China Guide
Yunnan
Arrival
Kunming's busy airport, with flights to and from Bangkok, Rangoon, Singapore and Vientiane, is out in the southeastern suburbs, served by a CAAC bus to the Yunnan Air offices on Tuodong Lu (¥5). Alternatively, public bus #52 will take you into the centre of town for ¥1. Taxis cost ¥25–30.
The long-distance bus station is at the seedy southern end of Beijing Lu and has services Jinghong (10hr; ¥191), Xiaguan (for Dali; hourly from 8am to 7.30pm; 4hr; ¥120), and Lijiang (5 daily; 7hr; ¥180). The Western bus station on Renmin Xi Lu is of most use for excursions around Kunming, though a few long-distance services also terminate here.
Kunming train station is also down at the southern end of Beijing Lu. Trains run north to Chengdu via Xichang in southern Sichuan, southeast via Xingyi to Baise and Nanning in Guangxi, and east throughGuizhou, via Liupanshui, Anshun and Guiyang, into the rest of the country. The North train station is for southeastern Yunnan only.
Trains no longer run to Hekou andVietnam, so the 11-hour bus journey to the border crossing is the only option. There's one day bus to Hekou (¥119), and a night bus that takes slightly longer (¥109).