Lanzhou: 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.
Lanzhou is a city of 4.4 million people in China (Gansu), 1,521 m (4,990 ft) above sea level. The nearest large airport is Lanzhou Zhongchuan International Airport (LHW), 55 km (34 mi) from the centre. It has 10 railway stations on record, including Lanzhou railway station. Our booking partner lists 89 places to stay.
Key facts
Daylight in Lanzhou runs from about 9 h 45 min a day in late December to 14 h 40 min in late June (computed for 36.06° latitude), which matters more than the forecast when a day is built around one flight or one crossing.
Getting there
Lanzhou is served by one airport with scheduled flights. The closest large one is Lanzhou Zhongchuan International Airport (LHW), 55 km (34 mi) from the centre, whose 13,123-ft runway is long enough for long-haul wide-body aircraft.
Flights to Lanzhou: every airport, routes and times
By rail: stations on record include Lanzhou railway station, Lanzhou West railway station, Chenguanying Railway Station, Zhongchuan Airport railway station, Podixia Railway Station, Yongdeng Railway Station. Trains to Lanzhou
Buses to Lanzhou · Driving and car hire
Where to stay
Our booking partner lists 89 places to stay in Lanzhou. Of the 80 with a star rating, the largest group is 3-star (28), and 2 are five-star. Guests have left 278 reviews in total.
Hotels in Lanzhou: the full picture, and book
Nearby cities, and how to get between them
- Wuzhong, 300 km — flights · trains · tours
- Yinchuan, 344 km — flights · trains
- Xining, 197 km — flights · trains · buses · car rental · tours
- Qingyang, 345 km — trains
- Baoji, 361 km
- Tianshui, 238 km — trains · buses · car rental · tours
- Zhongwei, 202 km — flights · trains · buses · car rental · tours
- Wuwei, 234 km — flights · trains · buses · car rental · tours
- Shizuishan, 395 km — flights
- Pingliang, 263 km — trains · tours
Twin towns and sister cities: Albuquerque, Akita, Christchurch, Nouakchott, Alba Iulia, Penza, Ulan-Ude, Hachinohe.
Common questions
Which airport serves Lanzhou?
Lanzhou Zhongchuan International Airport (LHW), 55 km (34 mi) from the centre.
How big is Lanzhou?
About 4.4 million people live in Lanzhou, across 13,192 km² (GeoNames and Wikidata).
What time zone is Lanzhou in?
Asia/Shanghai, currently UTC+8.
What currency is used in Lanzhou?
The Yuan Renminbi (CNY). Traffic drives on the right.
How many hotels are there in Lanzhou?
Our booking partner lists 89 places to stay in Lanzhou, bookable on this site.
Which cities are near Lanzhou?
Wuzhong (300 km), Yinchuan (344 km), Xining (197 km), Qingyang (345 km), Baoji (361 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.