In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · China
Yarkand
莎车
Spend 1–2 days in Yarkand as a break on the Kashgar‑Hotan route; arrive by train or bus, stay near the Old Town.
Yarkand is a small Xinjiang city on the southern Silk Road, useful as a stop between Kashgar and Hotan. With a few sights and cheap transport, a single night is enough, two if you add a desert trek.
- Country
- China
- Local name
- 莎车
- Best months
- Apr–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- CNY
- Money
- Alipay and WeChat Pay accept Visa, Mastercard, JCB and Amex cards; single payments over ¥200 carry a fee of about 3% on a foreign card (smaller ones are free), and per-payment and yearly caps apply — check the app. Keep a second way to pay.
- Daily spend
- Budget ¥120–¥180 excl. bed · Mid ¥180–¥300 excl. bed · High ¥300+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- A roaming eSIM from outside China routes traffic through its home network, so Google, WhatsApp and Instagram work without a VPN — the simplest setup.
- Emergency
- Police 110 · Fire and ambulance 119
- Plugs
- Types A, C, I · 220 V · 50 Hz · Many sockets take flat two-pin (A), round two-pin (C) and angled three-pin (I) plugs; UK plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Restaurants: No tip; upmarket hotels add 10–15% service.; Taxis and DiDi: No tip.; Tour guides and drivers: Expected on organised tours: about ¥100–200 a day for a guide, ¥50–100 for a driver.; Hotel porters: Not expected; ¥10–20 in luxury hotels.
- Water
- Not for drinking from the tap; bottled water ¥2–5, and kettles and free bottles in hotel rooms. Restaurants serve hot water or tea.
- Toilets
- Public toilets are frequent and free; squat toilets outside hotels and malls. Carry tissues — many have no paper.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Bus ride (city‑wide) | ¥1 |
| Shared electric scooter (15 min) | ¥2.5 |
| Taxi from airport | ¥60 |
| KTV bar room (4 drinks, up to 03:00)KTV bar room (4 drinks, up to 3:00 AM) | ¥288 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- QSZ · Yarkand Airport
- 40‑min drive from city centre, taxi ≈¥60
Typical fares
- Train Kashgar → Yarkand
- ≈¥30, 2 h, 7 per day (check)
- Train Hotan → Yarkand
- ≈¥45, 3.5 h, 5 per day (check)
- Bus Kashgar → Yarkand
- ≈4 h, no fare listed (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Bus between Kashgar/Hotan (≈¥1) and shared electric scooters (≈¥2.5 per 15 min). Taxis from airport ≈¥60.
See and do
Known for
- Tomb of Amanisahan
- Golden Graveyard
- Local carpet weaving
- Old Town
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Kashgar | Train from Yarkand, about 2 h, ¥30, 7 per day | ≈2 h |
| Hotan | Train from Yarkand, about 3.5 h, ¥45, 5 per day | ≈3.5 h |
| Taklamakan Desert camel trek | Arrange via local operators in Yarkand; start from Karasu village, 250 km (155 mi) south of KashgarArrange via local operators in Yarkand; start from Karasu village, 155 mi (250 km) south of Kashgar | ≈2 days total |
Sleep
- Shache Hotel
- Around ¥220 for foreigners, cheaper for locals; basic facilities.
- New Century Hotel
- ¥80, budget option for foreigners.
- Subiyi Aletun Hotel
- ¥100 double room, modern, near Old Town.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | 对不起duì bu qǐ |
| Thank you | 谢谢xiè xie |
| How much is it? | 多少钱？duō shǎo qián? |
| Can I pay by card? | 可以刷卡吗？kě yǐ shuā kǎ ma? |
| Where is the toilet? | 厕所在哪里？cè suǒ zài nǎ lǐ? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and a nod; use surnames with a title; avoid: Hugs and cheek kisses
- Face: Disagree privately and indirectly; avoid: Correcting or embarrassing someone in front of others
- Gifts: Give with two hands; expect the gift to be refused once or twice and opened later; avoid: Clocks, umbrellas, white flowers, sets of four
- Business cards: Present and receive with both hands, read it, keep it on the table; avoid: Writing on it or pocketing it at once
- Queues and crowds: Hold your ground politely in scrums at buses and lifts; avoid: Taking pushing personally
- Temples: Walk clockwise around Tibetan stupas and prayer wheels; remove hats; avoid: Touching statues or photographing where signs forbid
- Politics: Listen; follow your host's lead; avoid: Raising Tibet, Taiwan, Xinjiang, 1989 or the party leadership
- Numbers and colour: Red and 8 are lucky; red envelopes carry money gifts; avoid: Writing names in red; the number 4
Scams and watch-outs
- Train from Kashgar (2 h, ¥30, 7 per day) is far cheaper than the flight; check schedules.
- Alcohol is limited; KTV bar costs ¥288 for 4 drinks, stay till 03:00.
Yarkand is generally safe for day visitors; keep valuables concealed, avoid isolated desert areas after dark, and respect local customs.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Yarkand yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Tomb of Amanisahan
- Golden Graveyard
- Local carpet weaving
- Old Town
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Yarkand, revision 5086421 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5086421
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/yarkand). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.