Getting Around Jiayuguan
Jiayuguan is a compact city in Gansu, and its sights — the fort, the Great Wall sections and the surrounding scenic areas — sit outside the urban core. That shapes how you move around: local buses and taxis handle the city and the main fort, while day tours or a hired taxi are the practical way to reach the more distant Great Wall sites.
Arriving by Train
Jiayuguan has two railway stations, and which one you use affects how you plan the rest of your trip.
- Jiayuguan South Railway Station (嘉峪关南火车站) lies southeast of town in a newer development area. It handles the faster D-type trains and connects to Lanzhou and Urumqi, with onward services to Xining, Zhangye, Turpan, Liuyuan, Dunhuang and Xi'an.
- Jiayuguan Railway Station (嘉峪关火车站) is on Yingbin West Road, southwest of the town centre. It serves longer-distance conventional trains, including services to Beijing, Chengdu, Shanghai, Xi'an, Lanzhou, Dunhuang, Turpan and Urumqi.
Because the two stations are in different parts of the city, check which one your ticket uses before arranging a taxi or bus.
Arriving by Long-Distance Bus
The Long Distance Bus Station sits at the corner of Jingtie West Road and Shengli South Road. It is the departure point for regional services to Dunhuang, Lanzhou, Zhangye, Jiuquan, Hami and Urumqi, and a night bus runs to Xining. The Jiuquan service is a short hop, useful if you are combining the two cities.
Getting Around by City Bus
Local buses are the cheapest way to move around. A single ticket costs ¥1, and route maps are posted at every bus stop on the reverse side of the bus information board — in Chinese only, but the route numbers are legible.
- Bus 1 runs south from the centre of town to the railway station.
- Bus 4 leaves the railway station, passes through town and continues north to Jiayuguan Fort.
- Bus 10 connects Jiayuguan South Railway Station with the north of the city.
For the Jiayu Pass cultural relics scenic spot, Bus 4 goes there directly for the ¥1 fare, a trip of around 20 minutes. The other Great Wall sites — the Great Wall first trick, the overhanging Great Wall and the Wei and Jin Dynasty cultural scenic area — are further out and are best reached on a one-day tour or by taxi rather than by city bus.
Taxis
Taxis are metered, starting at ¥6 for the first 2 kilometres. Within the city, a typical fare stays under ¥15, and that includes trips to Jiayuguan Railway Station. Reaching Jiayuguan South Railway Station from the city costs a little more, but usually no more than ¥35.
Two practical cautions: taxis waiting near train stations, the airport and scenic spots may try to overcharge, and if you want to hire a driver for a round of scenic spots, ask several drivers before agreeing on a price. For the outlying Great Wall sites, a taxi round trip is commonly quoted at around ¥50, with roughly 30 minutes of driving each way.
Walking
The city centre itself is small enough that walking covers everyday needs, but the main attractions are not walkable from the centre. Jiayu Pass cultural relics scenic spot is about 5 km from the urban area, and the other Great Wall sites are further still, so plan on a bus, taxi or tour for sightseeing rather than on foot.
From the Airport into the City
Jiayuguan Airport (JGN) is located northeast of the city centre and receives flights from Xi'an, Lanzhou, Beijing, Dunhuang, Guangzhou, Nanjing, Shanghai–Hongqiao, Yantai and Yinchuan. The airport is close enough to town that a taxi is the straightforward option for the transfer; as at the railway stations, agree the fare or confirm the meter before setting off, since airport taxis are among those that may overcharge.