If you missed the train and couldn’t be arsed to find the bus station, the more unofficial inter-city transport option came in the form of private hired cars. Though still cheap by UK standards (£10 per person for a few hundred miles really isn’t bad), in China they were easily the most expensive way to go – more than twice the cost of trains or buses.

Despite the cost, and the fact that you’d have to share with strangers (unless you had enough people to fill the car), the service came with the benefit of optional stop-offs for loos or refreshments, and dropped you wherever in your target city you desired. They were, of course, technically illegal, but since when did that stop anyone?

They could most commonly be found outside stations and popular transport routes touting the city to which they were willing to take you. A couple of times during the Summer we made use of them when ferrying large amounts of luggage from place to place between trains. Both to and from Bagang, the passengers were barely visible beneath a staggering pile of bags, rucksacks, and suitcases. In one direction I’m fairly sure we had to have one window open to fit everything in. Extracting ourselves at the other end was a job.

The best organised route had to be between Fukang and Ürümqi, although even hired car couldn’t get you past the multiple security checkpoints on the way. At least when you were one of maybe three or four paying customers, the chances of them driving off without you were much reduced (it was a real fear with buses when, as a foreigner, you were held up at the checkpoint).

No doubt they were the dodgiest way to travel, and despite Mac having a tense few minutes down a side alley en route to Karamay (he was fine), I don’t think we were ever scammed. Metered taxi drivers were usually much worse for trying to demand more than the trip was worth; at least between cities there was a (fairly) fixed fair.

—TJC

Featured image: Becca, me and Kieran between Beitun and Fuhai – so far out these cars were the only option.