The Southern Xinjiang railway runs from Turpan, north of the mountains, through a tunnel crossing of the Tianshan to Korla and then west along the northern edge of the Tarim basin to Kashgar. The line was completed in the 1980s and it follows the route of the old Silk Road's northern branch, linking the oasis towns that made that route work: Korla, Kuqa, Aksu and the string of smaller settlements between them. Travelling its full length from Urumqi takes the better part of a day and is one of the more rewarding train journeys in China.
What you see
Leaving Urumqi the line runs east through the gap at Dabancheng, past the wind farms and salt lake, then turns south into the mountains. The climb to the pass is the most scenic section, through a bare gorge of red and grey rock with the railway looping across itself on viaducts. Beyond the tunnel the landscape opens into the vast dry basin: gravel desert, low scrub, sand ridges, and then the oasis towns, each a green patch of poplar windbreaks, fields and irrigation channels surrounded by emptiness. The approach to Kashgar crosses the river plain and ends at a station on the edge of the city.
Practicalities on board
There are several classes, from hard seat through hard sleeper to soft sleeper, and the overnight services are the practical choice for the full run. Sleeping berths sell out days ahead in the summer, and the newer faster services sell out first. Tickets are bought through the official railway app or at the station with a passport; Chinese trains are punctual, and the berths, bedding and hot water are provided. Food is available from a trolley and a dining car, and there is usually a queue at the water boiler for instant noodles, which is what most passengers eat.
Practical notes
Xinjiang uses the same time zone as Beijing officially, but the sun rises and sets two hours later than in the east, so a train arriving at nine in the evening arrives in what feels like late afternoon. Take food and water for the day, a warm layer for the air conditioning in summer and for the heating in winter, and a power strip if you need to charge devices. Note that checks of identity documents are routine in Xinjiang, and that photography of railway infrastructure and security installations is not permitted at stations or along the line.
