How to Travel from Taiyuan to Datong - By Train, Flight & Car

Taiyuan and Datong are both State-list Famous Historical and Culture Cities in Shanxi Province. Taiyuan is the capital and in the middle part of the province while Datong is in the north, about 227 km away. Because of the short distance, convenient transportation and diverse cultural attractions, many people will choose to cover these two cities in one trip.

There are over 10 high speed trains (2-2.5h) a day running between Taiyuan South Railway Station and Datong South Railway Station. Normal trains will take 3-6h and if you decide to travel by car, it will need 3.5-4h. Flights (1 hour) are also available between Taiyuan Wusu International Airport and Datong Yungang Airport, but are really not necessary or recommended.

Popular Tour with Taiyuan & Datong: 6 Days Shanxi Essence Tour (Datong / Wutaishan / Taiyuan / Pingyao)

Taiyuan Datong Transportation Map

Taiyuan South Railway Station (太原南站) - High-Speed Railway Station

Location: Taiyu Road, Xiaodian District, Taiyuan, Shanxi 山西省太原市小店区太榆路
Distance: about 14.5 km (30 min by car) to Taiyuan downtown, 7 km (15 min by car) to Taiyuan Wusu International Airport.

Taiyuan South Railway Station, also called Taiyuannan Railway Station, is an important transportation hub in Shanxi Province. It was officially put into operation on July 1, 2014 and mainly connects Datong-Xian High Speed Railway, Taiyuan-Jiaozuo High Speed Railway, Qingdao-Taiyuan High Speed Railway, Tianyuan-Zhongwei (Yinchuan) Railway, and Datong-Puzhou Railway.

Taiyuan Railway Station (太原站) - Normal Train Station

Location: No.2 Jianshe South Road, Yingze District, Taiyuan Shanxi 山西省太原市迎泽区建设南路2号
Distance: about 5.5 km (15 min by car) to Taiyuan downtown, 15 km (30 min by car) to Taiyuan Wusu International Airport.

Taiyuan South Railway Station

Datong South Railway Station (大同南站) - High-Speed Railway Station

Location: Kaiyuan Street, Pingcheng District, Datong, Shanxi 山西省大同市平城区开源街
Distance: about 8 km (25 minutes’ drive) to city center, 25 km (40 minutes’ drive) to Yungang Grottoes and 65km (75 minutes’ drive) to the Hanging Temple.

Datong South Railway Station, or Datongnan Railway Station, is the second biggest high speed railway station in Shanxi Province. It was put into operation on Dec. 30, 2019, is a new departure station on Datong-Xi'an passenger line and Datong-Zhangjiakou passenger line. The construction of Datong South Railway Station has greatly shortened the travel time of northern China, especially between Datong and Beijing, Zhangjiakou, Taiyuan, Pingyao, etc.

Datong Railway Station (大同站) - Normal Train Station

Location: No. 4 Zhanqian Street, Pingcheng District, Datong, Shanxi 山西省大同市平城区站前街4号
Distance: about 10 km (30 minutes’ drive) to city center, 18 km (40 minutes’ drive) to Yungang Grottoes and 90 km (1h 40 minutes’ drive) to the Hanging Temple.

Datong South Railway Station

Datong City Map (Click to Enlarge)

Travel from Taiyuan to Datong by Car - Optional

For people who enjoy a road trip, traveling from Taiyuan to Datong by car, which will only need 3.5-4h, is also a good option. About 90% of the road is well-paved highway, so there is no need to worry about the road condition. Taiyuan Bus Station operates several long-distances buses to Datong. If you want a more flexible trip, charting a car is more recommended..

Travel from Taiyuan to Datong by Flight - Not Recommended

There is one daily flight from Taiyuan Wusu International Airport to Datong Yungang Airport. It usually departs at night around 9:00 pm and flies for about 1 hour. But to catch a flight, passengers need to arrive at the airport at least 1.5 hours in advance to collect the boarding pass and go through the security check, which is more time-consuming than taking a train.

How to Plan a Datong Tour

It usually needs 2 days to cover the highlights in Datong. Without any doubt, Yungang Grottoes are a must. It consists of 53 grottoes with 51,000 statues and is a real treasure of traditional Chinese art. After that, you can go to Shanhua Monastery to appreciate a set of well-preserved buildings of Liao Dynasty (905-1125). Then, continue to have a look at Nine Dragon Screen, the oldest and largest glazed screen in China and later head to Huayan Temple, which keeps the largest wooden structure of Buddhist temple hall with elegant mural and scriptures. The next day is for the attractions a little far from downtown such as Hanging Temple, an unusual temple standing on the precarious cliff built over 1500 years ago, and Yingxian Wooden Pagoda, the highest wooden pagoda in the world.

☛ 2 Days Datong Yungang Grottoes Tour
☛ 3 Days Datong Culture Tour with Hanging Temple

In addition, the convenient transportation of Datong provides opportunities to discover more of Shanxi to Taiyuan, sacred Buddhist mountain Mount Wutai, world heritage site Pingyao Ancient City, magnificent Hukou Waterfall, etc.

☛ 5 Days Datong & Wutaishan Discovery Tour
☛ 6 Day Datong Pingyao Tour Plus Wutaishan Visit

If you have more days and want to travel outside Shanxi, it is highly recommended to extend your tour to capital Beijing (Great Wall, Forbidden City), time-honored Xi’an (Terracotta Warriors), and modern metropolis Shanghai (the Bund).

☛ 9 Days Ancient Treasures of China Tour
☛ 11 Days Golden Triangle Tour with Shanxi Highlights

Yungang Grottoes, Hanging Temple, Pingyao and Mount Wutai in Shanxi

High Speed Train Tips

Class of Ticket

There are three kinds of tickets are provided on high speed train from Beijing to Chengdu, Business Class Seat, First Class Seat and Second Class Seat. Second Class Seat is the most budget level you will share a row space with other passengers. And the First Class of Seat is more comfortable and quiet for those who prefer a good rest on the way. If you would like to try the most luxury and superior train travel experience, the Business Class better than the business level on airplane will shock you beyond expectation. Check All Types of Seats on China High Speed Train>

Book, Collect, Alter and Cancel

Foreign tourists can book train ticket online or ask help from ticket agency, or buy the tickets physically at the train station with your valid passport. One thing you should remember is to book the ticket as early as possible, especially in peak tourist seasons. After collecting the tickets, please read carefully about the train number, departure date and station to make sure you won’t miss the train. If you want to cancel, alter your train tickets, you are required to bring your passport to the ticket counter and make the adjustments. Check details about How to Book, Collect, Alter, and Cancel Train Tickets>

Board & Get off

1) Prepare your documents well (valid passport with China Visa); 2) Get to the right train station in advance; 3) Collect train tickets; 4) Read your train ticket; 5) Pass the security control; 6) Pass through Security & Luggage Checks; 7) Find the right waiting room; 8) Cross the ticket checking gate; 9) Get to the right platform; 10) Get on your train. Keep the ticket well, because the ticket will be checked again to leave the station after you get off. Check details about How to Board & Disembark a Train>

Baggage Allowance

China train travel with luggage is much easier than taking flight, for you don’t need to check luggage separately. Each passenger with a train ticket is allowed to carry luggage in certain weight and volume, but without limitation of amount and types. Though there are written regulation and rules about the luggage allowance, in practice, passengers can take as much luggage as you can if only you handled them properly. Check detailed Baggage Allowance & Policy to Take China Train>

Facilities and Service

All high speed trains in China are equipped with advanced facilities and good service to make your journey more convenient and comfortable. There are different places you can put your luggage onboard, racks and specialized luggage storage areas. Besides, the air-conditioner train offers you plug under the seats to charge your phone or laptop, sightseeing window to view the outside scenery as well as western-style toilets. There is also available dining area you can get some supplies. Bilingual signs and the broadcast use both Chinese and English so that you don’t need to worry about the communication. Check All Facilities & Service on China Train>