How long is the Lanzhou to Xi'an train?

The fastest high-speed train covers the 575 km in 3h, with most services in the 3h–3h 50m range. Trains are G-class.

How much is a Lanzhou to Xi'an train ticket?

Second class is ¥118 – ¥238, first class ¥331 – ¥381, business class ¥776 – ¥915. Fares are dynamically priced — peak departures trend to the high end of each band.

How many trains run from Lanzhou to Xi'an each day?

About 89 trains a day each way, with the first around 03:56 and the last around 20:30.

Is the train or the flight better for Lanzhou to Xi'an?

Train is direct and downtown-to-downtown — comfortably wins. Door-to-door the train is ~4h vs ~4h 30m flying.

How do I book Lanzhou to Xi'an tickets with a foreign passport?

Two ways: the official 12306 English app (face price, passport-bound account, no booking fee) or Trip.com (English UI, foreign cards accepted, small markup). Tickets open exactly 15 days before departure.

China for Travelers

Lanzhou to Xi'an by High-Speed Train

Name: Lanzhou → Xi'an HSR Route Record (China for Travelers)
Creator: China for Travelers
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Fastest 3h · from ¥118 second class · 89 daily trains · Train wins vs flight

By China for Travelers · Published 2026-04-25 · Updated 2026-05-30 · Verified against 12306 on 2026-04-30

Map of the Xi'an North–Lanzhou West high-speed rail corridor: 575 km from Xi'an North Railway Station to Lanzhou West Railway Station, 3h on the fastest G-train. — The 575 km Xi'an North → Lanzhou West corridor — 3h on the fastest G-train.

The Lanzhou to Xi'an corridor is 575 km of G-class high-speed rail. Trains run from Lanzhou West Railway Station to Xi'an North Railway Station, with the fastest service taking 3h and the longest about 3h 50m. Second-class seats start at ¥118 – ¥238. Train is direct and downtown-to-downtown — comfortably wins.

Distance: 575 km
Train types: G
Duration: 3h – 3h 50mtypical mainline services
Daily departures: 89 trains
Service window: 03:56 → 20:30
Second class: ¥118 – ¥238
First class: ¥331 – ¥381
Business class: ¥776 – ¥915
Scenery: ★★★☆☆our editorial rating

Train vs flight

Metric	Train	Flight
Fastest	3h	1h 30m
Door-to-door	~4h	4h 30m
Price	¥118 – ¥238	¥500 – ¥1100

Editor: Train is direct and downtown-to-downtown — comfortably wins.

Stations

Departing from
Lanzhou West Railway Station
Lanzhou · G/D-class · ~25 min to city centre
Silk Road gateway. Transfer here for Xining (Qinghai Lake) or Dunhuang.
Arriving at
Xi'an North Railway Station
Xi'an · G/D-class · ~30 min to city centre
Asia's largest rail station building. Metro Line 2 takes 30 min to the Bell Tower.

How to book

Two paths for foreign travelers — either the official Chinese system at face price, or a Western OTA for an English-first checkout with a small markup.

12306 (official): face price, no booking fee. Requires a passport-bound account. Step-by-step 12306 walkthrough →
Trip.com: English UI, foreign cards work, small markup. Best when 12306 frustrates you. Search Lanzhou → Xi'an on Trip.com →
Compare the two: read 12306 vs Trip.com →

Frequently asked questions

How long is the Lanzhou to Xi'an train?: The fastest high-speed train covers the 575 km in 3h, with most services in the 3h–3h 50m range. Trains are G-class.
How much is a Lanzhou to Xi'an train ticket?: Second class is ¥118 – ¥238, first class ¥331 – ¥381, business class ¥776 – ¥915. Fares are dynamically priced — peak departures trend to the high end of each band.
How many trains run from Lanzhou to Xi'an each day?: About 89 trains a day each way, with the first around 03:56 and the last around 20:30.
Is the train or the flight better for Lanzhou to Xi'an?: Train is direct and downtown-to-downtown — comfortably wins. Door-to-door the train is ~4h vs ~4h 30m flying.
How do I book Lanzhou to Xi'an tickets with a foreign passport?: Two ways: the official 12306 English app (face price, passport-bound account, no booking fee) or Trip.com (English UI, foreign cards accepted, small markup). Tickets open exactly 15 days before departure.

Related routes

Other trips to Xi'an

Beijing → Xi'an · 4h 10m
Shanghai → Xi'an · 6h

Or explore the full interactive HSR map with all 24 cities and 36 corridors.