Trains and Markets in East Turkestan
Travelling along the Silk Road in China’s far west. From Turpan’s dry heat and Kuqa’s unforgettable noodles to the trading crossroads of Kashgar.
China’s largest province was once known as East Turkestan. That vast stretch of land is now the autonomous region of Xinjiang (which literally means ‘new frontier’).
Before Stalin drew borders across the five Soviet “-stans1” (in a way that still feels rather arbitrary), the area we now call Central Asia was simply Turkestan. The Uyghur region in western China was part of it too, as was a small northern tip of Afghanistan. Pakistan wasn’t. During the time of the ‘Great Game’, that was still considered part of Hindustan.
Turpan on the Silk Road
All I see of Ürümqi is the railway station. After travelling overnight from Kazakhstan, I switch to a local train and head via Turpan and Kuqa towards Kashgar, where I’ll pick up the Karakoram Highway.
In the middle of Xinjiang lies the Taklamakan Desert. Both north and south of it ran the caravan routes of the Silk Road. Turpan (Tulufan in Chinese) sits nearby. It’s known for its historical ruins beyond the city limits, its grapes, and its heat. That last one, oddly enough, is precisely what attracts Chinese tourists.
A spiced-up cousin of the Central Asian menu
Turpan itself feels distinctly Chinese. The working day ends with dancing fountains, bright lights and loud music. In the evening, the Uyghur grills on the night market blaze away. Everything smells fantastic.
The food here is a spiced-up cousin of the Central Asian menu: shashliks with chilli and cumin; manti filled in a dozen different ways; and hand-pulled laghman noodles, where you can really taste the spices and fresh herbs.
In the scorching desert heat, I visit several ruins: the historic site of Tuyoq and the Buddhist frescoes in the Bezeklik Caves. (The expedition led by German archaeologist Albert von Le Coq chiselled a great deal of the heritage off the walls and transported it to Germany; some of it was later destroyed during the Second World War bombings.)
Beijing time or Xinjiang time?
Xinjiang runs on two time zones: the official Chinese time (‘Beijing time’) and local time (‘Xinjiang time’). The difference is two hours.
China officially has just one time zone, and yet Uyghur daily life runs two hours earlier. Official schedules (trains, banks, post offices and so on) follow Beijing time; everything else can vary. It’s impressively confusing.
A midnight train to Kuqa
In the middle of the night — or around midnight, in local time — the night train leaves Turpan for Kuqa (Kucha in Chinese). This time it’s a double-decker, with two sleeping compartments stacked on top of each other. The older ladies have a great time watching the clumsy Dutch travellers trying to manoeuvre themselves into a tiny cabin.
In Kuqa, the original residents are more present than in Turpan. There’s an old district with a bazaar, bakeries and little shops. The former king’s palace has been renovated in a very Chinese way; so much so that it wouldn’t look out of place in a theme park.
The best noodle dish ever
Kuqa’s night market is a full-on food festival: naan on a stick, Xinjiang cold noodles, or, for adventurous eaters, a piece of goat lung or a boiled sheep’s head. I order a dish with three kinds of noodles, chickpeas, chilli oil, spices and fresh coriander. I become an instant fan and immediately get another bowl.
Smoking grills in Kashgar
I continue west, to one of the most important crossroads on the Silk Road: Kashgar (Kashi in Chinese). This old city — hiding behind an enormous Mao statue — is entirely Uyghur territory.
Smoking grills are everywhere, and the air is thick with spices. The mosque’s muezzin calls people to prayer. Old men wear white kufis; women wear hijabs. I’m in western China, but the name East Turkestan suddenly makes perfect sense.
Sunday is market day in Kashgar
Every Sunday, buyers and sellers gather at a large site outside the city to trade livestock. It’s a dusty field packed with carts, scooters with flatbeds, tractors and livestock trucks. Pens are filled with animals; sheep and goats are clearly the favourites, but there are also cattle (mostly bulls), horses and donkeys for sale.
A trader offers me a drooling bull calf. Without any negotiation whatsoever, he expects 600 yuan (just under €75).
On Sundays, Kashgar’s regular bazaars are open too, so you can easily turn it into a very long market day.
Tashkurgan on the Karakoram Highway
Kashgar isn’t only on the Silk Road; it’s also the starting (or end) point of the Karakoram Highway between China and Pakistan.
Once I’m on the road, it becomes immediately clear why this route is considered epic. After some dull Chinese motorways, the mountains begin — and so do the dramatic lakes, like Lake Karakul, which somehow make the landscape even more theatrical.
The last town in China on the Karakoram Highway is Tashkurgan. It has the atmosphere of a slightly deserted Wild West town. People mainly come here for the overwhelming nature. Or to continue onwards along the highway2.
Options for your itinerary
At roughly the same latitude as Kashgar, there are two border crossings into beautiful Kyrgyzstan, so you could try to combine those countries. Do check whether the borders are open to foreign tourists.
You can travel overland by train all the way from Beijing to Kashgar, with the option to stop in the Silk Road city of Xi’an, for example.
Train Travel in Xinjiang and beyond
There is an international night train between Astana/Almaty (Kazakhstan) and Ürümqi (Xinjiang).
Kashgar is easy to reach by train from the other Silk Road places, but there is no train between Kashgar and Tashkurgan. For that stretch you’ll need to arrange transport by car. From Kashgar there are also organised trips along the Karakoram Highway.
Trains in China run on Beijing time (the whole country officially shares one time zone), not on local Xinjiang time.
And in China:
One of my favourite resources, The Man in Seat 61, offers an extensive guide to train travel in China.
How to book? There are online options like Trip.com and Chinahighlights.com. For bullet trains (check the network) and long-distance overnight trains, it’s recommended to book in advance.
Overnight trains in China are really good! Opt for a soft sleeper, which is a compartment with four beds. If there is no availability (or you are really tight on a budget), a hard sleeper could be acceptable as well.
There is always hot water available in China, both at train stations and on the trains. Bring tea and a flask, instant noodles, and snacks. You can buy chopsticks and spoons at any train station in China.
Read, watch & whatever
No movies this time3. But restaurants4! In Amsterdam, you can have a taste of the Uyghur food at Tarim Uyghur Restaurant and Silk Road Uyghur Restaurant. In Rotterdam, you can head to Urumqi Restaurant.
Check 35 beautiful photos of the region in Scenes From Xinjiang on The Atlantic.
Read what train travelling in China is about in The sleeper train to Guilin by Nico Ranng
The piece about Xinjiang Cuisine by Tea & Oranges is highly recommended:
The five former Soviet “-stans” are: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
I know Beck Sharron will! Read about her plans here.
For movie tips, you can check my previous post:
I’ve been to all those places, but no restaurant offers the amazing noodles I had in Kuqa. According to a former colleague (he’s Tajik, so I trust his opinion on this), there is a good Uyghur restaurant in Cologne.
Marloes, this is amazing. When did you go? Did it change much since? Is the Karakol picture yours? Wonderful. I found Karakol and Tashkurgan on the map... I want to go. Your short story is eye-opening.
that noodle dish is something i would 100% go for. looks delish