How do Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, and overseas Chinese travel the Qinghai-Gansu Grand Loop? Flight, train, and transportation guide in one go
For many Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan tourists and overseas Chinese planning the Qinghai-Gansu Grand Loop for the first time, the most common questions are not “Is Qinghai Lake worth visiting” or “Is it necessary to arrange Dunhuang”, but:
- Where is the most convenient entry point to the Qinghai-Gansu Grand Loop?
- Fly to Xining or Lanzhou?
- Are there direct flights from Hong Kong, Singapore, or Taiwan?
- If I don’t want to fly, are there other transportation options?
In fact, one of the biggest advantages of the Qinghai-Gansu Grand Loop is that transportation is more convenient than Xinjiang.
Whether coming from Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, or regions like Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, Europe, or the Americas, most tourists can reach Xining or Lanzhou with just one transfer and then begin their Qinghai-Gansu, Gannan, or Hexi Corridor journey.
Compared to Xinjiang, which often requires long flights, multiple transfers, or even trips lasting over ten days, the Qinghai-Gansu Grand Loop is more suitable for travelers with limited vacation time, moderate budgets, or those visiting China’s northwest for the first time.
Below, we organize the most common and convenient transportation options according to different departure regions.
1、Why is it recommended to start the Qinghai-Gansu Grand Loop from Xining or Lanzhou?
The most classic starting points for the Qinghai-Gansu Grand Loop are mainly two:
Xining and Lanzhou.
Both cities have well-developed airports, high-speed rail, and railway networks, and are important transportation hubs in northwest China.
For overseas tourists, whether choosing to enter via Xining and exit via Lanzhou, or enter via Lanzhou and exit via Xining, there is high-speed rail connecting the two, with a travel time of about 1 hour, making itinerary planning very flexible.
In addition, these two cities have several obvious advantages:
- Abundant domestic flight schedules with convenient connections;
- Well-developed high-speed rail network connecting major cities nationwide;
- Many hotel options with relatively stable accommodation prices;
- Suitable as starting and ending points for routes like the Qinghai-Gansu Grand Loop, Gannan, or Hexi Corridor.
Therefore, we usually recommend that overseas tourists prioritize landing in Xining or Lanzhou, then plan different routes based on their travel duration. (Generally, the Qinghai-Gansu Grand Loop starts and ends in Xining, while the Hexi Corridor or Gannan loop starts and ends in Lanzhou)
2、Flight options | How do tourists from different regions reach the Qinghai-Gansu Grand Loop?
Since Xining Caojiabao International Airport and Lanzhou Zhongchuan International Airport currently have relatively limited international routes, most overseas tourists usually need to transfer once in a mainland Chinese city before heading to Xining or Lanzhou.
However, compared to Urumqi in Xinjiang, there are more transfer options to Xining and Lanzhou, and it is easier to find suitable flights.
Below we introduce options by region.
Hong Kong and Macao tourists
For Hong Kong residents, traveling to the Qinghai-Gansu Grand Loop is one of the most convenient among overseas tourists. During peak tourist season, some airlines operate seasonal flights from Hong Kong to Xining or Lanzhou; if there are no direct flights, transfers via Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Xiamen, Chengdu, or Xi’an can also reach Xining or Lanzhou on the same day.
Macao residents can usually transfer via Hong Kong, Guangzhou, or Shenzhen, making overall transportation very convenient.
Compared to Xinjiang, which often requires longer flights, the Qinghai-Gansu Grand Loop can usually save considerable travel time.
Recommended transfer cities:
Hong Kong (seasonal direct flights)
- Guangzhou
- Shenzhen
- Xiamen
- Chengdu
- Xi’an
- Taiwan tourists
Taiwan tourists currently usually need to fly to a mainland city first, then connect with a domestic flight to Xining or Lanzhou.
Common transfer cities include:
Xiamen
- Shanghai
- Guangzhou
- Shenzhen
- Hong Kong
- Overall, the transfer process is mature with many flight options.
If planning to visit in July–August to enjoy rapeseed flowers, Qinghai Lake, or Qilian Mountains scenery, it is recommended to book tickets early for better prices and flight times.
Singapore, Malaysia, and Southeast Asian Chinese
In recent years, we have hosted many tourists from Singapore and Malaysia.
Many initially worry:
“Will it be difficult to get to Qinghai-Gansu?”
In fact, compared to Xinjiang, transportation on the Qinghai-Gansu Grand Loop is usually more traveler-friendly.
Currently, cities like Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, and Penang all have flights to major Chinese cities such as Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, Chengdu, Chongqing, Kunming, and Xi’an, followed by a transfer to Xining or Lanzhou.
In most cases, the entire journey can be completed with just one transfer.
For tourists with only about a week of vacation, this is also one of the important reasons many ultimately choose Qinghai-Gansu over Xinjiang.
Europe, America, Japan, Canada, and other long-haul international travelers
Tourists from Europe, America, Japan, Canada, and other regions are generally advised to fly first to international aviation hubs like Beijing, Shanghai, or Guangzhou, then connect with domestic flights to Xining or Lanzhou.
If flight schedules allow, they can also choose to stay overnight in Beijing, Shanghai, or other cities to rest before continuing to the northwest, reducing fatigue from long-haul flights.
Travelers eligible for China’s visa-free transit policy can also make reasonable use of transit time according to their itinerary and experience other Chinese cities along the way.
Which transfer city is most convenient?
Different regions have different suitable transfer cities.
Departure region
| Recommended transfer cities | Hong Kong, Macao |
| Hong Kong (seasonal direct flights), Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Xiamen, Xi’an | Taiwan |
| Xiamen, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hong Kong | Singapore, Malaysia |
| Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Chongqing, Kunming, Xi’an | Japan |
| Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou | Europe, America, Canada |
| Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou | No matter which city you depart from, we recommend prioritizing through tickets, as they make baggage handling more convenient and reduce time pressure during transfers. |
3、Train options | Don’t want to fly? Easy access to Xining from Hong Kong too
Besides flying, for many Hong Kong tourists—especially families traveling with parents or elders—trains are also a travel option worth considering.
In recent years, we have hosted some Hong Kong guests who are not afraid of flying but want the journey itself to be slower.
Compared to a few hours of flying, they prefer taking soft sleeper trains, enjoying the scenery along the way while slowly entering northwest China.
If you also enjoy rail travel, then the Qinghai-Gansu Grand Loop has more advantages than Xinjiang.
Option 1: Hong Kong → Shenzhen East → Xining (recommended)
A currently popular method is to take high-speed rail from Hong Kong West Kowloon to Shenzhen East, then transfer to a direct train heading toward Xining.
Z230 from Shenzhen East (Shenzhen Buji) to Xining takes about thirty hours, mainly hard sleeper and soft sleeper (hard sleeper 500-600 RMB, soft sleeper around 1000 RMB), passing through Hunan, Hubei, Shaanxi, Gansu, and other regions.
As the train gradually enters the northwest, the urban landscape of high-rises slowly transforms into the Loess Plateau, Qilian Mountains, and vast Gobi scenery.
For many who enjoy rail travel, this is not just transportation but a travel experience.
Option 2: Hong Kong → Guangzhou → Xining/Lanzhou
Another option is to take high-speed rail to Guangzhou first, then transfer to a direct train from Guangzhou to Xining.
For example, Z138 or Z264 from Guangzhou Baiyun to Lanzhou takes about 30 hours, with soft sleeper prices around 900 RMB.
The overall journey is similar to the Shenzhen option, with relatively stable schedules, and is also considered by many tourists.
If purchasing soft sleeper tickets, you can reach Xining in about two days and one night, with ample rest and no need for frequent transfers.
Is high-speed rail possible?
Of course.
If you want to shorten travel time, you can also choose:
Hong Kong → Guangzhou South → Lanzhou West → Xining
The journey is mainly high-speed rail, with significantly reduced time, but ticket prices are usually higher than regular soft sleepers, and sitting for long periods may not be more comfortable for elderly travelers. High-speed rail from Guangzhou South to Lanzhou takes about 10-12 hours, with second-class tickets around 1200 RMB and first-class nearly 1900 RMB.
Therefore, if time is abundant, we usually recommend soft sleeper trains; if vacation time is limited and you want to reach the destination quickly, then flying or high-speed rail would be more suitable.
Flight or train, how to choose?
If your vacation is only 7–8 days and you want to start your trip as soon as possible, then flying is usually the most efficient choice.
If you prefer slow travel, want to include the scenery along the railway in your journey, or are traveling with elders who dislike long flights, then soft sleeper trains are also a comfortable and ceremonial way to travel.
如果你喜欢慢旅行，希望把铁路沿线的风景也纳入旅程，或者同行有不喜欢长时间飞行的长辈，那么软卧火车同样是一种舒适且充满仪式感的旅行方式。
Written at the End
For first-time visitors to Northwest China from Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, and overseas Chinese, there is no absolutely best mode of transportation, only the one that best suits your own travel pace.
If your vacation is only 7-8 days and you want to start your journey as soon as possible, then flying is usually the most time-saving and convenient choice; if you prefer slow travel, or if there are elders traveling with you who don’t like long flights, taking a soft sleeper train westward, enjoying the ever-changing scenery along the way, will also become an unforgettable part of the journey.
No matter which method you choose, planning your transportation in advance will make your entire Qinghai-Gansu Grand Loop trip more relaxed and smooth, leaving more time for the unforgettable scenery of Qinghai Lake, Qilian Mountains, Chaka Salt Lake, Dunhuang, Zhangye Colorful Danxia, etc., instead of spending it on researching routes and transfers.
Unsure How to Arrange? Feel Free to Contact Us
If you are fromHong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia or other overseas regions, we can provide you with suitable transportation and itinerary suggestions for free based on your departure city, travel duration, budget, and companions (parent-child, family, elders, etc.).
We can assist you in planning:
✓ Which city is most convenient to land in (Xining or Lanzhou)
✓ How to arrange flights, transfers, or trains to save more time and money
✓ How to best combine the Qinghai-Gansu Grand Loop, Gannan, and Hexi Corridor
✓ Private customized routes for 7 days, 8 days, or longer
If you have already confirmed your departure time, feel free to contact us for the latest itinerary suggestions and quotes, making your Northwest trip more relaxed and worry-free from the very first step of departure.
Elephant Travel | Specializing in Private Customized Travel in China for Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, and Overseas Chinese
2–6 People Independent Private Car | Pure Play No Shopping | One-on-One Itinerary Planning
Scan to Add WeChat
