Kunming, as the capital of Yunnan Province, serves as a significant transportation hub in Southwest China, featuring a major international airport and several key railway and bus stations. The primary transport facilities include Kunming Changshui International Airport, Kunming Railway Station, and Kunming South Railway Station, alongside various long-distance bus terminals strategically located across the city.
By Air:
Kunming Changshui International Airport (KMG) is the main airport, offering frequent domestic flights to major Chinese cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Chengdu.
International flights connect Kunming with major Asian hubs, including Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and other international destinations.
From Airport to City Center::
Metro Line 6:: Connects the Airport Center Station (B2) to the East Bus Station. The journey takes approximately 17-31 minutes and costs CNY 5-7. Operating hours are generally from 06:20 to 22:55/23:00.
Airport Shuttle Bus:: Direct services are available to Kunming Railway Station and Kunming South Railway Station, with a fare of CNY 25. Travel time ranges from 45 to 90 minutes.
Taxi/Ride-hailing Apps:: A taxi ride to the city center costs around CNY 80-120 and typically takes about 40 minutes.
By Train:
Kunming Railway Station:: Handles both high-speed and conventional trains, connecting to cities like Dali, Lijiang, Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, and Guangzhou.
To Dali: High-speed trains take approximately 1 hour 55 minutes to 2 hours 51 minutes, with costs ranging from CNY 109-173.
To Lijiang: High-speed trains take about 4 hours.
To Beijing: High-speed trains range from 10 hours 40 minutes to 13 hours 52 minutes (CNY 851.5-1876), while normal trains take 34-35 hours (CNY 575-887).
To Guangzhou: High-speed trains take 6 hours 41 minutes to 8 hours 34 minutes (CNY 517.5-828).
Kunming South Railway Station:: Primarily serves high-speed trains to major cities like Dali, Lijiang, Shanghai, Nanning, Chongqing, and Guiyang.
To Guiyang: The journey takes 2 hours 25 minutes to 3 hours 7 minutes, costing CNY 143-358.
International bullet trains connect Kunming with Laos, and future plans include services to Myanmar and Thailand from this station.
High-speed trains also operate between Kunming Railway Station and Kunming South Railway Station, taking about 20 minutes for the 28-kilometer journey.
By Bus:
Kunming has five main long-distance bus stations (East, South, West, North, Northwest) that provide connections to cities within Yunnan Province and neighboring regions.
To Dali: Buses from Kunming West Bus Station take 3-4 hours.
To Lijiang: Buses from Kunming West Bus Station take 5-6 hours.
To Yuanyang: Buses from Kunming South Bus Station take 5-6 hours.
To Stone Forest: Buses from Kunming East Bus Station take about 1.5 hours.
International bus routes are available to destinations such as Hekou, on the border with Vietnam.
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