Xining Railway Station
Xining Railway Station, an important railway station in western China, at the intersection of Lanzhou-Qinghai and Qinghai-Tibet Railway, was built in 1959. It serves as an important railway hub, with trains heading to to Lhasa, Golmud, Beijing, Shanghai, Xian and Qingdao.
With the completion of Qinghai-Tibet Railway line, Xining Railway Station becomes an important hub on the line. Most trains heading to Lhasa from all around the county stop over at Xining railway station and it takes 24 hours or so from Xining to Lhasa. All trains depart in the afternoon. Train K9801 is the only train with starting point in Xining and arrives in Lhasa, and the train departs at 2:55 pm every other day.
Transportation to Xining Railway Station
Transportation: Travelers can take public buses No. 11, 16, 1, 20, 22, 27, 28, 29, 35, 40, 5, 31, 101, 32, 9, 17, 33 and 7 to get to the railway station.
Station Plan
Xining Railway Station is made up of a three-storey terminal building, and two squares to its south and north. The terminal building can remind passengers of flying lanneret and hada (a strip of silk the local tibetan used to welcome guests), showing the boldness and enthusiasm of the local people.
2F: waiting hall, ticket office, check points, hot drinking water, toilets, charging devices
Mezzanine on 2F: fast food and Chinese food restaurants, café, and shops for special local products.
1F: platforms, ticket office, service desk, toilets
-1F: arrival hall, parking lot
-2F: parking lot
South square: long-distance bus stations, bus station
Underground: underground passage, parking lot, taxi stands
How to transfer between Xining Train Station and downtown/nearby cities
By city bus: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 16, 17, 20, 22, 27, 28, 31, 32, 35, 36, 40, 62, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, night bus no. 501
City bus stations are located at the east side of the south square. Passengers arriving by rail can go through the -1F underground passage to get there, and then take a bus to other downtown places. There are direction signs showing the way to the bus stations.
By taxi:
Passengers arriving by taxi will be dropped at the south square. The taxi pick-up stand is at the west side of the underground passage.
| From/ To | Duration (Minutes) | Cost (CNY) |
|---|---|---|
| Ta’er Monastery | 40 | 90 |
| Dongguan Mosque | 10 | 10 |
| Caojiabao Airport | 45 | 80 - 100 |
By long-distance bus:
Two long-distance bus stations are located to the east and west sides of the south square. Coaches to/from far cities including Lanzhou, Jingtai, Baiyin, Luoyang, Yinchuan and nearby cities such as Chaka, Qilian, Banduo, Minhe, and Ledu are available here.
How to get to famous downtown places from Xining Railway Station
Dongguan Mosque:
Take bus no. 5, 22, 33, or 103 to Dongshaomen, and then walk 200 yards (180 m) westward to the mosque.
Ta'er Monastery:
Take special bus line at the station to the monastery. Duration is about 1.5 hours and ticket fare is CNY 3 per person.
Xining Airport:
Take direct airport shuttle bus East Line from this railway station. The operating hours are 05:30, 07:00 - 20:00. The trip takes around an hour. The bus fare is CNY 21 per person.
Qinghai Lake:
Take bus no. 106 to Bayi Coach Station where you can take a coach to Qinghai Lake. The duration is 1.5 hours and ticket price is around CNY 40 per person.
Or you can charter a car to have a Qinghai Lake circling tour. It costs CNY 550 – 650 per day in peak period between July and August, and CNY 400 – 500 per day in low season.
Facilities and Services at the Station
Ticket office:
Currently, 2 tickets offices are in service at Xining Railway Station and they are located on 1F and at the west side of the 2F. About 20 ticket windows are available for passengers to purchase, change or refund tickets.
Waiting hall:
The waiting hall on 2F is divided into two parts for bullet train ticket holders and ordinary train ticket holders respectively. Besides, both maternal and infant waiting room and waiting room for the old, weak, sick and disabled are provided in the waiting hall. Inquiry center, hot drinking water and toilets are spread out in the waiting hall. You can also find the reading room and stores for local special products there. A mezzanine on 2F mainly serves as commercial areas where restaurants and shops can be found.