How to Travel from Guilin to Yangshuo
Yangshuo is 70 kilometers, i.e. 43.5 miles southeast of downtown Guilin. How to get to Yangshuo from Guilin? By high-speed train, by the relaxing Li River Cruise, by the cheap express bus, or by the expensive but convenient taxi? Here we try to list everything that you might consider about the transportation between Guilin and Yangshuo.
Guilin to Yangshuo Map
Guilin to Yangshuo by Bus
Guilin South Bus Station 桂林汽车客运南站 provides direct express buses to Yangshuo Bus Station:
- Location: on the west side of Kaifeng Road and south side of Chadian Road, Xiangshan District, Guilin
- How to get there: take bus nos. 12, 28, 36, 82, 96 or k99 and get off at South Bus Station (汽车客运南站)
- Departures: 7:00-20:30 (every 15-30 minutes)
- Price: CNY 27/person
- Duration: 70 minutes
Remarks: There are many buses leaving from the front square of Guilin Railway Station to Yangshuo, however, these buses are privately operated and have several stops on the way to gather more passengers- which takes longer to get to Yangshuo. To ensure your safety and to save time it is recommended to go to the South Bus Station for a non-stop and official bus to Yangshuo.
Guilin Airport to Yangshuo
The best way to get to Yangshuo from Guilin Liangjiang International Airport is to take the airport shuttle bus:
- Travel Route: Guilin Liangjiang International Airport – Yangshuo Bus Station
- Pick-Up Point: Exit 7 of the Arrivals Hall at T2 Building
- Departures: 9:30, 11:00, 12:30, 14:00, 15:30, 16:30, 18:00, 20:00
- Duration: 90 minutes
- Ticket Price: CNY 50/person
Remarks: The bus from Yangshuo to the Airport leaves at 7:00, 9:00, 11:30, 13:00, 14:30, 16:00, 17:30, 19:00.
Guilin to Yangshuo by High-Speed Train
| Departure Stations | Guilin Railway Station (桂林站) |
Guilin North Railway Station (桂林北站) |
Guilin West Railway Station (桂林西站) |
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| Arrival | Yangshuo (阳朔) Railway Station | |||
| Departure Time | 16:12 | 8:02, 9:25, 10:10, 13:43, 15:07, 16:05 | 11:00, 11:48, 14:37, 15:01, 15:31, 18:12, 19:29 | |
| Duration | 40 minutes | 24 minutes | 24 minutes | |
| Ticket Price | 1st Class Seat | CNY 50 | CNY 40 | CNY 39 |
| 2nd Class Seat | CNY 30.5 | CNY 25 | CNY 24 | |
All the trains to/from Yangshuo Railway Station are high-speed trains or bullet trains.
Yangshuo Railway Station is 33.5 km (21 miles) away from West Street. You can catch a shuttle bus to Yangshuo Fengming Tourist Transportation Center (阳朔凤鸣游客咨询中心) with a cost of CNY 20/person, from where you can take a sightseeing bus to any attractions in Yangshuo.
Guilin to Yangshuo by Li River Cruise (Boat)
The Li River Cruise is believed to be the best way to enjoy the natural beauty from Guilin to Yangshuo. It offers picturesque mountains and river views along the way and makes your trip a leisurely and carefree experience!
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Li River Cruise Schedule
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| Type of Cruise | 4-Star | 3-Star | Remarks |
| Departure Time | 9:00-9:30am | 9:00-9:30am | The exact time is not fixed, but it’s normally during this timeframe. |
| Price | CNY 360-520/seat | CNY 255-300/seat | Cruise prices vary between different classes and decks. |
| Duration | 4-5 hours | 4-5 hours | Duration of the cruise depends on the water speed. |
| Boarding Point | Zhujiang (竹江) Pier | Mopanshan (磨盘山) Pier | There’s no public bus to these two piers; you can get there by taxi. |
| Drop-Off Point | Shuidongmen (水东门) Pier, closer to West Street | Longtoushan (龙头山) Pier | Both in Yangshuo. |
Guilin to Yangshuo by Bamboo Raft (Yangdi to Xingping)
Guilin is hot and humid in summer so fun usually comes from activities related to water. Different from a cruise, bamboo rafting will get you closer to water and probably make you a damp sailor. Each bamboo raft on the Li River provides 4 or 6 seats, with an outboard motor and a sunshade.
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Bamboo Raft from Yangdi to Xingping
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| Route | Yangdi (杨堤) Pier to Nine-Horse Fresco Hill (optionally move on to Xingping Ancient Town by local electric vehicle) |
Xingping (兴坪) to Nine-Horse Fresco Hill (round trip) |
| Boarding Time | 7:40-8:20, 12:30-16:00 | 8:00-9:20 and after 12:30 |
| Duration | 1-1.5 hours | About 1 hour |
| Price | CNY 118/raft | CNY 92/raft |
If you get to Yangshuo by high-speed train, it is highly recommended to take a direct bus to Xingping Ancient Town, a small and beautiful town located only 8 km (5 miles) away from Yangshuo Railway Station. From there, you can experience bamboo rafting and see the same scenery pictured on the Chinese 20-Yuan banknote.
Guilin to Yangshuo by Taxi
In general, it takes CNY 300-350 and 1.5 hours from Guilin Liangjiang International Airport to Yangshuo by taxi. If from downtown Guilin, it takes CNY 200-250.
Travel Tips
- It is advised to book cruise tickets in advance from local hotels or travel agencies.
- Bus tickets are not available online.
- There are not many English signs in Guilin and Yangshuo, so it would be better to learn some Mandarin and Chinese words if you travel independently.
- There are direct bullet trains from Guangzhou South (广州南) Railway Station, Shenzhen North (深圳北) Railway Station, and Chengdu East (成都东) Railway Station to Yangshuo Railway Station.