By Air
Many people fly from Beijing or xi'an to begin a journey on the Silk Road. The airport is 20km north of the downtown area and can be reached by taxi in 20 minutes. Daily flights link Urumqi with most major Chinese cities, including Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Xi'an, Lanzhou, and Chengdu. Destinations within Xinjiang include Kashgar, Hotan, Kuqa, Korla, Altai, and Yinning; there are also flights to Dunhung in Gansu. International destinations include Almaty,Bishkek, Islamabad, Baku, as well as Novosobirsk and Moscow in Russia.
By Bus
Buses are more complicated: most arrive at Nanzigou, the long-distance bus station on the city's west side, but there are three other stations scattered around town. If you don't arrive at Nanzigou, you will probably find yourself at Nanjiao Qichenzhan, predictably located at a few kilometers south of town.
By Train
Daily trains run between Urumqi and Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Xi'an, and Lanzhou. Trains between Urumqi and Kashagar depart twice daily; the slow train is half the price of the fast train, but you will have to do without air-conditioning. Generally, buses are faster and more frequent than trains for trave within Xinjiang.
