The Jiaotong Hotel in Turpan has a new phone number. It is listed nowhere on the internet, not even on Chinese-language websites. It’s a mystery why they don’t care to advertise their new telephone number, but anyway here it is: 0995-6258666, 0995-6258688. I know that recently a lot of travelers, Chinese and non-Chinese, have been wondering if the Jiaotong Hotel is closed. It is not; they just have a new number.

In Kashgar, all foreigners are required to secure a permit to travel on the Karakorum Highway now, without exceptions. There are military checkpoints on the highway (complete with armed soldiers), the first one being well before Lake Karakul. Anyone without a permit and a passport is turned back. As a result, any foreigner who wants to arrange their own transportation, hitchhike, or take a public bus — i.e., not go through a Kashgar travel agency — must arrange their own permit at least one day before their trip. I don’t know how to do that, and I don’t know anyone else who knows how to do that, so it is highly recommended that travelers at least use a travel agency to secure the permit the day before travel. I’m not sure if they’ll help you with that if you’re not going to use their services, though.

There is a public bus that goes to/from the airport in Kashgar to the center of town. It is the line 2 and the trip only costs 2 RMB. This is much cheaper than a taxi (appr. 30 RMB) or the airport shuttle (15 RMB). You have to go through the main front entrance of the airport, past the front gate, and turn left on the road. About 20 meters down, you’ll see the line 2 buses.

If I think of anything else I learned on my trip, I’ll let you know. Thanks for giving us this great guide! I used it a lot in Turpan.

When you talk about “one site to another”, do you mean like going from Jiaohe to Emin? Or just a round trip to one location? I like your suggestion, I just want to clarify.

Thanks for the comment!