Dunhuang Airport is 13km east of the city. It has direct flights from Lanzhou, Xi’an, Beijing, Urumqi and other cities, although there are not many flights each week. Buses from the CAAC offices (09473-22389) on Dong Dajie near the Dunhuang Hotel.

Dunhuang is planning to build an international airport because the number of overseas tourists flocking in to see the ancient Buddhist cave paintings is growing by 30 percent annually.

The new airport will first open to international charter flights to and from Hong Kong, Osaka and Seoul.