China Guide
The Northwest
Arrival
Lanzhou's airport is about 70km (90min) north of the city, with connections to all major Chinese cities and Dunhuang and Jiayuguan within Gansu province. The airport buses (¥30) terminate conveniently in the eastern part of the city, outside the CAAC office on Dong Gang Xi Lu.
As the main rail hub of northwest China, Lanzhou is an easy place to travel into or out of by train. Arriving this way, you will almost certainly be dropped off at the massive main train station in the far southeast of the city; there are a number of hotels nearby. Bus #7, #10 or #34 can take you the 2km north to Tianshui Lu, while western Lanzhou, more than a dozen kilometres away, can be reached on bus #1 and trolleybus #31. Should you arrive from Yinchuan, Jiayuguan, Wuwei or Xining by slow train, you can get off at the west train station, from where walking up Qilihe Jie will take you to the Youyi Hotel. Taxi fares start at ¥7 for 3km on the meter.
There are several long-distance bus stations in Lanzhou. Buses from Xiahe arrive at the south bus station; bus #111 outside can take you to Xiguan Shizi Lukou in the centre. Buses from the Hexi Corridor might wind up here too, or – along with traffic from everywhere else – terminate near the train station at the main bus station (well hidden on lower Ping Liang Lu), or at the larger east bus station 1km north.