Lanzhou
Discover Lanzhou
Lanzhou is an industrial city of about 4.5 million people. It is located on the shores of the Yellow River. It used to be one of the most polluted cities in China but the situation has improved. The elevation of Lanzhou is 1,570 m. Lanzhou was a major stop on the Silk Road; in those days, it was known as the Golden City. From the 5th to the 11th century the city was a major seat of Buddhist learning, and it acquired its present name during the Qing Dynasty in 1656. Until the 19th century, Lanzhou was the primary point for crossing the Yellow River via a bridge made by chaining a flotilla of boats together with a road on top to cross on.
What to Experience in Lanzhou
Taste of Lanzhou...
Lanzhou is famous for its beef noodle soup (兰州牛肉拉面 Lanzhou niurou lamian). The noodles are always hand made, and the broth served hot and spicy with as much beef as you care to pay for. If the place offers a cheap bowl of noodle, usually it comes with beef broth, but without sliced beef, you need to pay more for it. They are a specialty of the Muslim Hui ethnic group, and hence are a good option for those looking for halal food. A bowl of beef noodle soup is around ¥15 (as of Aug 2024). As located in buildings, with almost no signs or Chinese signs, hostels in Lanzhou are a little bit tricky to find. Many of the cheap hotels on near the train station on Tianshui road (天水南路) do not accept foreigners, but some do, look around. Here's a couple to get you started. The Visa Extension Service is located in a big administrative building on the southwestern corner of Qingyang Lu & Jiuquan Lu, on the 4th Floor, easy to find, follow the VISA signs. You can search for "Min'an Mansion" on Google Maps to locate the building. Opened from 9:00 to 17:00. Friendly English-speaking staff. No need for photos & passport copies, they will take a digital photo. You just need a proof of lodging. Takes 3-4 working days.
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsA single line shuttle bus (¥30 per person) makes the trip to city in a bit more than one hour, and finally stops at the crossroads of TianShui South Road / DongGan West Road (天水南路、东岗西路). A dedicated commuter train line connects the Lanzhou Zhongchuan Airport and the Lanzhou Railway Station, with an intermediate stop at Lanzhou West Station. (Some trains from the airport terminate at Lanzhou West). The travel time from the airport to Lanzhou Railway Station is 50-55 min; as of 2015, there is approximately one train per hour in each direction. (Current schedule, in Chinese). All long-distance trains nowadays use 36.07103.752 Lanzhou West Railway Station, a huge modern building that from the street looks like a gigantic Walmart. From here, high-speed trains rush to Xining (1 h 15 min), Jiayuguan (4 h 30 min), Urumqi (12 h), Xian (4 h), Wuhan and Beijing. Conventional trains still use the old Lanzhou Railway Station (Lanzhou Huoche Zhan) at the south end of Pingliang Lu at Tianshui Lu....
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
There are two Metro lines, Metro Line 1 (blue line) runs east–west across the city, linking downtown with West Railway Station, and Metro Line 2 (red line). Fare is around ¥2-4. There are other metro lines being build connecting the main Railway Station (as of Aug 2024). The #1 Bus is really useful getting around Lanzhou. It travels from Lanzhou Station to the Lanzhou Hotel, Qingyang Lu, Xihu Gongyuian Park, Qiliheqiao and ending at Lanzhou West Station. It also connects the train station to the starting point of the shuttle bus to the airport, here. There's a city bike scheme, with pick-up / drop-off stations dotted around. Lanzhou is famous for its beef noodle soup (兰州牛肉拉面 Lanzhou niurou lamian). The noodles are always hand made, and the broth served hot and spicy with as much beef as you care to pay for. If the place offers a cheap bowl of noodle, usually it comes with beef broth, but without sliced beef, you need to pay more for it.
Where to Stay
As located in buildings, with almost no signs or Chinese signs, hostels in Lanzhou are a little bit tricky to find. Many of the cheap hotels on near the train station on Tianshui road (天水南路) do not accept foreigners, but some do, look around. Here's a couple to get you started. The Visa Extension Service is located in a big administrative building on the southwestern corner of Qingyang Lu & Jiuquan Lu, on the 4th Floor, easy to find, follow the VISA signs. You can search for "Min'an Mansion" on Google Maps to locate the building. Opened from 9:00 to 17:00. Friendly English-speaking staff. No need for photos & passport copies, they will take a digital photo. You just need a proof of lodging. Takes 3-4 working days.
Money & Budget
Lanzhou is famous for its beef noodle soup (兰州牛肉拉面 Lanzhou niurou lamian). The noodles are always hand made, and the broth served hot and spicy with as much beef as you care to pay for. If the place offers a cheap bowl of noodle, usually it comes with beef broth, but without sliced beef, you need to pay more for it. They are a specialty of the Muslim Hui ethnic group, and hence are a good option for those looking for halal food. A bowl of beef noodle soup is around ¥15 (as of Aug 2024). As located in buildings, with almost no signs or Chinese signs, hostels in Lanzhou are a little bit tricky to find. Many of the cheap hotels on near the train station on Tianshui road (天水南路) do not accept foreigners, but some do, look around. Here's a couple to get you started.
Safety Information
Nearby Destinations
Glimpses of Lanzhou
甘肃兰州Lanzhou, Gansu
兰州城关区黄河铁桥。
a view of a city at night from the top of a hill
a large cloud is in the sky over a city
a view of a city at night from the top of a skyscraper
a city at night with a lot of tall buildings
City lights twinkle at night from a high vantage point.
a person holding a tablet
City skyline with lights at dusk.
A group of people walking down a street
甘肃兰州Lanzhou, Gansu
兰州城关区黄河铁桥。
a view of a city at night from the top of a hill