The Silk Road is the most storied journey in China, and a luxury train is the most comfortable way to ride it. By day you step off into UNESCO grottoes, rainbow mountains and desert caravanserais; by night the train glides west while you sleep in a private cabin. Here is the route, city by city, and the trains that run it.
The route, city by city
Xi'an
The eastern gateway and ancient capital. The Terracotta Warriors, the intact Ming city wall and the Muslim Quarter set the scene for everything that follows.
Dunhuang
The Mogao Grottoes hold a millennium of Buddhist art on the edge of the Gobi, while Mingsha Mountain's crescent lake shimmers beside the dunes.
Zhangye
The rainbow Danxia landforms streak the hills in reds, ochres and greens, a geology lesson in colour best seen in the low afternoon light.
Jiayuguan
The western terminus of the Great Wall, a fortress that once marked the edge of the known world, with the snow-capped Qilian range behind it.
Turpan
The lowest point in China, a basin of ancient karez irrigation channels, the Jiaohe ruins and vineyards that have fed travellers for centuries.
Kuqa
The Kizil Thousand-Buddha Caves and the Tianshan Grand Canyon mark the old caravan crossroads where northern and southern routes met.
Kashgar
The western crossroads. The old city's lanes, the Sunday livestock market and the road onto the Pamir Plateau make it a fitting finale.
The trains that run the Silk Road
The Silk Road Express is the flagship for this route, a 15-car train of 38 private suites running from Xi'an toward Kashgar. Its 2027 programme includes the five-day Splendour (Qinghai and Gansu), the seven-day Golden Autumn and the 17-day Panorama across Xinjiang. Several other trains also cross Silk Road country, including the New Orient Express and the Panda Express Chengdu, whose western arc reaches Kashgar, Kuqa and Turpan.
Choosing your itinerary
- First time, limited time: the five-day Splendour covers Xi'an, Qinghai and Gansu's headline sites.
- Best season: May, June, September and October dodge the summer heat and catch the autumn poplar colour.
- Full crossing: the 17-day Panorama carries you the length of the route into southern Xinjiang.