Kunming Transportation: Flight, Train, Metro, Taxi, Bus & Bicycle

Kunming Stone Forest, or known as Shilin, is located in Shilin Yi Nationality Autonomous County and about 85km away from Kunming downtown. It will take you about 1.5 hours to drive to Stone Forest from Kunming City Center. Tourists prefer to get there by private car. Besides, you can also choose to travel by high speed train or coach. Both Kunming Railway Station and Kunming South Railway Station operate bullet trains to Shilin Station (石林站), which needs about 20 minutes from Kunming South Station and about 1 hour and 40 minutes from Kunming Station. Kunming Changshui International Airport also has direct shuttle buses to Stone Forest, but the bus ride needs 2~2.5 hours and the timetable may be changed sometimes.

Tip: There are two train stations near Stone Forest Scenic Area, one is Shilin Station and the other is Shilin West Station. You are suggested to get off at Shilin Station, which is much closer to the scenic area.

>> How to Get from Kunming to Stone Forest

Hot Kunming & Stone Forest Tour:

>> 3 Days Kunming Tour to Stone Forest & Jiuxiang Cave (Kunming/Stone Forest/Jiuxiang)

Dongchuan Red Land, the paradise for photography and nature lovers, sites in the remote area of Xintian Village in Kunming’s Dongchuan District, about 150km northeast of Kunming City Center. You can get there from Kunming by private car or long-distance coach. Private car is more recommended, because you can hop on the car at anytime and anywhere as you want, while you have to travel to the appointed bus station like Kunming North Bus Station (昆明北部客运站) if you want to travel by coach.

We China Discovery also offer convenient private car service. Once you booking such a service, your English-speaking tour guide will be waiting for you at your hotel. And your local driver will escort you directly to Dongchuan Red Land in speed and convenience. During the whole Dongchuan tour, the guide will accompany you all the way, telling you the best sites for photography and sharing you some insider tips. If you need such a service, please feel free to send us your group size, traveling date and time for enquiry.

>> Kunming to Dongchuan Red Land

Hot Kunming & Dongchuan Red Land Tours:

>> 4 Days Kunming & Dongchuan Red Land Scenic Tour (Kunming/Dongchuan)

>> 10 Days Beautiful Yunnan Tour with Dongchuan Red Land (Kunming/Dongchuan/Kunming/Dali/Lijiang/Shangri-La)

Dali in middle way between Kunming and Lijiang is about 260km northwest of Kunming. Flight, high speed train and coach are all available to get from Kunming to Dali, and vice versa. Every day, there are more than 20 bullet trains can take you to Dali in about 2~2.5 hours. The duration of a flight from Kunming Changshui International Airport to Dali Huangcaoba Airport is about 45~55 minutes. If you choose the coaches, you will take about 4.5~5 hours on the way. Most of the tourists prefer the high speed train, and you are suggested to select these trains too.

>> How to Get from Kunming to Dali

Hot Kunming & Dali Tours:

>> 4 Days Kunming & Dali Highlights Tour (Kunming/Dali)

>> 6 Days Kunming, Dali & Lijiang Essence Tour (Kunming/Dali/Lijiang)

After arriving at Dali, go further north for about 2.5~3 hours by car you will be in Lijiang. The whole driving route from Kunming to Lijiang measures about 500km, which is too far and takes as long as 6.5 hours around by car. To avoid the long driving, tourists will take a flight or high speed train to Lijiang from Kunming. High Speed Train is newly built and most recommended for most visitors. There are about 4 daily D trains for you to choose, and the train ride needs only about 3~3.5 hours. If you go by flight, the time will be shorted to 1 hour around. However, since it will take you half an hour or more to get from Kunming Airport or Lijiang Airport to the downtown areas, the flight is only suggested for those staying at hotels near the airports.

>> How to Get from Kunming to Lijiang

Hot Kunming & Lijiang Tour:

>> 5 Days Kunming Lijiang High Speed Train Tour (Kunming/Lijiang)

Go further north from Lijiang, and then you will find Shangri-La on the way. Driving from Lijiang to Shangri-La takes less than 4 hours. However, if you drive from Kunming, it will take you more than 8.5 hours. At present, the best way to go from Kunming to Shangri-La and Shangri-La to Kunming is by direct flight. The flight journey needs only 1 hour around. The Kunming Tiger Leaping Gorge Shangri-La Railway is under construction and will be put into use in late 2020. Once the bullet train is available, traveling by high speed train will also be a good idea.

>> How to Get from Kunming to Shangri-La

Hot Kunming & Lijiang & Shangri-La Tour:

>> 6 Days Best of Yunnan Tour (Lijiang/Shangri-La/Kunming)

Yuanyang Rice Terraces, different from Dali, Lijiang and Shangri-La, is located in the south part of Yunnan instead of the north part. It is about 210km south of Kunming. Driving from Kunming to Yuanyang takes about 4.5 hours. Yuanyang Rice Terraces is located in the remote area that far from the rail lines or flight lines. The best ways to get there are by coach or private car. The amount of coaches from Kunming to Yuanyang is relative limited. Every day, you can only find 1~3 coaches, which depart from Kunming South Coach Station (南部汽车站). Those coaches will take you to the Yuanyang County, where you have to find a local minibus to the scenic area. Private car is more convenient and safer. If you need such a service, please feel free to let us know.

On the driving route from Kunming to Yuanyang, you will pass by Jianshui first. Therefore, many tourists travel Jianshui Ancient Town and Yuanyang Rice Terraces together. They will firstly get to Jianshui for the ancient atmosphere and then drive to Yuanyang for the amazing natural rice terraces views.

>> How to get from Kunming to Yuanyang Rice Terraces

Hot Yuanyang Rice Terraces & Yunnan Tours:

>> 5 Days Kunming, Jianshui & Yuanyang Rice Terraces Tour (Kunming/Jianshui/Yuanyang)

>> 11 Days Amazing Yunnan Tour (Kunming/Yuanyang/Jianshui/Dali/Lijiang/Shangri-La)

Jianshui is settled on the middle way from Kunming to Yuanyang Rice Terraces. It can be reached by high speed train in 2~2.5 hours. If you go by car, the driving time is about 2.5~4 hours. Compared with high speed trains, you are more recommended to travel by private car if you have extend plans to visit Yuanyang, because it may be a tough journey to go further south to Yuanyang from Jianshui by coach. There is also no train available to finish the trip. However, if you only want to visit Jianshui and then go back to Kunming, these high speed trains are better! Every day, there are about 6 bullet trains scheduled on this line.

>> Kunming to Jianshui Real-time Train Schedules

Hot Jianshui & Yunnan Tours:

>> 5 Days Kunming, Jianshui & Yuanyang Rice Terraces Tour (Kunming/Jianshui/Yuanyang)

>> 11 Days Amazing Yunnan Tour (Kunming/Yuanyang/Jianshui/Dali/Lijiang/Shangri-La)

If you are going to visit Kunming and Yunnan from China’s other destinations like Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Hong Kong, etc., you are suggested to travel by flight or high speed train. Usually, almost all the main tourist cities in China (except cities in Tibet) have flights and high speed trains to Kunming. Select a flight or train according to your time, plan and budget! If there is no flight or bullet train available, you can make a transfer at Chengdu or Chongqing. These two cities are relatively close to Kunming and have convenient flight and train for you to choose.

Hot China & Yunnan Tours:

>> 9 Days Meet Yunnan Nature & Culture from Hong Kong by Bullet Train (Hong Kong/Kunming/Lijiang/Shangri-La)

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