Does anyone have any info on why I can't buy tickets to Urumqi?

Looking to take a trip from Kunming all the way out there in mid on the 26th of October, but any train tickets I search show me "列车运行图调整,暂停发售" which I believe translates as "route updates, ticket sales on hold".

Has anyone had a similar experience before and know what I should expect?

Should I be worried the trains won't be running then?

Thanks

Sales haven't started. For some trains, sales start 20 days before.

Thanks!

Any ryhme or reason to know which ones are 20 and which are 30?

It might be reasonable to expect that if you see "列车运行图调整,暂停发售", at 29 days, then you should be able to guess. From my own experience of buying tickets, I have only seen 20 days.

There are rumors that ticket sales have been stopped in XJ for the near future to allow transportation of uneducated undesirables...

rumors that said

to be false are what gets posters and websites into hotwater with authorities

Ok, so can I post something that was reported in a Chinese newspaper? (English translation, not original link)

“Sept. 26 report by the Urumqi Evening News that sales of train tickets will be suspended indefinitely from Oct. 22.

"The Xinjiang railway administrative departments will stop selling tickets on all passenger services leaving Xinjiang, and also for intraregional services, from Oct. 22, 2018," the newspaper reported.

"A separate announcement will be made regarding when ticket sales will be resumed," it said.”

A German friend based in north China who used to visit XJ often for business told me that he needs a permit to visit XJ now.

looks like you can buy train tickets to Xinjiang only 10 days in advance now...

@Ert99 tickets for Oct 26 available for sale.