China ExpressesChina Luxury Trains
A frontier train covering enormous distances through landscapes of almost otherworldly scale: the Taklamakan Desert, Tianshan alpine meadows, turquoise lakes and glacial valleys. Ruggedly comfortable rather than opulent, designed for adventure and immersion.
Comfortable, unfussy design focused on the view. Twin or double bed, en-suite with shower. Large picture window. Wool blankets from local herders.
11 m² En-suiteKing bed, sofa sitting area. En-suite with rainfall shower. Double-aspect windows. Complimentary mini-bar with Xinjiang wines and Turpan fruit.
16 m² En-suiteTransparent dome above the front carriage. 360-degree views of the Tianshan range by day. Unmatched stargazing by night. Seats 20, heated in winter.
Uyghur lamb kebabs, hand-pulled laghman noodles, Central Asian plov, freshly baked naan. Sweetest melons from Turpans ancient oasis. Sourced from local bazaars.
Open-air rear platform with blankets and telescope. Virtually no light pollution across Xinjiang. Naturalist helps identify constellations and planets.
Central Asian ecology specialist. Daily briefings on Tianshan ecosystems, Taklamakan wildlife and the geology of the Flaming Mountains.
Worlds most inland city. Xinjiang Regional Museum: 4,000-year-old Tarim mummies. Grand Bazaar: sensory immersion in Uyghur culture.
Alpine lake at 1,980m backed by snow-capped Bogda Peak (5,445m). Kazakh horseback rides along the shore.
154m below sea level. Ancient karez irrigation. Jiaohe ruins. Grape trellises shade the entire city.
Rolling alpine meadows at 2,000m. Kazakh yurts, grazing horses. Walking, riding and a traditional meal inside a yurt.
Border with Kazakhstan and Mongolia. Glacial lake shifting from turquoise to deep blue. Home to the Tuvan people and throat singing tradition. Our most remote destination.
The Tianshan Explorer serves our Xinjiang Tianshan journey — a frontier loop through Chinas vast northwest, from Urumqi to the Kazakh border.
Explore Xinjiang Tianshan Explorer →