Kunming or Dali to Lijiang: trains, airport buses and hotel arrivals

Choose the journey that reaches your Lijiang hotel

Go direct or make Dali a stay

Take a direct daytime train from Kunming when Lijiang is your next overnight base. You can watch the countryside on the way and make one hotel move. Compare departures from Kunming Station, 昆明站, and Kunming South, 昆明南站, with the journey from your hotel or airport. The fastest train on the screen can involve a longer trip to its departure station.

Visitors walking between tiled houses on a stone street in Baisha — Photo by Yumeto

Stop in Dali when you want time in the old town or around Erhai. Book Kunming → Dali and Dali → Lijiang around that stay. Dali Station, 大理站, and Dali Old Town, 大理古城, are separate places; include the trip to and from your Dali hotel. A Dali visit gives you a second base, while a direct Kunming–Lijiang service carries you through without a required change there.

For a party with large bags or someone who wants less walking, compare all train tickets plus both hotel transfers with one car quotation. The number of people, luggage space and walking distance matter as much as the intercity journey.

Compare rail examples and book the actual stations

These Ctrip quotations were checked on 13 October 2026. Prices are CNY per person, one way, second class. The date column is the travel date; times are selected services or the range displayed for that date.

Journey	Travel date	Rail time in the checked results	Price
Kunming → Lijiang	13 Oct 2026	Selected trains: 3 hr 29 min–3 hr 35 min	CNY 166–190
Kunming South → Lijiang	13 Oct 2026	Selected trains: 4 hr 40 min–4 hr 52 min	CNY 199
Dali → Lijiang	13 Oct 2026	1 hr 36 min–2 hr 30 min	CNY 56–80
Lijiang → Kunming	14 Oct 2026	C88: 3 hr 23 min	CNY 190
Lijiang → Dali	14 Oct 2026	C988: 1 hr 56 min	CNY 80

Search your travel date using 昆明 or 昆明南, 大理, and 丽江. Read the station on each result and issued ticket, including when a Kunming South search also offers a Kunming departure. Choose your seat category and add each traveler with the document they will carry. Tickets go on sale within a 15-day window including the travel day. Use the train booking and station guide for name fields, identity verification, baggage and boarding.

A road journey from your Dali base

The 瓦猫号 station bus links visitor areas in Dali with Lijiang. Open 滴滴出行 → 站点巴士, then choose the date, direction and offered pickup/drop-off points. The 2026 operator report lists 大理古城苍山门 at Dali Old Town, 喜洲古镇 at Xizhou, 双廊客运中心 at Shuanglang, and 丽江古城南门, Lijiang Old Town's south gate. A stop near your Dali accommodation can save the trip back to Dali Station. Read the chosen departure's meeting pin, arrival time and fare before booking, then add the Lijiang hotel transfer.

A private car suits a group with luggage or a deliberate village stop such as Shaxi. Send your date, people, bag sizes, Dali hotel entrance, stops in order and final Lijiang hotel entrance. Ask for the total vehicle price and suitable luggage space. Use the driver and tour comparison to arrange that journey. Allow the village visit its own time when comparing it with a direct train.

Stone-paved Sideng square with Shaxi’s wooden theatre — Photo by Lovethefish_cat

Flying into Lijiang

Compare a Kunming Changshui KMG → Lijiang Sanyi LJG flight when it fits an airport connection. Count baggage collection, the next check-in, security and the Lijiang hotel transfer. A short flight can still take a large part of your travel day. If you are booking the whole trip, also compare arrival directly at LJG and departure from your final town in the Yunnan airport guide.

Lijiang Sanyi Airport terminal at dusk — Photo by Roniius

From Lijiang Station to Dayan, Shuhe or Baisha

Visitors on the stone-paved Qinglong Bridge in Shuhe — Photo by Yumeto

Lijiang Station, 丽江站, is separate from all three old-town bases. Its forecourt has the bus boarding area. For a car, use the entrance supplied by your hotel.

Dayan, 大研古城: the 古城快速直通车 serves 古城南门, 忠义市场, 古城口 and other city stops. Choose 南门/忠义市场 for a south-side hotel, or 古城口/大水车 for a north-side approach. Bus 104 also serves the old-town car park near 大水车; bus 105 serves 白龙广场, 忠义市场 and 古城南门街.
Shuhe, 束河古镇: the 束河快速直通车 serves 西部客运站, 束河北门 and 束河南门. Match the north or south gate to your accommodation.
Baisha, 白沙古镇: for a bus journey, reach 古城口, then use the 白沙古镇旅游专线 through 红太阳广场 and 束河北门 to Baisha. Its published first city departure is 08:00. A direct car is useful with large bags or an early departure.

Station shuttles are arranged around arriving trains. Query 掌上公交 for your arrival; for a late train, agree your hotel reception and pickup before traveling.

Two different airport bus services

The airport bus to 福慧路蓝天宾馆, Lantian Hotel on Fuhui Road, costs CNY 20 per person one way, with about 50 minutes published journey time. China Southern's service page, checked 13 October 2026, gives city departures every 30 minutes from 06:30 to 22:00, and airport departures serving arrivals through the final flight. Buy aboard. Continue from Lantian Hotel to your actual Dayan, Shuhe or Baisha hotel.

The separate 丽江汽车客运站 airport coach uses the route 丽江客运站 → 古城南门 → 古城北门 → 丽江火车站 → 丽江三义机场. Its schedule published on 3 July 2025 was hourly, city departures 07:00–19:00 and airport departures 08:30–20:30. Select the offered service for your date through 丽江交运 on WeChat or 滴滴出行 → 站点巴士, or at the ticket window/boarding point. Use that service's own fare and stop information.

Reach your hotel door and plan the return transfer

Dayan and Shuhe's interior lanes exclude vehicles, including bicycles and other nonmotor vehicles. Baisha's core old street has vehicle restrictions 09:00–21:00; the surrounding accommodation area has separate access. Request the hotel's Chinese name/address, car entrance pin, walking route and luggage meeting point. At arrival, reach that entrance, meet any arranged luggage assistance, then walk to reception. Ask the hotel about the service and its price. For less suitcase handling, choose accommodation with road access.

On departure, collect stored bags after sightseeing and meet the car or bus at the agreed road point. Work back from your booked train or airline check-in deadline, including the walk out, road transfer and station/airport procedures. Dayan's surrounding roads are busy 17:00–23:00. For Lijiang → Kunming and an onward KMG flight, match the actual arrival station, 昆明 or 昆明南, to a separate airport transfer. Include an overnight stay when the selected connections call for it. Save the entrance and ticket details with the maps and travel-app steps.