Reach Kashgar from Kyrgyzstan or Kazakhstan

[humanchris]

Hello,

We will visit Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan in May and we would like to enter in China, go to Kashgar.
We are looking the best way to go there.

Do you know if there is buses or train from Bishkek or from Almaty to Kashgar ? Or other modes of transport ?
Any information about that ?

Thanks a lot
Christophe (France)

[sebhoff]

I will be doing this on 14th March from Osh via the Irkeshtam Pass, probably by private taxi transfer to the last Kyrgyz control post and then (hopefully) with shared taxis on the Chinese side. There is supposed to be a (weekly) bus, but it (probably) doesn't run in winter. I'll update the relevant thread here on Caravanistan (viewtopic.php?f=9&t=955&start=60) once I've managed to get to Kashgar.
There's an easier way: From Almaty to Urumqi by bus (the cross-border trains haven't started running, as far as I know) and then by train to Kashgar.

[humanchris]

Thanks a lot for you're answer ! Very usefull

[njorka]

There is a bus Bishkek - Kashgar, it departs twice per week, and the price is 85 dollars one way. But as it goes over Torugart, I don't have information whether foreigners can take it.

[fuzzyfurs]

There is a bus Bishkek - Kashgar, it departs twice per week, and the price is 85 dollars one way. But as it goes over Torugart, I don't have information whether foreigners can take it.

I just took the Kashgar-Bishkek bus two days ago, it cost me 595rmb. Yes it runs twice a week but the schedule is not fixed and prone to change. I have a Singapore passport and had no issues at the border.

[Lnx777]

I just took the Kashgar-Bishkek bus two days ago, it cost me 595rmb. Yes it runs twice a week but the schedule is not fixed and prone to change. I have a Singapore passport and had no issues at the border.

Hello @fuzzyfurs! (And greetings from an ex-Ang Mo Kio resident!)

This is very valuable info, as my friend and I will be doing the same route (Kashgar to Bishkek via Torugart) some time next week.

Could you please help us with a bit more information, namely:

- Where exactly in Kashgar did you find the bus?
- How did you book the ticket?
- Do you have a contact of someone who maybe has more info about the timetable & changes?
- Do you know if the border is open at weekends?
- How long did the bus take?

We don't want to get stuck in Kashgar for longer than necessary: last year we went Kashgar-Wuqia-Ulugchat-Ishkertam-Osh, and starting off was the most difficult thing; the locals had no idea how we could get towards Wuqia :/ We don't speak any Mandarin, had translator apps but still it took a while!

[fuzzyfurs]

Hi!

- The main bus terminal in Kashgar (also beside the train station)
- Unfortunately, it was a friend of someone who I had met on the road crossing from Pakistan to China who gave me intel. But I believe you should be able to book/reserve the bus directly from the terminal.
- From what I know, it usually leaves at 10am but which day they depart varies. I don't have any contact to forward you, sorry.
- Border is closed on the weekends
- The bus schedule: departs at 10am, arrives in Bishkek anytime from 1 to 3am, depending on how smoothly customs go. My journey took 24h as we were stuck at the border for 6h as some passengers had visa issues. There is a lot of waiting time... We were 17 passengers and I was the only foreigner but I speak Mandarin. Also don't forget that there will be time difference, so you "gain" 2h when you arrive in Kyrgyzstan.

*Wrote about it here as well: viewtopic.php?f=19&t=11646&p=51385#p51385