The Southern Xinjiang Railway branches from the Lanxin Railway near Turpan, follows the north side of the basin to Kashgar and curves southeast to Khotan.

Roads
The main road from eastern China reaches Urumchi and continues as highway 314 along the north side to Kashgar.
Highway 315 follows the south side from Kashgar to Charkilik and continues east to Tibet.
There are currently four north-south roads across the desert.
218 runs from Charkilik to Korla along the former course of the Tarim forming an oval whose other end is Kashgar.
The Tarim Desert Highway, a major engineering achievement, crosses the center from Niya to Luntai.
The new Highway 217 follows the Khotan River from Khotan to near Aksu.
A road follows the Yarkand River from Yarkand to Baqu.
East of the Korla-Charkilik road travel continues to be very difficult.

Rivers
Rivers coming south from the Tien Shan join the Tarim, the largest being the Aksu.
Rivers flowing north from the Kunlun are usually named for the town or oasis they pass through.
Most dry up in the desert, only the Hotan River reaching the Tarim in good years.
An exception is the Qiemo River which flowed northeast into Lop Nor.
Ruins in the desert imply that these rivers were once larger.

Caravans and passes
The original caravan route seems to have followed the south side.
At the time of the Han Dynasty conquest it shifted to the center (Jade Gate-Loulan-Korla).
When the Tarim changed course about 330AD it shifted north to Hami.
A minor route went north of the Tian Shan.
When there was war on the Gansu Corridor trade entered the basin near Charkilik from the Qaidam Basin.
The original route to India seems to have started near Yarkand and Kargilik, but it is now replaced by the Karakoram Highway south from Kashgar.
To the west of Kashgar via the Irkeshtam border crossing is the Alay Valley which was once the route to Persia.
Northeast of Kashgar the Torugart pass leads to the Ferghana Valley.
Near Uchturpan the Bedel Pass leads to Lake Issyk-Kul and the steppes.
Somewhere near Aksu the difficult Muzart Pass led north to the Ili River basin (Kulja).
Near Korla was the Iron Gate Pass and now the highway and railway north to Urumchi.
From Turfan the easy Dabancheng pass leads to Urumchi.
The route from Charkilik to the Qaidam Plateau was of some importance when Tibet was an empire.

North of the Mountains is Dzungaria with its central Gurbantünggüt Desert, Urumchi the capital and the Karamay oil fields.
The Kulja territory is the upper basin of the Ili River and opens out onto the Kazakh steppe with several roads eastward.
The Dzungarian Gate was once a migration route and is now a road and rail crossing.
Tacheng or Tarbaghatay is a road crossing and former trading post.
The Southern Xinjiang Railway branches from the Lanxin Railway near Turpan, follows the north side of the basin to Kashgar and curves southeast to Khotan.
Roads
The main road from eastern China reaches Urumchi and continues as highway 314 along the north side to Kashgar. Highway 315 follows the south side from Kashgar to Charkilik and continues east to Tibet. There are currently four north-south roads across the desert. 218 runs from Charkilik to Korla along the former course of the Tarim forming an oval whose other end is Kashgar. The Tarim Desert Highway, a major engineering achievement, crosses the center from Niya to Luntai. The new Highway 217 follows the Khotan River from Khotan to near Aksu. A road follows the Yarkand River from Yarkand to Baqu. East of the Korla-Charkilik road travel continues to be very difficult.
Rivers
Rivers coming south from the Tien Shan join the Tarim, the largest being the Aksu. Rivers flowing north from the Kunlun are usually named for the town or oasis they pass through. Most dry up in the desert, only the Hotan River reaching the Tarim in good years. An exception is the Qiemo River which flowed northeast into Lop Nor. Ruins in the desert imply that these rivers were once larger.
Caravans and passes
The original caravan route seems to have followed the south side. At the time of the Han Dynasty conquest it shifted to the center (Jade Gate-Loulan-Korla). When the Tarim changed course about 330AD it shifted north to Hami. A minor route went north of the Tian Shan. When there was war on the Gansu Corridor trade entered the basin near Charkilik from the Qaidam Basin. The original route to India seems to have started near Yarkand and Kargilik, but it is now replaced by the Karakoram Highway south from Kashgar. To the west of Kashgar via the Irkeshtam border crossing is the Alay Valley which was once the route to Persia. Northeast of Kashgar the Torugart pass leads to the Ferghana Valley. Near Uchturpan the Bedel Pass leads to Lake Issyk-Kul and the steppes. Somewhere near Aksu the difficult Muzart Pass led north to the Ili River basin (Kulja). Near Korla was the Iron Gate Pass and now the highway and railway north to Urumchi. From Turfan the easy Dabancheng pass leads to Urumchi. The route from Charkilik to the Qaidam Plateau was of some importance when Tibet was an empire.
North of the Mountains is Dzungaria with its central Gurbantünggüt Desert, Urumchi the capital and the Karamay oil fields. The Kulja territory is the upper basin of the Ili River and opens out onto the Kazakh steppe with several roads eastward. The Dzungarian Gate was once a migration route and is now a road and rail crossing. Tacheng or Tarbaghatay is a road crossing and former trading post.
Tarim Basin