Short answer
Diwopu International Airport sits about 16 km northwest of the city centre, which makes it one of the easier Chinese airports to leave. Metro Line 1 runs from the airport station into the middle of the city in roughly 50 minutes for about ¥7, operating from 07:40 to 23:30. An airport bus covers the same ground for ¥15, and a metered taxi to the centre comes in at roughly ¥35 to ¥40.
The metro is the default choice in daylight: no traffic, bilingual signage, and stops at Nanmen, Erdaoqiao, Museum and Nanhu Square, where most visitors stay. A taxi or DiDi is the sensible call after 23:00, when both cheap options have stopped.
One thing to sort out before booking an onward train: Urumqi has more than one railway station, and the main high-speed hub, Urumqi Railway Station in Toutunhe district, sits off the metro until Line 2 opens. Check the station name printed on your ticket.
Airport to city: the four options
| Option | Cost | Time to the centre | Runs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metro Line 1 | About ¥7 | About 50 minutes | 07:40 to 23:30 |
| Airport shuttle bus | ¥15 | 50 to 60 minutes with traffic | 06:30 to 23:00 summer, 07:30 to 22:20 winter |
| City buses 27, 51, 306, 535 | ¥1, or ¥1.5 after 22:00 | An hour or more | About 07:30 to 23:30 on the main routes |
| Taxi or DiDi | Roughly ¥35 to ¥40 | 30 to 40 minutes | 24 hours |
Metro Line 1
Line 1 is the only rail line linking the airport to the centre. It runs between the airport in the north and Santunbei in the south, 21 stations over about 27.6 km, with the airport station at the terminals. The journey into the centre is around 50 minutes for roughly ¥7, and trains run 07:40 to 23:30. The stations that matter for a visitor are Museum, Erdaoqiao, Nanmen and Nanhu Square.
In April 2025 an airport people-mover opened, a 3.9 km link with two stations joining the Line 1 airport station to the northern and eastern terminal areas. The airport is a multi-terminal site, so check which terminal your flight uses and whether the metro station serves it or needs the internal link.
¥2 for a short hop to about ¥7 for the airport line.
The airport shuttle bus
The official shuttle runs between the airport and the city for a flat ¥15, stopping at Red Hill, South Youhao Road, the Nianzigou long-distance bus station and the Railway Station, ending near a hotel in the Red Hill area. From the airport it runs about 06:30 to 23:00 in summer and 07:30 to 22:20 in winter, with departures roughly every half hour to an hour depending on the time of day. In the other direction, buses leave from Red Hill around 07:00 to 22:00 and from the South Railway Station square from about 07:30 to 21:30, at intervals of roughly 30 to 60 minutes.
Boarding points are outside the arrivals halls near gate 2 of the terminals, which keeps the walk short with luggage. If your hotel is in the Red Hill or Youhao area, the shuttle is close to door-to-door.
City buses
Routes 27, 51, 306 and 535 reach the airport for ¥1, rising to ¥1.5 after 22:00. Route 51 links the airport with the Nianzigou area, Red Hill and Santunbei. The stop sits roughly 800 m east of Terminal 3 near a hotel, so it involves a walk the metro does not.
Taxi and DiDi
A metered taxi to the centre costs roughly ¥35 to ¥40 and takes 30 to 40 minutes depending on traffic. The meter starts at about ¥10, with roughly ¥1.30 per km by day and ¥1.50 at night. Use the official queue outside arrivals rather than anyone offering a fixed price inside the terminal, and check the meter is running.
DiDi works through the English-language DiDi app and through the ride-hailing function in Alipay. It avoids the language problem of giving an address and quotes a fixed price, which is the main reason to prefer it. Both need a data connection, so an eSIM is worth having active before you land.
Arriving late at night
| If you land | What still runs | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Before 22:00 | Metro, shuttle bus, city buses, taxis | Metro, unless the luggage argues otherwise |
| 22:00 to 23:00 | Metro until 23:30, shuttle until 23:00 in summer | Metro still works; check the last train |
| 23:00 to 01:00 | Taxis and DiDi only | Use the official rank outside arrivals |
| After 01:00 | Taxis and DiDi only | A quiet terminal and a 30 to 40 minute drive |
Two things make a late arrival easier. Some airport shuttle services have historically run into the small hours, so it is worth asking at the arrivals desk rather than assuming 23:00 is the last one. And if the flight lands after midnight, a hotel near Red Hill beats a cross-city ride to Nanmen.
Urumqi's railway stations
Urumqi Railway Station, in Toutunhe district on North 6th Gaotie Road, is the main hub for high-speed services towards Turpan, Hami and the line east to Lanzhou and Xining, and it carries most long-distance D and G services. It is a substantial taxi ride from the old centre. Metro Line 2 is under construction and will serve it, with the first stretch due at the end of 2026, so for now it is reached by bus or car: routes 29, 54, 301, 909, 5035, 6502, BRT5, JC02 and K002.
Urumqi South Railway Station, in Saybagh district between Qingfeng Road and Nanzhan Road, handles mainly ordinary trains to inland cities and to southern Xinjiang, and it is closer to the centre. Published listings disagree over which station handles the Turpan high-speed departures, with some still naming the South station. The station name on your ticket is the only authority.
| Station | Where | What it serves |
|---|---|---|
| Urumqi Railway Station | Toutunhe district, North 6th Gaotie Road | High-speed trains east towards Turpan, Hami, Lanzhou and Xining, plus long-distance services |
| Urumqi South Railway Station | Saybagh district, between Qingfeng Road and Nanzhan Road | Mainly ordinary trains inland and to southern Xinjiang |
Onward from Urumqi
| Destination | Best option | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Turpan | High-speed train, 48 minutes to 1 hour 12 minutes | Second class about ¥49 to ¥51.5, to Turpan North. Normal trains take 1.5 to 2 hours for a hard seat around ¥23.5 to ¥24.5 |
| Tianshan Tianchi | Coach or private car from the city | Morning coaches leave from the stations near the South Railway Station and the main station, with a fixed afternoon return |
| Kashgar and southern Xinjiang | Flight from Urumqi, or the southern rail line | Rail runs through Korla towards Kashgar, but the distances are large enough that flying is the usual choice |
| Kanas and northern Xinjiang | Flight to Kanas or Burqin in the warmer months, or rail to Beitun and road onward | Seasonal services thin out in winter; ask a licensed operator for the current arrangement |
Long-distance coaches fill the gaps the trains do not cover: the arrivals halls have a coach ticket desk selling seats to dozens of Xinjiang destinations, with a shuttle to the Nianzigou bus station.
Practical notes
- Airport time. Allow 1.5 to 2 hours before a domestic flight, 2.5 to 3 before an international one. Security is slower than the national average.
- Beijing time. Every departure board and booking runs on it. Local conversation often uses an unofficial two-hour-behind convention, though nothing is printed in it.
- Data before you land. Taxis, DiDi, metro QR codes and translation all need a connection, so activate an eSIM before landing.
- Cash as a backstop. Keep a few hundred yuan; metro machines and taxis are easier with cash in hand.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a metro from Urumqi airport to the city centre?
Yes. Metro Line 1 runs from the airport station to Santunbei in the south, 21 stations over about 27.6 km, with the centre around 50 minutes away for roughly ¥7. Trains run 07:40 to 23:30.
How much is a taxi from URC to the city?
Roughly ¥35 to ¥40 by meter to the centre, with the meter starting at about ¥10. The drive takes 30 to 40 minutes outside rush hour.
I land after midnight. What are my options?
Taxis and DiDi. The metro stops at 23:30 and the shuttle's published window ends around 23:00 in summer and 22:20 in winter, though it is worth asking at the arrivals desk whether a late service is running.
Where is Urumqi Railway Station, and do I need it for Turpan?
It is in Toutunhe district on North 6th Gaotie Road, away from the old centre and reached by bus or taxi until metro Line 2 opens at the end of 2026. Turpan trains arrive at Turpan North, and published listings disagree on whether they leave from the main station or Urumqi South, so check your ticket.
How do I get from the airport to Tianshan Tianchi?
Not directly. Tianchi is about 110 km east of the city, in the opposite direction, so the practical route is into Urumqi first and out again the next morning on a coach or hired car.
Can I buy a train ticket at the airport?
Not for rail. The arrivals halls have a long-distance coach ticket desk selling seats to dozens of destinations across Xinjiang. Rail tickets come from the official rail app, the station, or a ticket service.
Do I need cash for the metro?
Not strictly, since a QR code in Alipay or WeChat Pay is the normal method and machines take cash. Carrying a few hundred yuan removes the risk of an app failing on arrival. Fares run from ¥2 to about ¥7.
How early should I be at Urumqi airport?
1.5 to 2 hours before a domestic departure and 2.5 to 3 hours before an international one. Security here is stricter and slower than most Chinese airports, particularly on flights leaving the region.
Related reading
Metro Line 1 route length, station count and the 07:40 to 23:30 operating window follow published Urumqi metro timetables, and the April 2025 airport people-mover link follows metro system records. The ¥15 shuttle fare and its seasonal windows follow published airport transport guidance and airline ground-service pages. Taxi rates follow published ground-transport information, with the airport-to-city total quoted as an approximate metered range. Fares, hours and station arrangements change, so confirm them on the operator's own channel.