June 20, China Train Guide.Com learned from Urumqi Railway Bureau that an international passenger train riding between Urumqi and Astana via Khorgos, Almaty, Sary Shagan, Karaganda and etc has been running on daily basis since June 8 2017, which means that the 2nd passenger railway line connecting China and Kazakhstan has been formally opened.
☝ A Grand Opening & Inauguration Celebration Was Hold In Urumqi Railway Station June 8
The train K9765, leaving from Urumqi Railway Station at 19:02 ,is renumbered as train 9001 at Khorgos Railway Port. Leaving from Khorgos, it rides 40 minutes and arrives Altynkol Railway Station in Kazakhstan where passengers are required to transfer to Kazakhstan train number 701 to continue the journey for Almaty, Astana and etc.
"The Kazakhstan train to change to has similar arrangement with its Chinese counterpart, passengers can just use the former train tickets to board the train without changing on coach number, berth postion and etc. The whole transfer procedures are safe, efficient and convenient.", Said Ma Yinong, the railway station master at Khorgos.
In the initial period, the train is consist of 5 coaches providing 198 places, all of which are hard sleepers. It takes the train 24 hours to complete the journey from Urumqi to Almaty, which is 8 to 10 hours less than another international train via Alashankou Railway Port.
Bus also uses about 24 hours on the trip, however, it’s less comfortable and less stable than the train.
Advance ticket reservation period for the international train is 60 days maximum. Minimum days for advanced booking is 2 days in Urumqi and 3 days in Khorgos. Urumqi Railway Station uses number 12 ticket counter and Khorgos Railway Station uses number 1 ticket counter as designated windows for international train ticket reservation, cancellation and changing. Passengers should submit their passports to go through related procedures.
☝ Khorgos is now the 2nd City in Xinjiang That Has Railway Port of Its Own
Train ticket price is CNY 692 Yuan from Urumqi to Almaty which is CNY 100 Yuan less than the one via Alashankou Railway Port. Ticket price is CNY 1040 Yuan from Urumqi to Astana.
According to the regulation on the international train, each adult passenger can bring one child under 4 years for free travel provided that the kid will not occupy a place. If an adult passenger has another child under 4 years to travel with, he/she will have to purchase a child ticket for that kid. Child tickets are issued to those from 4 to 12 years only. Price for child ticket is a half of that of adult ticket.
Weight for carry on luggage is 36 kg for adult passenger and 15 kg for child passenger under 12 years.Kazakhstan, as the largest country in Central Asia, has a lot of places to visit. The Park of the First President of Kazakhstan, Big Almaty Lake, Ascension Cathedral, The Palace of Independence, Shymbulak Mountain Resort and the Burabay National Park are all famous tourist attractions to Chinese outbound travelers.
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