Yuanyang Hani Rice Terraces Transportation

Since airport and railway station are not available yet in Yuanyang, transportation to Yuanyang rice terraces is relatively simplex. Long-distance bus travel is the main alternative to get to Yuanyang county currently.

How to Get to Yuanyang

There is no airport or railway station in Yuanyang County. You should arrive Kunming first, and then travel to Yuanyang by road to enjoy the Hani rice terraces and other highlights there.

By Long-distance Bus

Lon-distance bus is a main way to get to Yuanyang. You can go directly from Kunming to Yuanyang by long-distance bus, or take a train to Gejiu/Jianshui first, then transfer to Yuanyang. Nansha town, the county seat of Yuanyang County, is about 284 kilometers from Kunming, 71 Kilometers from Mengzi, the government seat of Honghe Prefecture.

Main Bus Stations in Yuanyang

  • Yuanyang Xinjie Bus Terminal(元阳新街客运站)
    Brief Introduction: It is an important transportation hub in Yuanyang county, mainly operating long-distance bus routes from Yuanyang to Kunming, bus routes from Yuanyang to other counties and cities in Honghe prefecture, as well as from Xinjie town to other towns, townships and villages in yuanyang. 
    Address: Nearby Provincial Road 214, Xinjie Town, Yuanyang County(元阳县新街镇214省道附近)
    Tel: 0873-5625481
  • Yuanyang Nansha Bus Terminal(元阳南沙汽车客运站)
    Brief Introduction:     Yuanyang Nansha Bus Terminal mainly operates the long-distance routes in Yunnan Province.
    Address: No.121, Renmin Road, Nansha town, Yuanyang County, Honghe Prefecture红河州元阳县南沙镇人民路121号
    Tel: 0873-5643485

Yuanyang Bus Schedule

Departure Station Destination Departure Time Duration Fare
Kunming South Bus Station Xinjie Town of Yuanyang  10:20, 12:30, 18:00 5-6 hours 140 yuan/147 yuan
Yuanyang Nansha Bus Terminal Kunming 10:30, 14:00, 18:40 About 5 hours 124 yuan
Yuanyang Xinjie Bus Terminal Kunming 09:05, 12:30, 17:10 5-6 hours 137 yuan
Jianshui Bus Terminal Yuanyang 07:15-18:40 About 2.5 hours 32 yuan
Mengzi Bus Terminal Yuanyang 12:50, 15:30 2-2.5 hours 50 yuan
Yuanyang Nansha Bus Terminal Mengzi 09:35, 15:15 2-2.5 hours 38 yuan
Yuanyang Xinjie Bus Terminal Lvchun County 07:30, 09:50, 10:40, 11:20, 12:00, 12:30, 12:50, 13:30, 14:00, 15:00, 16:00, 18:30 About 2 hours /

Keep Reading

By Train

At present, there is no direct train from Kunming to Yuanyang. You can take train from Kunming to Jianshui Railway Station/Mengzi Railway Station, and then take regular bus to Yuanyang. It takes about 2 hours from Kunming to Jianshui and 2.5-3 hours from Kunming to Mengzi by train.

By Air

At present, there is no airport in Yuanyang, you can't go to Yuanyang by plane. Yuanyang Hani Rice Terraces Airport is under plan and construction, in the coming years, taking flight to Yuanyang could be available.

Road Trip

You can Choose to drive to Yuanyang by yourself along the route of "Kunming-Yuanjiang-Honghe County- Yuanyang County". As follows: 

  • Kunming to Yuanjiang(Kunyu expressway): 220 kilometers; 3.5 hours; expressway toll of 85 yuan.
  • Yuanjiang-Honghe County(S216): 60 kilometers; 1.5 hours, No toll station. Road condition is good, but you should pay attention to falling rocks.
  • Honghe County-Yuanyang County(S216): 65 kilometers; 1.5 hours; No toll station. You can view Honghe river landscape along the road.

Keep Reading

How to Get Around Yuanyang

From Xinjie Town of Yuanyang to main scenic spots like Hani rice terraces and local ethnic villages, there is no public bus or taxi. The transportation way for travelers is to take a regular bus or local chartered minibus.

Regular Bus

There are regular buses from Xinjie town to other towns, townships and villages in Yuanyang. The most common vehicle in Yuanyang is minibus, mostly contracted by private contractors, which travels between townships and villages with flexible departure times.

Departure Station Destination Departure Time Duration
Yuanyang Xinjie Bus Terminal Nansha Town of Yuanyang Every 30 minutes About 1 hour
Yuanyang Xinjie Bus Terminal Panshihua Township / About 1 hour
Yuanyang Xinjie Bus Terminal Shengcun Village(胜村) 10:30, 11:00, 11:30, 12:00, 12:30, 13:00, 13:30, 14:00, 15:00, 16:00 About 30 minutes
Yuanyang Xinjie Bus Terminal Duoyishu  Every 1 hour About 1 hour
Yuanyang Xinjie Bus Terminal Habo 11:00, 12:30, 13:00, 14:00 2.5 hours
Yuanyang Xinjie Bus Terminal Niujiaozhai Town 11:00, 12:00, 13:00, 14:00 0.5-1 hour
Yuanyang Xinjie Bus Terminal Majie Township / 1 hour
Yuanyang Xinjie Bus Terminal Shalatuo Township 11:30, 12:30, 13:30 1 hour
Yuanyang Xinjie Bus Terminal Ganiang Township 12:00, 13:30, 16:30 2.5 hours

Tip: Due to weather and other reasons, the departure time of local regular bus could be changed. Once that happens, you are suggested to consult local drivers or bus terminal, so as not to delay the trip.

Chartered Vehicle

If you are pressed for time in Yuanyang, the most convenient way is to charter a minibus that can seat 7 people. The price is commonly 300 yuan/car/day. Some hotels or inns can provide tourists with driver’s cotact information or charter service, you can consult.

Keep Reading