Air tickets Karaganda — Urumqi

Looking for flights from Karaganda to Urumqi? On the Freedom Travel website and app you can find the available options, compare them by price and travel time, reserve a seat and pay for your ticket online.

Here you will find the essentials of the route: distance and the actual journey length, the best cities to connect through and the airlines that operate each leg, what the fare depends on, visa rules for citizens of Kazakhstan, details about Urumqi airport and what to see in the city.

General information about flights between Karaganda and Urumqi

The cities are about 1,250 km apart. There is no non-stop service: a direct flight would take roughly 2 hours, but with one stop the journey takes from about 6 hours, including the layover. Urumqi is 3 hours ahead of Karaganda — China uses a single time zone of UTC+8, while Karaganda is on UTC+5. Citizens of Kazakhstan do not need a visa for trips of up to 30 days thanks to the visa-free agreement; check the current rules before you travel. The route is popular with shoppers and traders, as well as with tourists drawn by the Tian Shan mountains and the character of Xinjiang.

Why book Karaganda to Urumqi tickets with Freedom Travel

• We work with every airline available on the route
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Karaganda — Urumqi flight schedule

There is no non-stop Karaganda — Urumqi flight in the timetable, so the trip consists of two legs. The classic option is a FlyArystan flight from Sary-Arka Airport to Almaty, about 1 hour 40 minutes, followed by a China Southern Airlines or Air Astana service from Almaty to Urumqi that takes around 1 hour 45 minutes.

The number of flights and the convenience of connections vary by day of the week and by season, so it is best to check specific dates in the Freedom Travel search. Fares are dynamic: the closer the departure and the higher the demand, the more the ticket costs.

How much does a flight from Karaganda to Urumqi cost

The price depends on the date, the airline, the season, the length of the layover and how early you book. We do not quote a specific figure: the current fare for your dates is shown in the Freedom Travel search, with all fees included and online card payment.

Which airlines fly the Karaganda — Urumqi route

• FlyArystan — connecting itineraries on the Karaganda — Almaty leg and, in season, on the Aktau — Urumqi leg
• China Southern Airlines — operates one of the legs (via Almaty)
• Air Astana — operates one of the legs (via Almaty)
• SCAT — operates one of the legs in the season when the Karaganda — Aktau link operates

The mix of carriers and connections is updated from time to time. The full list of options available for your dates is shown in the Freedom Travel search.

How to get from Karaganda to Urumqi: your flight options

There are no non-stop flights from Karaganda to Urumqi: Sary-Arka Airport serves only a few destinations and Urumqi is not among them.

The main option is a connection in Almaty: FlyArystan takes you from Karaganda to Almaty, and China Southern Airlines and Air Astana fly onward to Urumqi. In season an alternative opens up via Aktau, which SCAT serves from Karaganda and from where FlyArystan flies to Urumqi. If departing from Astana suits you better, travellers reach it overland from Karaganda, about 200 km, since the two cities have no air link.

The Almaty connection is available all year, offers more departures and a shorter total travel time. The Aktau option depends on the seasonal timetable but can sometimes be cheaper. As this is an international route, check whether you need a transit visa if you connect outside Kazakhstan.

Find return flights from Urumqi to Karaganda

Urumqi airport

Flights arrive at Urumqi Diwopu International Airport (URC), about 16 km north-west of the city centre. A metro line, airport buses and taxis run into town.

What to see in Urumqi

The capital of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in north-west China is one of the world's most landlocked large cities and a crossroads of Central Asian cultures.

• The International Grand Bazaar — a large Uygur-style market with goods, food and striking architecture
• Hongshan Park (Red Hill) — a hill with a pagoda and views over the city
• Xinjiang Regional Museum — known for the ancient Tarim Basin mummies and Silk Road artefacts
• People's Park — an old city park with a lake
• Lake Tianchi (Heavenly Lake) — a scenic mountain lake in the Tian Shan foothills near the city

Discover Urumqi: start with a search on Freedom Travel and choose the itinerary with the connection that suits you.