Getting to the Zhangye Rainbow Mountains: Trains, Flights and Buses in 2026

Reaching the Zhangye Rainbow Mountains is easiest by high-speed train to Zhangye West Railway Station, then a 50-minute, roughly 36-kilometer transfer to the Danxia north gate. The dedicated public shuttle bus costs CNY 15 one way; a taxi runs about CNY 80. From January 5, 2026, admission is CNY 70.

Zhangye has one airport, Zhangye Ganzhou Airport (YZY), a small civil-military field 24 to 25 kilometers southwest of downtown. The drive takes about 35 minutes and the airport shuttle costs CNY 20 per person. Direct flights connect Lanzhou (about 1 hour), Xi'an (2 hours), Beijing (3 hours), Shanghai (3.5 hours) and Chengdu; Guangzhou services usually transit Lanzhou and take about 5 hours. There are no international flights, so long-haul visitors clear customs in Beijing, Shanghai or Chengdu first. The airport is 62 kilometers and about one hour by car from the Danxia north gate, with no bus on that route, so pre-book a transfer or taxi.

The train is how most travelers arrive. Zhangye West Railway Station sits on the Lanzhou-Xinjiang high-speed line, only 3 kilometers from downtown and about 10 minutes by taxi; the older Zhangye Railway Station handles conventional trains and is 8 kilometers out. From Lanzhou West, D trains cover the 437 kilometers in 2 hours 41 minutes to 3 hours 16 minutes for CNY 149.5 in second class, while slower overnight trains take 4 to 5 hours and charge CNY 72 for a hard seat. From Xining, services take 1 hour 41 minutes to 2 hours 14 minutes for CNY 91.5. Eastbound from Jiayuguan South it is 1 hour 11 minutes to 1 hour 55 minutes for CNY 65.5. Xi'an and Urumqi are about 7.5 hours away, and Dunhuang is roughly 4 hours.

The last leg is the one people underestimate. The Qicai, or "seven-color," Danxia scenic area lies about 40 kilometers west of Zhangye city in Linze County, a 50- to 60-minute drive. No city bus line serves the park, so you choose between a dedicated tourist shuttle, a taxi, or a shared van. The shuttle leaves Zhangye West Railway Station and the main bus station for CNY 15 one way and takes about an hour. A taxi is roughly CNY 80 one way from the station, and drivers often quote about CNY 150 for a round trip that waits while you visit. Shared vans fill up for about CNY 50 per person round trip. Enter by the north gate for the fullest shuttle loop; the west gate is quieter, and the east gate is small.

Because Danxia and the Mati Temple sit in opposite directions, combining them with public transport in a single day does not work. Charter rates from local agencies are the practical answer: about CNY 120 for Linze Danxia alone, another CNY 30 to add Binggou Danxia, about CNY 180 for the Mati Temple, or CNY 350 for both Danxia and Mati in one long day. Splitting a Santana taxi four ways brings the per-person cost close to a bus ticket.

Budget the gate carefully. Admission to Qicai Danxia rose from CNY 54 to CNY 70 on January 5, 2026, under a notice from the Zhangye Development and Reform Commission. The combined admission-and-sightseeing-bus ticket most visitors buy runs about CNY 93 in peak season, April 1 to October 31, and about CNY 75 from November 1 to March 31. That ticket is valid for 48 hours and ties to facial recognition at the visitor center, which allows two entries, and that is how photographers catch sunset on day one and sunrise on day two. The sightseeing bus is not optional: walking on the hills is prohibited, and the platforms sit kilometers apart.

Zhangye itself is easy and cheap to cross. City buses run 10 routes at a flat CNY 1, taxis flag down at CNY 4 to CNY 5, and ride-hailing works through DiDi and Amap. From Zhangye Railway Station, bus line 1 reaches downtown for CNY 1 and a taxi costs about CNY 10 to 15. The Giant Buddha Temple, the Wooden Pagoda and the Bell and Drum Tower cluster within a few blocks of the old center, and the night-market stalls are a short walk from most downtown hotels. Before a sunrise run, stay in Zhangye city for choice or in Qicai Town beside the north gate, where guesthouses run roughly CNY 180 to 380.

Time your arrival around the light. In peak season, April 1 to October 31, gates run 5:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. with last entry at 6:00 p.m.; from November 1 to March 31 they shorten to about 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Midday flattens the bands, so arrive after 4:00 p.m. for sunset or before 7:00 a.m. for sunrise. The drive back to Zhangye city after sunset takes about an hour, so book a driver who waits rather than gambling on a late bus.

Tell ChinaMira your arrival city, dates and whether you want sunrise or sunset, and we will match the train, arrange a driver who waits at the north gate, and build the Gansu leg around the light. Start with our Rainbow Mountains story for the geology and the four platforms, borrow light-chasing ideas from photography journeys in China, and check our high-speed rail and season-by-season guides before you book. The mountains are 40 kilometers from town; the planning is what makes the last hour feel close.