Lanzhou Travel Guide 2027: Yellow River, Museum, Silk Road Trains

Lanzhou is the capital of Gansu province and the only provincial capital the Yellow River runs through. It is the rail gateway to the Silk Road: Xi'an is about three hours east, and Zhangye, Jiayuguan, Dunhuang and Xining lie to the west. Many travellers stop here between Xi'an and Dunhuang. This Lanzhou travel guide covers how long to stay, what to see, what to book and how to move on.

How many days do you need in Lanzhou?

One full day covers the main sights in Lanzhou. Take two days if you want to add the Bingling Temple caves.

A simple one-day plan:

• Morning: the Gansu Provincial Museum. Book your timed ticket ahead.
• Afternoon: walk the riverside park on Binhe Road. Pass the Yellow River Mother sculpture and the Waterwheel Garden on the way to Zhongshan Bridge.
• Late afternoon: cross the bridge to the north bank. Climb Baita Mountain on foot or take the cable car for a view over the river and the city.
• Evening: eat at the night market on Zhengning Road or Dazhong Lane.

On a second day, take the bus and boat to Bingling Temple. The trip is described below.

The best months are May, June, September and early October, when the weather is mild. Lanzhou is dry all year.

• Summer is warm. Average highs in July and August are about 28 to 29 °C. These are the wettest months of the year.
• Winter is cold and dry. Nights fall well below freezing, with January lows around -11 °C. Bring a warm coat and gloves.

Try to avoid the big 2027 holiday weeks:

• Spring Festival: 5 to 13 February.
• Labour Day: 1 to 5 May.
• National Day: 1 to 7 October.

Sights and stations are usually crowded in these weeks.

What do you need to book before visiting Lanzhou?

Book the Gansu Provincial Museum and your trains. The museum is free, but you need a timed ticket in your own name, and a passport works.

Museum booking, step by step:

• Book up to three days ahead in the museum's official WeChat accounts, under the ticket booking menu.
• Pick an entry time slot.
• Each passport can book once per day.
• On the day, bring the original passport you booked with.
• Hours are Tuesday to Sunday, 09:00 to 17:00. Booking stops at 16:00, and last entry is 16:30.
• It is closed on Mondays, except on national public holidays.
• Children under 14 without an ID card can enter with a parent or guardian, without a booking.
• The museum sells no guided tours online. Ask at the service desk inside the hall if you want a guide.
• Luggage storage is free, at the front square or in lockers. Collect your bags before closing.

For trains, see 12306 tickets for foreigners. Set up WeChat and Alipay for foreigners before you fly. If a booking page is only in Chinese, your hotel or trip planner can help.

What are the best things to do in Lanzhou?

The top things to do in Lanzhou are the provincial museum, Zhongshan Bridge, Baita Mountain, the riverside walk and a day trip to Bingling Temple. Leave room for a bowl of beef noodles.

Gansu Provincial Museum

The museum is near Lanzhou West Station. Take Metro Line 1 to Xizhan Shizi or Qilihe station, then walk. Its best-known piece is the Galloping Horse Treading on a Flying Swallow. This Eastern Han bronze was found in Wuwei in 1969. It has been the symbol of Chinese tourism since the 1980s. You will also see painted pottery and Han-dynasty writing strips of wood and bamboo. No flash, selfie sticks or tripods in the galleries.

Zhongshan Bridge

This iron bridge crosses the Yellow River at the foot of Baita Mountain. A German company finished it in 1909. It is known as the first bridge over the Yellow River. Walk across at sunset or after dark.

Baita Mountain

Baita Mountain rises from the north end of the bridge. Walk up or take the cable car. The top gives a wide view of the river and the city.

The riverside walk

The park along Binhe Road links several landmarks. The Yellow River Mother sculpture shows a mother resting with a baby. The Waterwheel Garden keeps big wooden wheels that once watered farms. Sheepskin rafts and speedboats leave from the Baita Mountain pier. Check the day's times at the pier.

Bingling Temple caves

Bingling Temple is a set of Buddhist cave carvings on a reservoir south-west of Lanzhou. Take the bus from Lanzhou West Bus Station to the Liujiaxia Dam, about an hour and a half. Then take a speedboat. The boat ride and visit take about 3.5 hours. The caves open all year, with shorter hours from November to March. Check that boats are running before you go, because weather and water levels can stop them.

Food

Start the day with a bowl of beef noodles. Our Lanzhou lamian guide explains how to order. In the evening, try local snacks at the Zhengning Road or Dazhong Lane night market.

How do you get to Lanzhou and on along the Silk Road?

Most visitors arrive by bullet train at Lanzhou West, the high-speed station. The older Lanzhou Station mostly has slower trains.

Bullet trains on a sample Friday in November:

• From Xi'an North to Lanzhou West: over 60 trains. Most take about three hours; the fastest take just under two and a half.
• From Beijing West to Lanzhou West: the fastest train takes under seven hours.
• From Lanzhou West to Xining: about one hour. Xining is the gateway to Qinghai Lake. For the salt flats at Chaka, about 3.5 to 4.5 hours by road west of Xining, see our Chaka Salt Lake photography guide.
• To Zhangye West: about three hours. This is the stop for Zhangye Danxia.
• To Jiayuguan South: about four to five hours.
• To Dunhuang: only two bullet trains, about seven and a half hours. Many people break the trip in Zhangye or Jiayuguan before the Mogao Caves in Dunhuang.

Book on 12306, the official China Railway site with your passport.

Lanzhou Zhongchuan International Airport is far out of town, to the north. Airport trains between Lanzhou West and Zhongchuan Airport East take about 40 to 50 minutes. In town, Metro Line 1 links Lanzhou West, the museum and Xiguan near the river. See China metro for foreigners.

Where should you stay in Lanzhou?

Stay near the river in the Xiguan area, or near Lanzhou West Station. Pick the river for evening walks, and the station for early trains.

From Xiguan you can walk to Zhongshan Bridge and the night markets. Lanzhou West is close to the museum. Metro Line 1 links the two areas.

Trips that include this

Lanzhou sits on our Silk Road route and fits after Xi'an on others:

• Silk Road, 10 days: Xi'an, Lanzhou, Zhangye, Jiayuguan and Dunhuang. Lanzhou is the stop between Xi'an and Zhangye.
• First-time China, 9 days: Beijing, Xi'an and Shanghai. Lanzhou can be added after Xi'an on request.
• Grand China, 14 days: Beijing, Xi'an, Chengdu, Yangshuo and Shanghai. Lanzhou can be added after Xi'an on request.
• See all China tours.

LocalKey plans private trips for your own party only, planned, booked and backed, at two levels under private China tours: Independent and Private Guided. On Independent, a local guide, a car and driver, and an airport pickup are optional add-ons on the days you choose. Your planner can book the museum and your trains with you.

Planning the Silk Road? Start a custom route.