Lijiang Transportation – How to Go to Lijiang & Travel Around

Written by Ivy Dong | Updated February 17,2026

Lijiang City is the core part of the Greater Shangri-La Tourism Circle and the radiation area of the Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle. It has formed an integrated comprehensive Lijiang transportation system mainly composed of highways, railways, civil aviation, and others. As an important transit station and tourist destination for Yunnan travel, the famous Old Town of Lijiang and Jade Dragon Snow Mountain are popular attractions luring millions of tourists. This article introduces you to the detailed Lijiang transportation information, including airplanes, trains, buses, and public transportation.‌

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• Get to Lijiang by Air
• Get to Lijiang by Train
• Get to Lijiang by Bus
• Get to Lijiang from Nearby Cities
• Lijiang Public Transportation
• Lijiang Transport to Popular Attractions
• Transport from Lijiang to Other Surrounding Cities in Yunnan

Get to Lijiang by Air

Lijiang Sanyi Airport is a major transportation hub, and cities with direct flights to Lijiang include Kunming, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Chongqing, Xi’an, etc. Although some cities do not have direct flights, you can fly to Kunming first and then transfer to Lijiang by plane, train, or car. There are many flights from Kunming to Lijiang and the prices are relatively cheap.

Lijiang Sanyi International Airport

Location: Located at the junction of Qihe Town, Gucheng District, Lijiang City, Yunnan Province and Xintun Town, Heqing County, Dali Prefecture, about 28 kilometers south of Lijiang city center.

Lijiang Sanyi International Airport is a 4D level international airport and a tourist mainline airport, belonging to the plateau airport (altitude: 2242.8 meters). Lijiang Airport was officially completed and put into operation in 1995. By the summer and autumn flight seasons of 2023, it has accumulated 94 navigable cities. Lijiang Airport is the fifth largest airport in Southwest China, the second largest airport in Yunnan, and a regional tourism hub airport in Yunnan.

As an important Lijiang transport hub, both domestic and international flights provide convenient air routes for Lijiang travel. On December 26, 2024, the annual passenger throughput of Lijiang Sanyi International Airport exceeded 8 million for the first time.

From Lijiang Airport to Lijiang Old Town

The taxi fare from Lijiang Airport to Lijiang Old Town is about RMB 80;

Take the airport shuttle bus, the ticket price is RMB 25, and it takes about 45 minutes to 1 hour to arrive. The airport bus departs on a rolling basis, and you can take a few steps to get there by turning right after exiting the airport.

The bus stops include:

1. South Gate of Dayan Old Town
2. North Gate of Dayan Old Town(Entrance of Big Waterwheel)
3. Urban Civil Aviation Station (1 kilometer away from the Old Town)

Alternatively, carpooling with others outside the airport is both economical and efficient during your Yunnan tours to Lijiang.

Get to Lijiang by Train

Lijiang is well connected by rail to several major cities in Yunnan. High-speed train is certainly a good choice to reach Lijiang comfortably from Kunming and Dali. Conventional overnight trains are also one of the choices which is budget-friendly and quite scenic. The main rail hub is Lijiang Railway Station, which links the city with the province’s key transportation network and offers onward connections to surrounding towns and attractions.

Lijiang Railway Station

Location: Located at Shangji Road, Huangshan Town, Yulong County, Lijiang City, Yunnan Province, about 10 kilometers away from the Old Town of Lijiang. Lijiang Railway Station is the intersection of Dali-Lijiang Railway and Lijiang-Shangri-La Railway, and an important transfer station from Yunnan Province to Tibet.

Lijiang Railway Station is currently the main railway passenger station in Lijiang, undertaking both high-speed rail tasks and regular train operations for Lijiang transportation. Lijiang opened trains in 2011 and put high-speed trains into operation in 2019. Starting from Lijiang Railway Station, you can travel to major cities in Yunnan Province such as Kunming and Dali, as well as some other cities in China.

Lijiang Railway Station has set up a Jade Dragon Snow Mountain observation deck on the west side of Platform One, allowing passengers to overlook Jade Dragon Snow Mountain without leaving the platform. There is a special bus line outside the station to directly reach the Lijiang Old Town and Shuhe Ancient Town, which is seamlessly connected with the arrival time of the train.

Kunming to Lijiang Train Schedule

The tourist train from Kunming to Lijiang runs for about 9-10 hours without any stops along the way, suitable for long-distance travel.

The high-speed train from Kunming to Lijiang takes about 4 hours and the ticket price starts at RMB 166.

Get to Lijiang by Bus

The bus journey from Kunming to Lijiang takes about 6.5-8 hours, passing through expressway and second-class highway from Dali to Lijiang. There are shuttle buses from major coach stations in Kunming to Lijiang, with ticket prices ranging from RMB 160 to 280.

In addition, the bus from Dali to Lijiang takes about 3 hours and the ticket price starts at RMB 78.

Get to Lijiang from Nearby Cities

Get to Lijiang from Chengdu

By air: This is fastest and most convenient way, and it takes only about 2 hours. Perfect for travelers who only have limited time.

By train or bus: Direct long-distance trains or long-haul buses are also available. But they are significantly slower (especially buses, the least recommended). Most travelers prefer flying, as it’s fast and efficient.

Get to Lijiang from Kunming

High-speed train: High-speed trains take roughly 3–3.5 hours to travel between these places. And there are multiple departures daily. This is one of the most popular intercity routes for visitors arriving in Yunnan.

By flight: Direct flights between Kunming and Lijiang take about 1–1.5 hours. It’s another quick option, especially if you arrive into Kunming first.

By bus: This option takes around 6–10 hours to spend on road depending on the route and service. And this duration would be too long for most visitors, especially those short on time.

Get to Lijiang from Dali

High-speed train: Dali and Lijiang are close by rail, your journey would only roughly take 1.5–2 hours.

By bus: Buses between Dali and Lijiang are frequent, and they take about 3 hours. The duration is basically acceptable and it offers budget-friendly transport.

Get to Lijiang from Shangri–La

By rail: Now there’s a newer high-speed train service which connects Lijiang and Shangri-La in around 1–1.5 hours. So this has become one of the most convenient option for touring northern Yunnan.

By bus: Long-distance buses take about 3.5–4 hours, not extremely far. And they often pass through Tiger Leaping Gorge scenery en route, which may be an attractive to many visitors.

Lijiang Public Transportation

There are abundant bus routes in Lijiang city, with low ticket prices and providing convenient and fast Lijiang transportation services.

Take No.104 bus (fare: RMB 2)/Lijiang Old Town Direct Bus (fare: RMB 8) at Lijiang Railway Station to reach the Lijiang Old Town.

Take No. 11 bus from the Lijiang Old Town to Shuhe Ancient Town, and No. 6 bus to Baisha Village. There is also a “Baisha Village Tourist Line” bus route between the Lijiang Old Town, Shuhe Ancient Town and Baisha Village.

Lijiang Sightseeing Train

Lijiang Rail Transit Line 1 (aka Lijiang Sightseeing Train), starting from Lijiang Tourist Distribution Center and ending at Ganhaizi, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, is a 20.47 kilometer long train with a designed speed of 70 kilometers per hour. Tourists only need 20 minutes to reach the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Scenic Area from the Tourist Distribution Center. This train line was officially put into operation in December 2023.

In addition, shared bicycles and electric bikes are popular in the urban area of Lijiang, suitable for short distance travel. Meanwhile, buses and taxis are also good modes of Lijiang transportation. There are tourist shuttle buses and carpooling services in the Old Town of Lijiang, which are suitable for visiting surrounding scenic spots such as Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Lugu Lake.

Lijiang Transport to Popular Attractions

Transport from Lijiang to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain

• about 25 km, about 50 minutes’ driving
• Take bus route 101 at Zhongyi Market, with a ticket price of RMB 15 and a half-hour interval. The journey takes about 1 hour.
• Take a bus from Lijiang Coach Station to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, departing between 7:10 to 12:10 every day (once an hour).

Transport from Lijiang to Tiger Leaping Gorge

• about 80 km, about 90 minutes’ driving
• From Lijiang, you can carpool or charter a carto Tiger Leaping Gorge. Carpooling costs about RMB 50 to 100 per person, and charter prices range from RMB 200 to 300.
• There are two direct buses from Lijiang to Tiger Leaping Gorge at 8:00 and 8:30 every day, with a fare of RMB 20 to 25.

Transport from Lijiang to Lugu Lake

• about 240 km, about 3 hours’ driving
• Starting from Lijiang Old Town or Lijiang Coach Station, there are many tourist direct busesto Lugu Lake every day. It takes about 4 hours and the fare starts from RMB 70.
• Lugu Lake has its own small airport – Ninglang Lugu Lake Airport. Although at present direct flights are mainly from Kunming, if there are flights departing from Lijiang, this will be the quickest way to reach Lugu Lake. However, please pay attention to checking flight information in advance and consider the possibility of altitude sickness.

Related Reading: How to Plan a Lijiang Tour – A Step-by-Step Trip Planner

Transport from Lijiang to Other Surrounding Cities in Yunnan

Transport from Lijiang to Dali

• Take the high-speed train to Dali, which takes about 2 hours

You can also choose the train No. Y760, which will pass through Erhai Lake around 11:30, and you can see the beautiful scenery in the train.

• The expressway distance is about 180 km, about 5hours’ driving.

Transport from Lijiang to Kunming

• Take a plane from Lijiang Airport to Kunming, which takes about 1 hour and is suitable for passengers with tight schedules.
• Take the high-speed train to Kunming, which takes about 4 hours
• Take a bus from Lijiang Coach Station to Kunming, departing at 11:00 and 12:30.
• The expressway distance is about 480 km, about 5hours’ driving.

Transport from Lijiang to Shangri-La

• Take the high-speed train to Shangri-La, which takes about 5 hours.
• Take a bus from Lijiang Coach Station to Shangri La, departing between 7:30 to 18:00 every day (once half hour).
• The expressway distance is about 175 km, about 5hours’ driving.

In short, Lijiang transportation facilities and services are constantly improving. The airport, railway station, and coach station provide tourists with various travel options, making it convenient to visit this charming city.