Five of China’s luxury trains have now published a 2027 season. Between them they list 42 Xinjiang departures, plus a further seven Yunnan sailings on the White Cloud Express. Fares run from RMB 58,999 for a spring departure on the New Orient Express to RMB 158,888 for an autumn departure on the new Jinxiu Dongfang. This page puts every published date and fare in one place, and explains why two trains covering the same scenery can differ by a factor of two.
Verdict first
If you want the short version: the 2027 season runs from mid-April to early October, with a gap in the middle of winter. The cheapest way onto a luxury train in Xinjiang is the New Orient Express in spring at RMB 58,999 for 14 days. The most expensive is Jinxiu Dongfang in autumn at RMB 158,888 for 16 days. The middle of the market, where most people land, is the Jinxiu Tianfu at RMB 79,880 to RMB 108,880 depending on cabin and season.
One thing to fix in your head before you compare: the journey lengths differ. Fourteen, sixteen and eighteen days all appear below, so a headline fare comparison is not quite apples to apples. We do the per-day arithmetic further down the page, and it changes the picture in a way that is worth seeing.
At a glance
| Train | Guests | Length | 2027 departures | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Orient Express | 60 | 14 days | 12 | RMB 58,999 | RMB 72,999 |
| Panda Express Chengdu | 108 | 16 days | 7 | RMB 66,999 | RMB 74,999 |
| Jinxiu Tianfu | 92 | 16 days | 8 | RMB 79,880 | RMB 108,880 |
| White Cloud Express | 92 | 18 days | 7 (+7 Yunnan) | RMB 98,880 | RMB 128,880 |
| Jinxiu Dongfang | 66 | 16 days | 8 | RMB 138,888 | RMB 158,888 |
| Silk Road Express | 80 | varies | not yet published | on application | |
All fares are per person on a twin-share basis, in RMB, as published by each operator. Guest counts are standard capacity. Last verified September 2026.
New Orient Express · 12 departures, 14 days
The third-generation New Orient Express runs the shortest and cheapest of the 2027 Xinjiang programmes at 14 days, and it is the only train here whose spring departures cannot use the Duku Highway, which stays closed until roughly June. Two cabin grades are sold: Imperial Gold Diamond (玺悦金钻) and Supreme Gold Diamond (至尊金钻).
| Departure | Season | Duku Highway | Imperial | Supreme |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Apr, 7 May, 20 May 2027 | Spring | Closed | RMB 58,999 | RMB 65,999 |
| 2 Jun, 16 Jun, 30 Jun, 14 Jul, 28 Jul, 11 Aug 2027 | Summer | Open | RMB 62,999 | RMB 68,999 |
| 30 Aug, 13 Sep, 27 Sep 2027 | Autumn | Open | RMB 66,999 | RMB 72,999 |
Single supplement is RMB 8,000. The full day-by-day route and the cabin layouts are on our New Orient Express 2027 page. Note the step pattern: the same train costs about RMB 8,000 more per person in autumn than in spring, Only part of that is the Duku crossing, which is closed in spring and accounts for the first RMB 4,000; the second step is autumn light rather than the road. See our Duku Highway guide for the arithmetic, and note that the Duku's Bayanbulak section is not open to foreign passports in any case.
Panda Express Chengdu · 7 departures, 16 days
The Chengdu is the entry point to the panda family and the cheapest way to do a 16-day Xinjiang circuit. Two cabin grades, Youran Ju (悠然居, 8 m2) and Shiyi Ju (诗意居, 10 m2), across two seasons: Midsummer Scroll (仲夏长卷) and Autumn Gilded Realm (秋韵鎏境).
| Edition | Departure dates | Youran Ju 8 m2 | Shiyi Ju 10 m2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Midsummer Scroll | 4 Jun, 21 Jun, 8 Jul, 25 Jul, 11 Aug 2027 | RMB 66,999 | RMB 70,999 |
| Autumn Gilded Realm | 28 Aug, 14 Sep 2027 | RMB 70,999 | RMB 74,999 |
The gap between the two cabin grades is only RMB 4,000 for twice the floor area gain you would expect across the range, which makes the 10 m2 Shiyi Ju the easier recommendation of the two. Boarding is in Chengdu.
Jinxiu Tianfu · 8 departures, 16 days
Jinxiu Tianfu runs the widest date range of any 2027 programme, from 19 May to 2 October, in two editions. Tianshan Pastoral (天山牧歌) takes the six standard sailings; Gilded Ode (鎏金颂歌) takes the two peak-summer sailings and includes the Duku Highway crossing. Two cabin grades: JinWo (锦卧, 10 m2) and JinTa (锦榻, 13 m2).
| Edition | Departure dates | JinWo 10 m2 | JinTa 13 m2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tianshan Pastoral | 19 May, 5 Jun, 22 Jun, 9 Jul, 26 Jul, 2 Oct 2027 2 Oct does not include the Duku crossing | RMB 79,880 | RMB 108,880 |
| Gilded Ode | 29 Aug, 15 Sep 2027 | RMB 89,880 | RMB 108,880 |
The JinTa to JinWo spread is nearly RMB 29,000, the widest inside any single train here, so cabin choice matters more on this train than on the Chengdu. Boarding is in Chengdu, with Lanzhou, Deyang, Mianyang, Guangyuan and Jiangyou also possible, and an Urumqi join on request.
White Cloud Express · 7 Xinjiang and 7 Yunnan departures
The White Cloud Express runs the longest Xinjiang programme at 18 days, and it is the only train here with a second, completely separate route: an 11-day Yunnan circuit in the autumn. Guangzhou is the home terminal, with segment boarding possible at Chongqing and Lanzhou.
| Route | Edition | Departure dates | Yunqi Yayun 10 m2 | Yunqi Kuanjing 14 m2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xinjiang, 18 days | Tianshan Brocade | 18 May, 6 Jun, 26 Jun, 16 Jul, 5 Aug, 24 Aug 2027 | RMB 98,880 | RMB 118,880 |
| Xinjiang, 18 days | Golden-Wind Panorama | 14 Sep 2027 (one sailing only) | RMB 108,880 | RMB 128,880 |
| Yunnan, 11 days | Autumn series | 19 Sep to 18 Dec 2027, seven sailings | RMB 49,880 | RMB 59,880 |
Two things stand out. The Golden-Wind Panorama edition has exactly one departure in the whole year, so if that date works for you, treat it as a booking deadline rather than a preference. And the Yunnan route at RMB 49,880 is the cheapest cabin on any train in this calendar, because it is eleven days rather than eighteen. The White Cloud 2027 price guide covers the inclusions in detail.
Jinxiu Dongfang · 8 departures, 16 days
The Jinxiu Dongfang is new for 2027 and carries 66 guests, the lowest number on any train in China. One cabin grade is published, the roughly 15 m2 Ju Huajian suite, in two season tiers. This is the most expensive programme in the country and the one with the least operating history, so treat these dates as announced rather than settled.
| Edition | Departure dates | Length | Suite, per person |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tianshan Pastoral | 17 May, 3 Jun, 20 Jun, 7 Jul, 24 Jul, 30 Sep 2027 | 16 days | RMB 138,888 |
| Gilded Ode | 27 Aug, 13 Sep 2027 | 16 days | RMB 158,888 |
One oddity worth flagging: the two autumn sailings in late August and mid-September fall before the 30 September sailing that is listed under the standard tier. We have reproduced the dates as published and have asked the operator to clarify. A whole-car charter is also offered, quoted per carriage rather than per person.
The per-day comparison
Here is the same data with the journey length divided out, using each train’s entry-level 2027 fare. It is the single most useful calculation you can do when these trains are side by side, because it strips out the fact that one itinerary is 14 days and another is 18.
| Train | Entry fare | Days | Per day | Guests |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Panda Express Chengdu | RMB 66,999 | 16 | RMB 4,187 | 108 |
| New Orient Express | RMB 58,999 | 14 | RMB 4,214 | 60 |
| Jinxiu Tianfu | RMB 79,880 | 16 | RMB 4,993 | 92 |
| White Cloud Express | RMB 98,880 | 18 | RMB 5,493 | 92 |
| Jinxiu Dongfang | RMB 138,888 | 16 | RMB 8,681 | 66 |
Read down the per-day column and the market organises itself. The Chengdu and the New Orient Express sit together at around RMB 4,200 a day. Jinxiu Tianfu and White Cloud form a second band between RMB 5,000 and RMB 5,500. Jinxiu Dongfang is alone at more than RMB 8,600, roughly double the middle band for a journey of the same length over the same scenery. That premium is not buying a longer route or a better destination; it is buying the space around you.
How to read these fares
Every fare above is per person, twin share, in RMB, and every one is all-inclusive in the same broad way: the cabin, all onboard meals, the full day-tour programme with entrance tickets, ground transport, and the guide and butler team. What is never included is international flights, visas, travel insurance and personal expenses.
- Season tiers are real. Autumn departures carry a premium of roughly RMB 4,000 to RMB 20,000 over the same train in summer, and with good reason in Xinjiang.
- Cabin grade can matter more than the train. On Jinxiu Tianfu the difference between the two cabins is nearly RMB 29,000; on the Chengdu it is RMB 4,000.
- Single supplements vary. RMB 8,000 on the New Orient Express; ask for the figure on your train before you compare.
- Nobody sells these publicly. There is no public ticket channel for any train here. Cabins are allocated through authorised agents, which is why the same departure can be quoted at different prices by different sellers.
- Charters are quoted per carriage. If you see a figure in the high hundreds of thousands, check the unit before you panic.
When to book, and what is still open
The practical sequence is: pick your window first, then your train. June to September is when the Duku Highway opens and when the grasslands and the Pamir skies are at their best, which is exactly why those sailings cost more and sell first. If your dates are fixed, book the departure and accept the train; if the train matters more, be flexible on the week.
Two gaps remain in the 2027 picture. The Silk Road Express has not published a 2027 calendar, and the Jinxiu Dongfang dates above are announced rather than settled. For everything currently on sale across the fleet, see the departures calendar; for the mechanics of holding a cabin, our booking guide walks through the sequence step by step. If you want us to put two or three of these side by side for your dates, ask us and we will price them properly.