GETTING AROUND
PUBLIC TRANSPORTBuses are cheap: Y1 - Y1.5 for most journeys. For bus routes, the best thing is to try to buy a city map (Y3.5) from a newsstand. Online bus information is available through the 'Get Directions' function on Google Maps. Right click points on the map to select 'to' and 'from', and make sure you have selected 'bus' in 'Show options'.
The journey from the train station to the provincial museum is shown here on the right. The first line of the rapid bus transport system is under construction, linking Anning District and the west of the city. Taxis aren't too expensive either. The meter starts at Y7 for the first 3 km, and then it's Y1.4 per km after that. The cost of taking a taxi to the museum from the train station (which is 8.5km) then, is calculated like this: ((8.5-3) x 1.4) + 7 = 14.7 = Y15. |
Zhongchuan AirportLanzhou has direct flights to most cities. If not direct, then there is usually a stop in Xi'an involved. The airport is around 70km north of the city. Airport information (including arrivals and departures) here.
Chinese name: 兰州中川机场 (Lánzhōu Zhōngchuān Jīchăng) Taxi: approx Y140 (discuss with driver) Airport Bus: 1 hour, Y30 (a railway express is under construction, which is supposed to bring the journey time down to 20 minutes). Departs from outside the airport arrivals (map), and takes you into the city centre. Rule of thumb: if there's an arrival, there's a bus into the city. Unfortunately, there is still no direct airport bus to Anning District (12 km to the west of the city centre, taxi Y30 from the airport bus drop off). It's worth considering a shared taxi from the airport (45 mins), if that's where you need to get to. |
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Departs the city on the hour every hour from the China Eastern Airlines main ticket office (东方航空售票处, Dōngfāng Hángkōng Shòupiàochù) on Dōnggāng Xīlù (东岗西路). As a rule of thumb, if there is a plane scheduled to depart early in the morning, there should be a bus leaving the city around 1.5 to 2 hours before. Shared taxis also depart from here (Y50 per person). Map.
The map shows the route, including both departure and drop-off points in the city.
Arrivals and departures: Flightstats.com
Flight info: 9588
Lanzhou Railway Station
Located: south end of Tiānshuì Lù (天水路), in the east of the city. Map. |
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Lanzhou-Xining Trains
Lanzhou (兰州) to Xining (西宁)
Xining (西宁) to Lanzhou (兰州)
Note: To filter the results to only show trains that begin their journeys (始) at either Lanzhou or Xining, uncheck the 途径 box above the timetable.
Lanzhou-Dunhuang Trains
1) Direct train to Dunhuang station. (Dunhuang-Lanzhou)
2) Train to Liuyuan (on the Lanzhou-Urumqi line), then taxi/bus onwards to Dunhuang. (Liuyuan-Lanzhou)
East Bus Station
This is Lanzhou's biggest bus station, with departures to all provinces in China. |
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South Bus Station
This replaced the West Bus Station for departures to southern areas of Gansu (甘南 Gānnán and 陇南 Lŏngnán) |
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West Station
It seems to be getting gradually phased out, but still useful on occasions. |
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Tianshui Lu Bus Station
Located: Tiānshuì Lù (天水路), 200m north of the train station on the east side of the road. Map. |
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