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| High Speed Train Kuytun > Yili (445km, 3.5hr) |
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| Desert Landscape, Kuytun > Yili |
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| Hanren Street Grand Bazaar, Yili |
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| Liuxing Street, Yili, Xinjiang |
D-20 Friday Aug 28 2026 (Yining, Xinjiang) - after a 2 nights stay in Kuytun or Kuitun, my next destination is Yili or Yining or Ghulja. For Yili, we stayed initially for 2 nights & then made a visit to Narati before returning to Yili and stay again for 2 nights in the same homestay hotel. From Kuytun, we took a high speed train departing 10.34 to Yili (approx 440km). Upon arrival & after the hotel check-in, we took public buses & visited the Han Street, Hanren Street Grand Bazaar & Liuxing Street to get a better feel of the vibrant face of Yili.
Public Transport: 1 high speed train ride (CNY78) + 2 DiDI rides (CNY7.72 + 5.03).
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| Kuytun > Yining (approx 440km by train) |
1) Early morning walk (solo) nearby my hotel in downtown Kuytun, Xinjiang.
2) Bought (takeaway) vegetarian / pork meat bao (CNY3.50) from a morning market nearby my hotel in downtown Kuytun.
3) DiDI ride (CNY5.03) from my hotel to Kuytun Railway Station (4.2km) to board a high speed train bounds for Yining.
4) On board the high speed train departing from Kuytun (10.34) > Yining.
5) The start of our high speed train ride from Kuytun > Yining City (445km, 3.5hrs) - scenic desert landscape as viewed from the moving train's windows along the way.
6) Arriving in Yining Railway Station - took our time to exit the train station as the exit area was jam-packed with arriving passengers, Yining railway station & passenger transport centre are a major transit hub in Xinjiang, this was the reason why I adopted a 2 + 2 nights stay in Yining so that we could made side visits to Sayram Lake & Tekes Baqua City from Yining & also to Narati.
7) Hotel Accommodation (Yili or Yining) - my 2 nights stay in Qiyunguan B & B, room tariff Rm123 (US$30), 2 single beds, spacious courtyard planted with few apple & pear trees, tasted some local grapes & plums, a treat from our hotel owner !
8) Bus ride (CNY1) from hotel to Han Street, downtown Yili.
9) Han Street, Yining - locally known as Hanren Street, a famous market street in Yining City (Ghulja), it is one of the most vibrant cultural & culinary hubs in the region, it is a bustling multicultural area filled with rich ethnic traditions, lively bazaars & incredible street food.
10) Hanren Street Grand Bazaar, Yili, Xinjiang - a famous marketplace full of food, culture, & deep history located in Yining City, widely celebrated as one of the most vibrant gatherings for local food & culture in the Yili region.
11) Bus ride (CNY1) from Han Street > Liuxing Street
12) Liuxing Street (Six-Star Street) - a unique, star-shaped neighbourhood in Yining known for its cute cafe, musical history & blend of Russian & local architecture; bought a beef pie (CNY6) & fried noodle (takeaway CNY15) as dinner, after the Liuxing Street visit, we took a DiDI (CNY5) back to our hotel for a well earned rest.
