Ghulja: how to get there and around
Airports, stations, ports, where the hotels are and what the numbers say, from public data rather than a brochure.
Ghulja is a city of 269,158 people in China (Xinjiang), 639 m (2,096 ft) above sea level. The nearest large airport is Ili Yining International Airport (YIN), 5 km (3 mi) from the centre.
Key facts
Daylight in Ghulja runs from about 8 h 57 min a day in late December to 15 h 32 min in late June (computed for 43.92° latitude), which matters more than the forecast when a day is built around one flight or one crossing.
Getting there
Ghulja is served by one airport with scheduled flights. The closest large one is Ili Yining International Airport (YIN), 5 km (3 mi) from the centre, with a longest runway of 7,874 ft, which limits it to short and medium-haul aircraft.
Flights to Ghulja: every airport, routes and times
Buses to Ghulja · Driving and car hire
Nearby cities, and how to get between them
- Almaty, 363 km (Kazakhstan) — flights
- Shihezi, 379 km — buses · car rental
- Aqsu, 315 km — buses · car rental
- Huocheng, 39 km — buses · car rental · tours
- Xinyuan, 164 km — buses · car rental · tours
- Karamay, 337 km — buses · car rental
- Bole, 124 km — buses · car rental · tours
- Tacheng, 340 km — buses · car rental
- Ālā'ĕr, 375 km — buses · car rental
- Taldykorgan, 264 km (Kazakhstan)
Common questions
Which airport serves Ghulja?
Ili Yining International Airport (YIN), 5 km (3 mi) from the centre.
How big is Ghulja?
About 269,158 people live in Ghulja (GeoNames).
What time zone is Ghulja in?
Asia/Urumqi, currently UTC+6.
What currency is used in Ghulja?
The Yuan Renminbi (CNY). Traffic drives on the right.
Which cities are near Ghulja?
Almaty (363 km), Shihezi (379 km), Aqsu (315 km), Huocheng (39 km), Xinyuan (164 km).
Where these facts come from
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, elevation, time zone, postal codes
- Wikidata (CC0): area, sister cities, visitor numbers, heritage listings, stations and ports
- OurAirports (public domain): airports, runways
- Natural Earth (public domain): map outlines
Data compiled 14 September 2026. Hotel and hostel figures are from our booking partner’s catalogue on that date. Journey times on this page are estimates from distance, not timetables; check the operator before you rely on one.