By plane
Lanzhou Zhongchuan Airport (IATA: LHW) serves as the main airport and is located 70 km (43 mi) north of Lanzhou. Flights from more than 20 cities depart and arrive at the airport. Daily flights to Beijing, Changsha, Chengdu, Chongqing, Dunhuang, Fuzhou, Guangzhou, Haikou, Hangzhou, Jiayuguan, Kunming, Nanjing, Qingdao, Shanghai, Shenyang, Shenzhen, Urumqi, Wenzhou, Wuhan, Xiamen, Xi'an and Zhengzhou. To get downtown will take about 1 hour by airport bus service. Buy a 30 rmb ticket to the left of the exit door of domestic arrivals. It will drop you downtown at Tianshui lu. Walk across the road to #1 bus stop close to Lanzhou university and 1 RMB fare on the bus will bring you uptown to the cheap hotels. You will also pass the return terminus for the airport bus, about 3 stops up from the airport drop stop. Returning to the airport from this terminus, you will be accosted by touts offering taxi rides. It can be possible to share a taxi for 40 rmb per head. But buses leave every hour, on the hour.

By train
Lanzhou Railway Station is a major railway hub of western China. Everyday over 100 passenger trains originate or pass via this station. It is a vital focal point connecting the western Chinese provinces with the east. Lanzhou Railway Station's location is on Huochezhan Dong Lu, in Chengguan district.

Lanzhou Huoche Zhan - southern end of Pingliang Lu at Tianshui Lu
Beijing via Hohhot and Datong
Beijing via Xi'an and Zhengzhou - takes about 25 hours
Chengdu - takes about 19 hours
Golmud via Xining - takes about 14 hours
Guangzhou - takes about 29 hours
Lhasa - takes about 30 hours
Shanghai via Xi'an and Zhengzhou - takes about 23 hours
Urumqi via Jiayuguan and Turpan - takes about 24 hours
Xian - takes about 9 hours
Xining - takes about 3-4 hours


By bus
East Long-Distance Bus Station
Location: Pingliang Lu
Dunhuang - takes about 24 hours
Guyuan - takes about 8 hours
Jiayuguan - takes about 17 hours
Pingliang - takes about 5 hours
Tianshui - takes about 4 hours
Urumqi* Dunhuang - takes about 38 hours
Xi'an - takes about 14-16 hours
Yinchuan - takes about 12 hours (Jan 2013, takes 6 hours. Departure from the main long-distance bus station (Pingliang Lu) - one departure at 10AM)
Zhangye - takes about 12 hours

West Long-Distance Bus Station
Location: Xijin Xilu
Linxia - takes about 3 hours
Liujiaxia - takes about 2 hours
Xining - takes about 3.5 hours
Hezuo - takes about 5 hours
Xiahe - takes about 6 hours- from the SOUTH Bus Station, not the West [as of July 22 2008 this bus was not running, at the request of Police. Likely due to Tibetan protests. Check Thorn Tree forum for more details