Planning a Trip
Getting There -- Khotan's airport (tel. 0903/293-3200), 10km (6 1/4 miles) west of downtown has one daily flight to Urumqi. The airport is served by bus (¥2/25¢/15p), or taxi (Yen)15/$1.95/£1). The CAAC air ticket office at Wulumuqi Nan Lu 14 (tel. 0903/251-8999), is open from 9:30am to 8pm.
The main bus station (tel. 0903/202-2688) is at Hemo Lu 5, north of town, on the south side of Highway 315. Comfortable sleeper buses at 11am, 4pm, and 6pm cross the Taklamakan Desert Highway to Urumqi (1,509km/936 miles; 22 hr.; ¥387/$50/£26 lower berth, ¥348/$45/£23 upper berth) and these services also stop in at Korla (¥171/$22/£11 lower berth, ¥155/$20/£10 upper berth). Cheaper, less comfortable sleeper buses (¥315/$41/£21) run every 2 hours between 11am and 9pm. For Kuqa, buy a ticket to Luntai (874km/542 miles; 10 hr.; ¥155/$20/£10). You are dropped off in the forlorn settlement of Lunnan, about 30km (19 miles) south of Luntai. A seat in a taxi to Luntai should cost ¥10 ($1.30/65p). Ask to be dropped at the bus station (qiche zhan), where buses for Kuqa (110km/68 miles; 2 hr.; ¥10/$1.30/65p) leave when full. There are plenty of buses to Kashgar (520km/322 miles; 8 hr.), both regular (¥90/$12/£5.85) and evening sleeper services (¥95/$12/£6.20 lower berth, ¥87/$11/£5.65 upper berth). Regular buses depart from the east station (Dongjiao Keyun Zhan) on Taibei Dong Lu and visit the oasis towns east of Khotan, stopping at Keriya (Yutian; 177km/110 miles; 3 hr.; ¥22/$2.85/£1.45), Niya (Minfeng; 294km/182 miles; 4 hr.; ¥35/$4.55/£2.30), and Charchan (Qiemo; 603km/374 miles; 9 hr.; ¥80/$10/£5.20).
Getting Around -- Taxis are plentiful, but seldom use their meters; ¥5 (65¢/35p) is sufficient for most journeys within town. Bus fare is usually ¥1 (15¢/5p), paid to the conductor.
Tours & Guides -- CITS is on the third floor of Tamubage Lu 23 (tel. 0903/251-6090; fax 0903/202-2846). It's open from 9:30am to 1:30pm and 4 to 8pm. While rates charged for guides are reasonable, you're better off arranging your own transport.
Planning a Trip
Getting There -- Khotan's airport (tel. 0903/293-3200), 10km (6 1/4 miles) west of downtown has one daily flight to Urumqi. The airport is served by bus (¥2/25¢/15p), or taxi (Yen)15/$1.95/£1). The CAAC air ticket office at Wulumuqi Nan Lu 14 (tel. 0903/251-8999), is open from 9:30am to 8pm.
The main bus station (tel. 0903/202-2688) is at Hemo Lu 5, north of town, on the south side of Highway 315. Comfortable sleeper buses at 11am, 4pm, and 6pm cross the Taklamakan Desert Highway to Urumqi (1,509km/936 miles; 22 hr.; ¥387/$50/£26 lower berth, ¥348/$45/£23 upper berth) and these services also stop in at Korla (¥171/$22/£11 lower berth, ¥155/$20/£10 upper berth). Cheaper, less comfortable sleeper buses (¥315/$41/£21) run every 2 hours between 11am and 9pm. For Kuqa, buy a ticket to Luntai (874km/542 miles; 10 hr.; ¥155/$20/£10). You are dropped off in the forlorn settlement of Lunnan, about 30km (19 miles) south of Luntai. A seat in a taxi to Luntai should cost ¥10 ($1.30/65p). Ask to be dropped at the bus station (qiche zhan), where buses for Kuqa (110km/68 miles; 2 hr.; ¥10/$1.30/65p) leave when full. There are plenty of buses to Kashgar (520km/322 miles; 8 hr.), both regular (¥90/$12/£5.85) and evening sleeper services (¥95/$12/£6.20 lower berth, ¥87/$11/£5.65 upper berth). Regular buses depart from the east station (Dongjiao Keyun Zhan) on Taibei Dong Lu and visit the oasis towns east of Khotan, stopping at Keriya (Yutian; 177km/110 miles; 3 hr.; ¥22/$2.85/£1.45), Niya (Minfeng; 294km/182 miles; 4 hr.; ¥35/$4.55/£2.30), and Charchan (Qiemo; 603km/374 miles; 9 hr.; ¥80/$10/£5.20).
Getting Around -- Taxis are plentiful, but seldom use their meters; ¥5 (65¢/35p) is sufficient for most journeys within town. Bus fare is usually ¥1 (15¢/5p), paid to the conductor.
Tours & Guides -- CITS is on the third floor of Tamubage Lu 23 (tel. 0903/251-6090; fax 0903/202-2846). It's open from 9:30am to 1:30pm and 4 to 8pm. While rates charged for guides are reasonable, you're better off arranging your own transport.
