Diqing Transportation

The special geographical location makes Diqing transportation different from other parts of China. At present, there are no trains in Diqing. Flights in the Diqing Shangri-la airport are also relatively limited. Therefore, road traffic is the most important mode of transportation in Diqing. Shangri-la, the seat of Diqing prefecture government, is about 200 km from Lijiang and 300 km from Dali. The means of transportation from Dali and Lijiang to Diqing are mainly long-distance bus and car.

How to Get to Diqing

By Air

Diqing Tibetan autonomous prefecture has Shangri-la airport, so taking a airplane is also a good choice.

Located in the southwest of Shangri-la city, Diqing Shangri-la airport is the largest airport in the eastern Tibetan area, convenient for passengers to and fro Shangri-la. Diqing Shangri-la airport currently has limited flights, but there are flights to Beijing, Chengdu, Chongqing, Guangzhou, Shanghai, Kunming, Lhasa, Shenzhen and other places. Flights to other major cities from Diqing usually transit through Kunming.

Airport Transportation

The airport is only 6 kilometers from the city centre and not far from the Dukezong ancient town as well. The main means of transportation is taxi. It costs about 30 yuan to get to the city center for about 15-20 minutes.

Shangri-la Flights 

By Long-distance Bus

Road is the main mode of transportation into Ddiqing Tibetan autonomous prefecture. Diqing connects Yunnan, Sichuan and Tibet, forming a traffic network with Yunnan-Tibet highway and Sichuan-Tibet highway as main roads.

Main Long-distance Bus Stations in Diqing

  • Shangri-la Bus Terminal(香格里拉汽车客运站)
    Address: Xiangbala Avenue, Shangri-la, Diqing迪庆州香格里拉市香巴拉大道
    Tel: 0887-8223501
    Major Destinations: Every day, there are buses to Lijiang, Daocheng, Kunming, Qamdo, Mangkang, Deqin, Xiaguan, Panzhihua and other places.
  • Deqin County Bus Terminal(德钦县客运站)
    Address: 迪庆州德钦县升平镇政府对面
    Tel: 0887-8413322
    Major Destination: Every day, there are buses to Kunming, Lijiang, Shangri-la, Dali, Jianchuan, Dengchuan, Yunling, etc. 

By Train

The Lixiang railway started construction in 2014, and the Shangri-la railway station and Tiger Leaping Gorge railway stations are also under construction, which are expected to be put into use in 2020, together with Lixiang railway.

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How to Get Around Diqing

City Bus

Buses are running on the main roads of Shangri-la, Weixi County and Deqin County, covering the main building and some attractions. In Shangri-la, you can get to bus stations by city bus. No.1 bus and No.3 bus can go to the Shangri-la bus station and Songzanlin monastery. Its fare is 1-3 yuan.

Regular Bus

There are regular buses among 3 city and counties in Diqing prefecture. When you are in Diqing, you can take regular buses to some remote towns and townships there.

Shangri-la- Weixi County by Regular Bus

Every day, at least 4 regular buses run from Shangri-la bus station to Weixi county. The whole journey is about 3.5 hours, and costs 74 yuan.

Shangri-la- Deqin County by Regular Bus

There are regular buses from Shangri-la bus station to Deqin county. It takes about 3.5 hours and costs 62 yuan.

Taxi

Taxis in Shangri-la are in service for 24 hours. As the city is not large, many taxi drivers don't charge by meter. Usually the fare is no more than 10 yuan if shuttling within the city. If you insist in paying by the taximeter, the starting rate is 7 yuan. If you go to Songzanlin monastery, it's about 10-15 yuan, and about 20-30 yuan for going to airport. Likewise, in Weixi county and Deqin county, it doesn't cost much to take a taxi.

Chartered Bus

For going to many scenic spots in Shangri-la, chartered car is more convenient than regular buses. It is recommended to choose reliable drivers, such as those recommended by friends, hotels or travel agencies. Chartered cars are charged by the day, different vehicle models have different prices. Generally, going to the attractions around Shangri-la costs 600- 700 yuan per day by chartered car. 

Notes:

  • When chartering a car, make sure the cost in advance, discuss whether the driver's expense during the travel are included like room and board, fuel cost and road toll, etc. It's best to have a simple written agreement.
  • The price varies according to the vehicle model and the number of people.
  • Our Yunnan Exploration can arrange both itinerary and travel vehicles for you.

Car Rental

Some places in Shangri-la offer car rental services, which typically require visitors to provide a driver's license and ID card(passport is needed for foreigners), as well as a deposit. The following rental prices are just for your reference:

  • Buick and Audi: 500-650 yuan per day
  • Off-road Vehicle: 900 yuan per day
  • Domestic 6-Seat Minibus: 500 yuan per day
  • 12-Seat Jinbei Minibus: 600 yuan per day
  • 12-Seat Toyota Minibus: 750 yuan per day

Bicycle

Bicycles are very common in the tourist attractions in Shangri-la. In Shangri-la, cycling around Napa lake and visiting some Tibetan villages is a very relaxing thing.

Horse

In many places of Shangri-la City, the most beautiful scenery cannot be admired without horses. For instance, the way to the Bitahai Lake is much easier by horse than car. After getting to Shuangqiao by car or bus, most tourists choose to hire a horse to the scenic spot. The horses are provided by local Tibetans. They will tell you how to ride as well as any dos and don'ts.

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