Planning a Trip
Getting There -- The airport is 12km (7 1/2 miles) north of downtown. Take a taxi from the airport for ¥10 ($1.30/65p), or you can take bus no. 2, which terminates to the west of the Peoples' Square. The CAAC airline ticket office at Jiefang Nan Lu 95 (tel. 0998/282-2113) does not deliver tickets. Do your best not to resemble a separatist; bring your passport and buy your ticket on the spot. Two daily flights connect with Urumqi, and onward flights can also be booked. Discounts can be obtained by booking up to 15 days in advance.
The railway station is southeast of town. Take a 15-minute taxi ride for ¥10 ($1.30/65p), or take bus no. 28 to immediately east of the Peoples' Square. The station sells tickets up to 3 days in advance, and is open from 8:30am to 6pm, but if you want sleeper tickets in the high season it's easiest to proceed through a travel agency, or line up at the Kashi Huochezhan Shinei Shoupiao Chu (ticket office) at Jiefang Bei Lu 226. Despite a sign promising "warm service," you may witness brawls between Uighur queue jumpers and Han security guards. Tickets can be purchased 5 days in advance. The ticket office is open from 10am to 7pm in summer, 10:30am to 7:30pm in winter. The N888 for Urumqi (23 hr.) leaves at 1:06pm, and the 7558 (31 hr.) departs at 9:46am.
Most buses connect to the grandly named International Bus Station (Guoji Qichezhan) in the north of town at Jichang Lu 29 (tel. 0998/282-5208). Fast, comfortable sleeper buses link with Urumqi daily between 10am and 9pm (24 hr.; ¥235/$31/£15 lower berth, ¥210/$27/£14 upper berth). There are also regular buses to Aksu (468km/290 miles, ¥79/$10/£5.15 lower berth, ¥73/$9.50/£4.75 upper berth, ¥62/$8.05/£4.05 seat), and three daily services (1pm, 4pm, and 6pm) to Kuqa (723km/448 miles, ¥123/$16/£8 lower berth, ¥113/$15/£7.35 upper berth) and Korla (1,003km/622 miles, ¥170/$22/£11 lower berth, ¥157/$20/£10 upper berth). There are three departures daily for the long and scenic trip over the mountains to Yining (1,644km/1,019 miles; 2 days; ¥292/$38/£19 lower berth, ¥266/$35/£17 upper berth) at 1pm, 4pm, and 6pm. Buses to Sost in Pakistan (2 days; ¥270/$35/£18) at noon every day stop overnight in Tashkurgan. Note that this service only runs in summer.
Twice a week (9am Mon and Thurs) there is a direct bus to Bishkek for the scenic ride over the Torugart Pass (¥430/$56/£28), but at press time, foreigners were not allowed on it. Until the pass is upgraded to a "first level" border crossing, travelers will need to charter a vehicle through a travel agency in Kashgar. John's Information Cafe and the Caravan Cafe (due to reopen in spring 2008) provide the most reliable services.
It is now possible to take a bus to Osh in southern Kyrgyzstan via Irkeshtam for ¥420 ($55/£27). No permit is required, only a valid Kyrgyz visa. At present, the bus departs at 9am on Monday. In winter, you may need to proceed through travel agencies.
The Diqu Keyun Zong Zhan (Regional Bus Station) on Tiannan Lu has buses to Khotan every 90 minutes from 9:30am (520km/322 miles; ¥92/$12/£6), as well as a sleeper bus that leaves at 9:30pm (¥95/$12/£6.20 lower berth, ¥87/$11/£5.65 upper berth). There is also a daily local bus to Tashkurgan at 9:30am (294km/182 miles; ¥52/$6.70/£3.35). There are regular buses to Yecheng (¥28/$3.65/£1.80), for those considering the illegal journey to Tibet.
Departure times and tickets are quoted in Beijing time (2 hr. ahead of local time), but be sure to double-check when you buy your ticket.
Tours & Guides -- Those interested in adventure travel such as the popular trek out to Mustagh Ata; an assault on the world's second-highest mountain, K2; or following in the footsteps of Swedish explorer Sven Hedin into the mountains south of Khotan, should connect with either the Caravan Cafe or the Kashgar Mountaineering Adventures (tel. 0998/252-3660 or 0998/284-6633; fax 0998/252-2957; www.ksalpine.com) who have offices at both the Chini Bagh and the Seman hotels. They are friendly and experienced mountain guides, and if you want a trekking permit, you must go through them.
Visitor Information -- Reliable information may be obtained from John's Information Cafe (tel./fax 0998/258-1186; www.johncafe.net), which has branches in both the Chini Bagh and Seman hotels. The Caravan Cafe (tel. 0998/298-1864; www.caravancafe.com) was another great source of information, but it was closed at press time and expected to reopen in spring 2008. Plenty of locals are willing to act as guides for a small fee, but if you want someone qualified, try friendly and helpful Akber Tursun (tel. 0/1377-9844-021).
Planning a Trip
Getting There -- The airport is 12km (7 1/2 miles) north of downtown. Take a taxi from the airport for ¥10 ($1.30/65p), or you can take bus no. 2, which terminates to the west of the Peoples' Square. The CAAC airline ticket office at Jiefang Nan Lu 95 (tel. 0998/282-2113) does not deliver tickets. Do your best not to resemble a separatist; bring your passport and buy your ticket on the spot. Two daily flights connect with Urumqi, and onward flights can also be booked. Discounts can be obtained by booking up to 15 days in advance.
The railway station is southeast of town. Take a 15-minute taxi ride for ¥10 ($1.30/65p), or take bus no. 28 to immediately east of the Peoples' Square. The station sells tickets up to 3 days in advance, and is open from 8:30am to 6pm, but if you want sleeper tickets in the high season it's easiest to proceed through a travel agency, or line up at the Kashi Huochezhan Shinei Shoupiao Chu (ticket office) at Jiefang Bei Lu 226. Despite a sign promising "warm service," you may witness brawls between Uighur queue jumpers and Han security guards. Tickets can be purchased 5 days in advance. The ticket office is open from 10am to 7pm in summer, 10:30am to 7:30pm in winter. The N888 for Urumqi (23 hr.) leaves at 1:06pm, and the 7558 (31 hr.) departs at 9:46am.
Most buses connect to the grandly named International Bus Station (Guoji Qichezhan) in the north of town at Jichang Lu 29 (tel. 0998/282-5208). Fast, comfortable sleeper buses link with Urumqi daily between 10am and 9pm (24 hr.; ¥235/$31/£15 lower berth, ¥210/$27/£14 upper berth). There are also regular buses to Aksu (468km/290 miles, ¥79/$10/£5.15 lower berth, ¥73/$9.50/£4.75 upper berth, ¥62/$8.05/£4.05 seat), and three daily services (1pm, 4pm, and 6pm) to Kuqa (723km/448 miles, ¥123/$16/£8 lower berth, ¥113/$15/£7.35 upper berth) and Korla (1,003km/622 miles, ¥170/$22/£11 lower berth, ¥157/$20/£10 upper berth). There are three departures daily for the long and scenic trip over the mountains to Yining (1,644km/1,019 miles; 2 days; ¥292/$38/£19 lower berth, ¥266/$35/£17 upper berth) at 1pm, 4pm, and 6pm. Buses to Sost in Pakistan (2 days; ¥270/$35/£18) at noon every day stop overnight in Tashkurgan. Note that this service only runs in summer.
Twice a week (9am Mon and Thurs) there is a direct bus to Bishkek for the scenic ride over the Torugart Pass (¥430/$56/£28), but at press time, foreigners were not allowed on it. Until the pass is upgraded to a "first level" border crossing, travelers will need to charter a vehicle through a travel agency in Kashgar. John's Information Cafe and the Caravan Cafe (due to reopen in spring 2008) provide the most reliable services.
It is now possible to take a bus to Osh in southern Kyrgyzstan via Irkeshtam for ¥420 ($55/£27). No permit is required, only a valid Kyrgyz visa. At present, the bus departs at 9am on Monday. In winter, you may need to proceed through travel agencies.
The Diqu Keyun Zong Zhan (Regional Bus Station) on Tiannan Lu has buses to Khotan every 90 minutes from 9:30am (520km/322 miles; ¥92/$12/£6), as well as a sleeper bus that leaves at 9:30pm (¥95/$12/£6.20 lower berth, ¥87/$11/£5.65 upper berth). There is also a daily local bus to Tashkurgan at 9:30am (294km/182 miles; ¥52/$6.70/£3.35). There are regular buses to Yecheng (¥28/$3.65/£1.80), for those considering the illegal journey to Tibet.
Departure times and tickets are quoted in Beijing time (2 hr. ahead of local time), but be sure to double-check when you buy your ticket.
Tours & Guides -- Those interested in adventure travel such as the popular trek out to Mustagh Ata; an assault on the world's second-highest mountain, K2; or following in the footsteps of Swedish explorer Sven Hedin into the mountains south of Khotan, should connect with either the Caravan Cafe or the Kashgar Mountaineering Adventures (tel. 0998/252-3660 or 0998/284-6633; fax 0998/252-2957; www.ksalpine.com) who have offices at both the Chini Bagh and the Seman hotels. They are friendly and experienced mountain guides, and if you want a trekking permit, you must go through them.
Visitor Information -- Reliable information may be obtained from John's Information Cafe (tel./fax 0998/258-1186; www.johncafe.net), which has branches in both the Chini Bagh and Seman hotels. The Caravan Cafe (tel. 0998/298-1864; www.caravancafe.com) was another great source of information, but it was closed at press time and expected to reopen in spring 2008. Plenty of locals are willing to act as guides for a small fee, but if you want someone qualified, try friendly and helpful Akber Tursun (tel. 0/1377-9844-021).
