How to Get to Yunnan from Neighbouring Countries

With a length of 4,060 kilometer boundary line, Yunnan neighbours three countries, Burma, Laos and Vietnam. In Yunnan, there are 1,997 km China-Burma boundary line, 710 km China-Laos boundary line and 1,353 km China-Vietnam boundary line. More than 2000 years ago, Yunnan was the land gateway from China to Southeast Asia and India, serving as the passage for developing the relations between Southeast Asia and Chinese. Among the 25 ethnic minorities in Yunnan, about 16 also live across the borders in the neighbouring countries. This page introduces you the transportation between Yunnan and the neighbouring countries.

Neighbouring Countries to Yunnan by Train

Trans-Asian Railway

The Trans-Asian Railway (TAR) is a project to create an integrated freight railway network across Europe and Asia. It is a project of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP). The Southern Corridor will go from Europe to Southeast Asia, connecting Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Thailand, with links to China’s Yunnan Province and, via Malaysia, to Singapore. A Southeast Asian network; this primarily consists of the Kunming–Singapore Railway.

Yunnan-Vietnam Railway

The China-Vietnam railway, running from Kunming to Hekou via Yuxi and Mengzi, has opened to public in December 2014. As the Yunnan section of East Corridor of Trans-Asian Railway, it is also the first international railway connecting southeast Asia and Yunnan. Everyday, there will be about 4 trains departing from Kunming Railway Station to Hekou North Railway Station, and the schedule is listed as follows:

Yunnan-Laos Railway

At present, the railway from Yuxi to Mohan is under construction and it is expected to be open to traffic by 2021. The main stops from north to south are Yuxi, Yanhe, Eshan, Luoli, Yuanjiang , Mojiang, Ninger, Puer, Mengyang, Xishuangbanna, Ganlanba, Mengla, Mohan. By then, tourists can take the train to Mohan Border.

Yunnan-Myanmar Railway

Yunnan-Myanmar Railway Project, 1,193 miles (1,920 km) long, will link Kunming, capital city of China’s Yunnan Province with Yangon, Myanmar’s largest city. The top permitted speed will be 87 mph (140km/h). Up till now, the section in China has been under construction since December, 2015 and it is expected to be completed by 2020. While the section in Myanmar is still under negotiation. Kunming to Yangon train will start from Kunming, run southwestward to Ruili at Chinese – Burma border, and then southward through Burma to Yangon.

China-Thailand Railway

The Railway hasn’t been opened yet. The construction began in December, 2017 and the duration is about 4 years. It will run through three countries including China, Laos and Thailand, serving trains running between Kunming and Bangkok. In the far future, this China – Thailand railway project will be extended all the way to Singapore, shaping a high speed railway as long as 1,864 miles (3,000 km), namely Kunming – Singapore Railway.

Yunnan-Singapore Railway

The Kunming–Singapore railway, increasingly called the Pan-Asia railway Network is a network of railways, being planned or under construction, that would connect China, Singapore and all the countries of mainland Southeast Asia. When completed, a trip from Kunming to Singapore would take 10 hours by rail. However, in 8 May, 2018, the government of Malaysia has announced it will cancel the high-speed rail project between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.

Neighbouring Countries to Yunnan by Flight

The fastest way to travel between Kunming and neighbouring Countries is by plane. Direct flights are available between Kunming and Yangon, Thailand, Yangon, etc. Kunming, the capital city of Yunnan, is also the transportation hub of Yunnan province.

Myanmar to Kunming by Flight

At present, there are about 2-3 daily non-stop flights flying from Yangon to Kunming and 2-3 daily non-stop flights flying from Mandalay to Kunming.

Laos to Kunming by Flight

There are 3-4 daily non-stop flights flying from Vientiane to Kunming and 1 direct flight flying from Luang Prabang to Kunming.

Vietnam to Kunming by Flight

There is one direct flight flying from Hanoi to Kunming, one from Ho Chi Minh City to Kunming, one from Da-Nang to Kunming, and one from Nha Trang to Kunming. Please note that all the flights are not daily.

Thailand to Kunming by Flight

There are 7-8 flights flying from Bangkok to Kunming, 1-2 flights from Phuket Island to Kunming, 2-3 flights from Chiengmai to Kunming, one flight from Ko samui to Kunming. Please note that some of the flights are not daily.

Neighbouring Countries to Yunnan by Road

Taking international coaches to travel between neighbouring countries and Yunnan is popular among many budget travelers. The highway network connects with the network of neighboring countries such as Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam and Thailand. There are coaches running between Kunming and Vientiane or Luang Prabang, Myanmar, Laos. At present, Yunnan has opened 28 international routes (including 19 in Laos and 9 in Vietnam).

Laos-Yunnan Coaches

The Laos – China bus service is available for Yunnan, the border province of China. Buses from Laos to China go to Meng La, Jing Hong and Kunming prefecture, in Yunnan province (the province that shares a border with Phongsaly Province in Laos). There are coaches running from Vientiane to Kunming via Luang Prabang. Six coaches are available from Luang Prabang to Jinghong city of Xishuangbanna. Please note that some of the coaches are not daily and contact us for the coach information before you go.

*BUS FROM LAOS TO CHINA
1) direct bus from LPB to Kunming(sleeper)–about 24 hours
2) direct bus Oudomxai to Meng La(day bus)
3) direct bus Oudomxai to Jinghong(day bus)–about 8.5 hours
4) direct bus LNT to Meng La(day bus)
5) direct bus LNT to Jinghong(day bus)

Vietnam-Yunnan Coaches

There are buses from Lao Cai of Vietnam to Hekou daily. And tourists can take the coaches from Hekou to Kunming. Recently, the direct buses between Haiphong of Vietnam to Kunming city via Hanoi, Fu Sholl, Yen Bai, Lao Cai, Hekou is put into trial operation. It covers 780 kilometers and takes about 13 hours. Besides, there are other international routes connecting Hanoi and Kunming, Sapa and Gejiu, Ha Giang and Tianbao(天保) of Wenshan city.

Roads Connecting Yunnan and Neighbouring Countries

National Road 213: From Yibin of Sichuan to Yunnan, cross Zhaotong, Kunming, Yuxi and Simao to Xishuangbanna, it covering 1,581 km. Now this road has been built to Simao and will soon to Jinghong. It will pass Laos and finally get to Bangkok of Thailand, which will become a more convenient passage to ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations).

National Road 320: National Road 320 cross Yunnan from the east to the west, via Qujing, Kunming, Chuxiong, Dali, Baoshan, Luxi to Ruili on the China-Myanmar border, covering 1,030 km.

Burma Road: It was a highway extending about 1,100 kilometres (680 mi) through mountainous terrain from Lashio, northeast Burma northeastward to Kunming, China. The Burma Road’s importance diminished after World War II, but it has remained a link in a 3,400-km road system from Yangon, Burma, to Chongqing.

Kunming–Bangkok Expressway: It is an international expressway running from Kunming, Yunnan province, People’s Republic of China, to Bangkok, Thailand via Laos It was opened in 2008.

G8011 Kaihe Expressway: It stretches from Kaiyuan to Hekou on the Vietnamese border.

Neighbouring Countries to Yunnan by Waterway

Generally, rivers are obstacles to transport in Yunnan. Only very small parts of Yunnan’s river systems are navigable. In June 2001, commercial shipping service among China, Laos, Myanmar, and Thailand on the Lancang-Mekong River was officially inaugurated. Jinghong, Guanlei and Simao District river ports are open to the outside world. Many rivers open for commercial international trade with neighboring countries. Lancang River (known as the Mekong in its lower reaches) is the only international river linking 6 countries in Asia. There are cruises sailing from ChiangSan to Guanlei port via Myanmar and Laos.

Transportation in Yunnan:

Yunnan Travel by Air

• Airlines in Yunnan
• Flights to Yunnan
• Airport Transfer
• International Flights to Yunnan
• Airports in Yunnan

Rail Transport in Yunnan

• High-speed Rail in Yunnan
• Railway Stations in Yunnan
• Railways in Yunnan
• Trains to Yunnan
• Trans Asia Railway
• Metro in Yunnan

Roads in Yunnan

• Bridges in Yunnan
• Freeways in Yunnan
• Highways in Yunnan
• Roads to Yunnan
• Trans-Asia Roads
• National Roads in Yunnan