Gansu is a long, narrow province in northwest China that follows the Hexi Corridor, the Silk Road passage between the Qilian Mountains and the Gobi. It joins the Yellow River city of Lanzhou, the Mogao Caves and Mingsha dunes at Dunhuang, the Ming fort at Jiayuguan, the rainbow Danxia hills of Zhangye, and the Tibetan monasteries of Xiahe and Langmusi into one of China's richest cultural and landscape routes.
- Public
- Gansu is a long, narrow province stretched along the Hexi Corridor, so travel is mostly point-to-point. Lanzhou West is the high-speed rail hub (Lanzhou-Xinjiang, Lanzhou-Xi'an via Baoji and Tianshui, Lanzhou-Xining), and Lanzhou has a small metro (Lines 1 and 2). Beyond the main cities, intercity buses and tourist shuttles are the only public option to most sights
- Taxi
- Taxis are cheap and DiDi (滴滴出行) works in Lanzhou, Dunhuang, Zhangye and Jiayuguan; it is thin or absent in remote Gannan and desert areas, where a chartered car with driver is normal
- Rental
- Self-drive is difficult for foreign visitors, who need a Chinese driving licence; a car with driver is the practical choice for Dunhuang's desert sites, Zhangye Danxia, and the Gannan grassland loop
- Walking
- Dunhuang town centre, Jiayuguan's old town and Lanzhou's Yellow River riverside are walkable, but nearly every major sight lies 10-100+ km outside town
Transport at a glance
- Public
- 3/5
- Taxi
- 4/5
- Rental
- 2/5
- Walking
- 3/5
Airport transfers
Getting from the airport to your accommodation.
- Lanzhou
- Zhongchuan Airport East station to Lanzhou West by intercity train in about 40-50 minutes for CNY 17-27 (USD 2.52-4.00); a taxi costs about CNY 150-200 (USD 22.22-29.63)
- Dunhuang
- Dunhuang Mogao International Airport is about 13 km from town; taxi about CNY 30-50 (USD 4.44-7.41), or the airport shuttle bus for about CNY 10-15 (USD 1.48-2.22)
- Jiayuguan
- Jiayuguan Airport is about 13 km from the city; taxi about CNY 30-50 (USD 4.44-7.41)
Local transport
Getting around the city.
Lanzhou
Metro Lines 1 and 2, city buses, taxis and DiDi
Dunhuang
Town buses, taxis, DiDi and tourist shuttles to Mingsha and Mogao
Zhangye
City buses and taxis; a seasonal tourist shuttle runs to Zhangye Danxia
Jiayuguan
City buses and taxis; the fort is within a short taxi ride of the city centre
Xiahe
Compact town; Labrang Monastery is walkable from the main street, and shared taxis reach the Sangke grassland
Taxis & rideshare
What to expect from taxis and apps.
- Flagfall
- About CNY 8-10 (USD 1.19-1.48) for the first 3 km in Lanzhou and other main towns
- Per Km
- About CNY 1.5-2.0 (USD 0.22-0.30) per km after the flagfall
- Ride Hailing
- DiDi (滴滴出行) is cheaper than street taxis and shows the fare before you ride; use the English-language interface and pay by Alipay or WeChat Pay
- Notes
- Taxis in smaller towns may not use meters on out-of-town trips; agree the price before departure
Intercity travel
Getting between cities and regions.
Lanzhou Xining
High-speed train, about 1-1.25 hours, from CNY 50 (USD 7.41)
Lanzhou Xian
High-speed train, about 3.5-4 hours, about CNY 240-280 (USD 35.56-41.48)
Lanzhou Zhangye
High-speed train, about 2-2.5 hours, about CNY 140-190 (USD 20.74-28.15)
Lanzhou Jiayuguan
High-speed train, about 3-3.5 hours
Lanzhou Dunhuang
Flight about 2 hours; high-speed train about 7-8 hours (about CNY 324 / USD 48.00); overnight sleeper 11-15 hours
Lanzhou Xiahe
Bus about 3.5-4.5 hours, about CNY 70-90 (USD 10.37-13.33); no rail
Transportation details
Full breakdown of how to get around.
Gansu's transport spine runs northwest from Lanzhou along the Hexi Corridor through Wuwei, Zhangye, Jiayuguan and Dunhuang. Lanzhou Zhongchuan International Airport (LHW) is the main gateway, and four regional airports (Dunhuang, Jiayuguan, Zhangye and Gannan Xiahe) plus Tianshui serve the rest. High-speed rail connects Lanzhou West with Xining, Xi'an and the Hexi Corridor cities as far as Liuyuan, while buses, chartered cars and tourist shuttles cover the last leg to Bingling Temple, Labrang Monastery, the Danxia landforms and the Dunhuang desert sites.
Airports
Lanzhou Zhongchuan International Airport
Dunhuang Mogao International Airport
Jiayuguan Airport
Zhangye Ganzhou Airport
Gannan Xiahe Airport
Useful apps
Download before you arrive.
12306
Trip.com
DiDi (滴滴出行)
Alipay and WeChat Pay
Baidu Maps and Amap (Gaode)
Transport tips
Travel smarter, not harder.
Install DiDi, Alipay (with Tour Pass or a linked foreign card) or WeChat Pay before arrival; cash is accepted less and less, and Alipay/WeChat Pay also work for metro QR codes in Lanzhou
Book high-speed rail on the 12306 app (register your passport) or Trip.com; book at least 1-3 days ahead for weekends and the May-October peak
The Lanzhou-Xinjiang high-speed line serves Lanzhou West, Zhangye West, Jiayuguan South and Liuyuan South; Dunhuang itself is reached by a separate branch line and a Dunhuang Railway Station, so check the exact station name on 12306 before buying
Mogao Caves, Mingsha Mountain and Yadan are all outside Dunhuang town; the Mogao Digital Exhibition Center is the mandatory first stop and tickets for Mogao sell out in peak season, so reserve in advance
Distances are large: Lanzhou to Dunhuang is roughly 1,100 km, so most travellers fly (about 2 hours) one way or take the sleeper or high-speed train (about 7-8 hours by high-speed)
Carry your passport at all times; stations, hotels and scenic-area ticket offices check ID
Use Baidu Maps or Amap (Gaode) for routing; Google Maps is unreliable in mainland China
Xiahe and Gannan sit above 2,900 m; bus and taxi journeys on mountain roads can close briefly in winter snow