for the first 3km (2mi)
Charge between 3-10km (2-6mi)		CNY1.6/km
Charge beyond 10km (6mi)		CNY2.4/km
Waiting Fee	17:00 – 20:00	CNY0.48/minute
	Other Time	CNY0.32/minute

- Last updated on May. 06, 2024 -