All-Inclusive Routes

Ten Journeys. One Unforgettable Country.

Each route is a complete, all-inclusive experience. Train suites, every meal, premium drinks, off-train excursions, permits, transfers and a dedicated English-speaking guide. One price. Zero surprises. Prices shown are reference rates per person, double occupancy. Journeys are quoted in USD except the White Cloud Yunnan Loop, the Silk Road Winter Carnival, Song Rhyme Xinjiang and Arctic Northeast (RMB).

Every Journey Includes

Always included

Luxury en-suite cabin
All meals & premium drinks
Off-train excursions
English-speaking guide
All permits & entrance fees
Transfers & domestic flights
24/7 on-train concierge
Luggage handling
Travel insurance
Most Popular

Xinjiang Grand Circuit

Aboard the New Orient Express, China's longest-running luxury tourist train since 1999. The complete Xinjiang: from the fir forests and glacial lakes of the north to the desert oases and Silk Road cities of the south.

Duration13–15 Days
From$4,300
Departures35 Seasonal
  • Ürümqi → Kanas → Nalati → Kuqa → Turpan → Kashgar
  • Kanas Lake. Alpine forests, Tuvan villages and the "Switzerland of Xinjiang"
  • Turpan's Flaming Mountains, ancient Jiaohe ruins & karez irrigation tunnels
  • Kashgar's Sunday Grand Bazaar & old city, the crossroads of Central Asia
  • Gold & Silver suite tiers with en-suite bathrooms throughout

Who This Journey Suits

First-time Xinjiang travellers seeking the complete experience
Moderate altitude (500–2,000m). Comfortable for all ages
Cultural depth: Uyghur, Kazakh & Silk Road heritage
Long travel days covering 3,000+ km across Xinjiang
11 Departures

Silk Road Classic

Aboard the Silk Road Express, the operator's Train of Glamour, with routes across China's ancient Silk Road and the northwest. Xi'an to Dunhuang in one unforgettable week: the ancient capital, the Hexi Corridor, and the Mogao Caves.

Duration7 Days
From$5,200
Stops6
  • Xi'an → Lanzhou → Hexi Corridor → Dunhuang
  • Terracotta Warriors & Xi'an's intact 14km city wall
  • Hexi Corridor. Hand-pulled Lanzhou noodles, the historic gateway between China and the West
  • Mogao Caves. 492 painted grottoes spanning a thousand years of Buddhist art
  • Crescent Lake oasis & lantern-lit dinner at the foot of the Singing Dunes

Who This Journey Suits

First-time Silk Road travellers with limited time
Cultural immersion: Han, Hui & Buddhist heritage
Low altitude throughout. Comfortable for all ages
7-day pace is brisk. Extensions available to Kashgar & beyond
Family Favourite

Panoramic Xinjiang

Aboard the Panda Express · Chengdu, Chengdu Culture & Tourism Group's flagship. Departing from Chengdu, 16 days through the complete arc of Xinjiang: north to south, mountains to desert, with a private panda encounter before you board.

Duration16 Days
From$7,800
Departures10 (May–Oct)
  • Chengdu → Ürümqi → Kanas → Nalati → Kuqa → Kashgar
  • Private panda volunteer experience at Chengdu Research Base
  • Kanas Lake & Tuvan villages in the Altai Mountains
  • Nalati Grasslands. Kazakh yurts & horseback riding at 2,000m
  • Kashgar's Sunday Grand Bazaar & the old city's mud-brick alleys

Who This Journey Suits

Families & multi-generational groups departing from Chengdu
Panda-themed welcome amenities for children
Premium luxury tier. 54 en-suite rooms, Sichuan-cuisine kitchen
16 days. The longest single-train journey on this page
Intimate

Northern Grasslands

Aboard the Hulunbuir Express, China's most intimate luxury train. Only 44 guests in 22 rooms. Hailar to Harbin through Inner Mongolia's legendary grasslands. Summer wildflowers, nomadic herder culture, and the endless green horizon.

The route Hailar → Argun Wetlands → Harbin
Duration6 Days
From$3,600
Guests44 Max
  • Hailar → Hulunbuir Grasslands → Argun Wetlands → Harbin
  • Hulunbuir Grasslands. Mongolian herders, felt gers, horizon-to-horizon sky
  • Argun River Wetlands. Asia's largest wetlands bordering Russia
  • Harbin. Russian Orthodox cathedrals, Songhua River, frontier-city atmosphere
  • 2 nights in your private train suite, 3 nights in curated ground hotels

Who This Journey Suits

Nature lovers & photographers seeking pristine grasslands
Small groups & couples. Only 44 guests, deeply personal
Summer route (Jun–Sep). Winter snow route also available
Service primarily Chinese. English guide provided by us
Value

Xinjiang Frontier

Aboard the Anyi Express, the most social train in China. 332 guests across 17 cars, departing from Chengdu West Station. 15 days to Xinjiang's far northwest. The inaugural departure sold out two months in advance.

Duration15 Days
From$2,800
Guests332
  • Chengdu West → Ürümqi → Ili Valley → Kanas → Turpan
  • Chengdu departure. Start with Sichuan cuisine before crossing into Xinjiang
  • Ili River Valley. Lavender fields, Kazakh grasslands & Sayram Lake
  • Turpan Depression. Ancient karez irrigation, Jiaohe ruins & grape valleys
  • Full-service amenities: bars, restaurant cars, entertainment & karaoke

Who This Journey Suits

Social travellers, groups & multi-generational families
Budget-conscious. Best value among Xinjiang rail journeys
Lively atmosphere. 332 guests, karaoke, entertainment cars
Specialist tourist tier, not premium luxury. Room specs not published
Inaugural

Yunnan Loop

Aboard the White Cloud Express, China's first Chinese-scholarly-aesthetic luxury train. The 2026 inaugural route south: from Guangzhou through Guangxi's karst borderlands and across Yunnan's highlands to Lijiang and Shangri-La, and back. A softer, lower-altitude companion to the Xinjiang panoramas.

RegionSouthwest China
FromRMB 49,880
Departures7 (Sep-Dec)
  • Guangzhou → Chongzuo → Kunming → Baoshan → Tengchong → Lijiang → Shangri-La → Guangzhou
  • Chongzuo. Karst peaks and river country on the Guangxi-Vietnam border
  • Kunming, the "Spring City", gateway to Yunnan's highlands
  • Lijiang Old Town & Shangri-La's Tibetan monasteries and gorges
  • Lingnan courtyard lobby & Cantonese-Hunan fusion dining throughout

Who This Journey Suits

First-time China travellers seeking a softer, lower-altitude route
Culture & heritage lovers: Lijiang, Shangri-La, Tengchong
Mild autumn & winter climate (Sep-Dec departures)
2026 inaugural programme. Suite availability is limited
Yunnan & Guizhou

Winter Carnival

Aboard the Silk Road Express, the Train of Glamour. When winter closes the northern routes, it moves south: a seasonal collection of Yunnan, Guizhou and Guangxi journeys through Xishuangbanna's rainforest, Dali's lakes, the heritage metre-gauge railway and the karst border country.

Duration2-4 Days
FromRMB 23,999
Departures11 (Nov-Jan)
  • Diannan Impression: Chengdu → Xishuangbanna → Shiping → Kunming (Nov 27)
  • Canger Tea: Kunming → Xishuangbanna → Dali → Kunming (Nov 30, Dec 6)
  • Dianyue Trail: Kunming → Xishuangbanna → Hekou → Kunming (Dec 3, 9)
  • Qian-Gui Frontier: Kunming → Xingyi → Chongzuo → Shenzhen (Dec 12, 15, 18)
  • Cloudrail Escape: 2-day short escapes between major cities (Nov 25, Dec 22, Jan 11)

Who This Journey Suits

Winter travellers seeking a warm-weather escape (Nov-Jan)
Rainforest & ethnic-culture lovers: Xishuangbanna, Dali
Heritage railway enthusiasts: metre-gauge & Yunnan-Vietnam lines
Seasonal collection only. Northern routes resume in spring
Cultural

Tibet by Rail

Aboard the Beautiful Sky Road Express, China's first dedicated Tibet cultural tourism train, launched in 2026. Not a luxury hotel on wheels but a cultural immersion vehicle: panoramic observation cars with windows 24 cm wider, pulse oxygen at every berth, and the Qinghai-Tibet Railway's 5,072 m Tanggula Pass.

AltitudeUp to 5,072 m
FromOn request
DeparturesNew 2026
  • Xining: the gateway to the plateau at 2,275 m
  • Qinghai Lake: China's largest salt lake at 3,200 m
  • Tanggula Pass: 5,072 m, the highest railway point on Earth
  • Lhasa: Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple & the Barkhor circuit
  • Nyingchi: gentler Tibetan valleys via the Lalin Railway

Who This Journey Suits

Tibet first-timers seeking a comfortable, cultural introduction
Plateau experience over suite luxury
Photography: panoramic observation windows (24 cm wider)
Cultural tourism train, not luxury. Pricing & dates pending release
View Train Details
Flagship

Song Rhyme Xinjiang

Aboard the Jinxiu Tianfu, the flagship of the Panda Express family and the world's first Shu Brocade Song Rhyme luxury sleeper. The 13-16 day ZhenYu Yue Jiang Xing panorama threads Tianchi, Kanas, Sayram Lake, Nalati, Kuqa, Kashgar and Turpan, with the Duku Highway on peak summer sailings.

Duration13-16 Days
FromRMB 78,880
Departures12 (2026-27)
  • Chengdu → Tianchi → Kanas → Sayram Lake → Nalati → Kuqa → Kashgar → Turpan
  • JinTa (13 m2) & JinWo (10 m2) suites in Shu Brocade Song Rhyme design
  • Michelin-trained chef with seven themed Song-style menus
  • Duku Highway crossing on peak summer sailings
  • Boarding at Chengdu, Lanzhou or Urumqi

Who This Journey Suits

Luxury seekers: the most luxurious of the four Panda Express trains
Song dynasty aesthetic & Ba Shu heritage lovers
Multi-generational groups (92 guests, staff ratio 1:0.5)
Xinjiang panorama; the 16-day option is the longest on this page
Winter

Arctic Northeast

Aboard the Lindou Express, a 15-car moving five-star hotel carrying just 60 guests. The 9-day winter circuit runs Harbin to Yichun, Mohe's Arctic Village at China's northern tip, Snow Town and Changbai Mountain, with 21 sqm suites, the largest in Chinese luxury rail.

Duration9 Days
FromRMB 29,999
Departures8 (Dec-Feb)
  • Harbin → Yichun → Mohe (Arctic Village) → Snow Town → Changbai Mountain
  • Arctic Village at China's northern tip: aurora viewing & ice fishing
  • 21 sqm suites, the largest luxury train cabins in China
  • Snow Town & Changbai Mountain International Resort skiing
  • 5 nights 5-star hotels on land plus train suites

Who This Journey Suits

Winter & aurora seekers (Dec-Feb)
Arctic Village & ice-snow culture lovers
Luxury suites: 21 sqm, the largest in China
9-day winter circuit; 75% international guests
Frequently Asked Questions

Questions our travellers ask most.

Your suite onboard the train, all meals from dinner on day 1 to breakfast on your final day, premium drinks (wine and beer at dinner, tea and coffee throughout), every off-train excursion with entrance fees, all ground transfers, domestic flights within China if needed, English-speaking guides, all permits (including Tibet Travel Permits), luggage handling, and 24/7 concierge service. The only things not covered are international flights, your Chinese visa, personal insurance, gratuities and personal spending.
Most routes require 45-90 days lead time for planning and permit processing. Yunnan and Sichuan can be arranged in as little as 30 days. Private departures are available year-round on request. We recommend enquiring 4-6 months ahead for peak season (May-October) departures, as suite availability is limited.
Prices shown are reference rates per person based on double occupancy in a standard suite, in US dollars. Final pricing depends on your chosen suite category, departure date, seasonal surcharges, and currency fluctuations at the time of booking. Your journey designer will confirm the exact price in your personalised proposal. Prices are reviewed and updated regularly.
China Expresses is a specialist travel curator that partners with China's luxury train operators to bring these journeys to English-speaking travellers. We handle all planning, permits, English-language service and guest care, while the trains themselves are operated by their respective railway companies. This means you get expert English guidance and seamless logistics, with the trains running as officially scheduled services.
Most of our routes operate at moderate altitudes below 2,500m. For any high-altitude sections, the itinerary is designed with gradual acclimatisation built in. We also provide pre-departure altitude guidance and recommend consulting your doctor before booking.
Absolutely. Many travellers combine the Silk Road Classic with the Xinjiang Grand Circuit for an epic 24-day transcontinental journey. We also arrange pre- and post-train extensions in Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong or Chengdu. For private groups of 8 or more, we can organise exclusive departures with customised excursions. Tell us your ideas and we'll build it.

Let us match you to the right journey.

Tell us your travel dates, interests and party size. We'll recommend the route and suite that fits. And tailor a private departure if our scheduled dates don't suit.