Planning a Yunnan Trip from Kunming — Dali, Lijiang & Shangri-La by High-Speed Rail 2026

Q: How long are the trains from Kunming to Dali, Lijiang and Shangri-La?

By high-speed rail, Kunming to Dali takes about 2 hours, Kunming to Lijiang about 3–3.5 hours, and Shangri-La about 4.5 hours on the newer line (or fly direct from Kunming). A second-class Kunming–Dali ticket is roughly ¥130–145 (about ฿650–725), and Kunming–Lijiang around ¥220 (about ฿1,100). Times and fares vary by train and season, so always check the 12306 app or Trip.com before booking.

Q: What is the difference between Kunming South (昆明南站) and Kunming Railway Station?

Most high-speed G and D trains leave from Kunming South (昆明南站), on the south-eastern edge of the city, reachable by Metro Line 1 to the centre. Kunming Railway Station (昆明站) is the older downtown station for conventional and some services. Always check the departure station printed on your ticket, because the two are at opposite ends of the city. Kunming South is the station you will use for Dali, Lijiang, Jianshui and Xishuangbanna.

Q: Should I use Kunming as a base or move city to city?

For the northern route (Dali–Lijiang–Shangri-La), move city to city one way: these towns sit on a single line heading north, so go up one stop at a time and fly back to Kunming from Lijiang or Shangri-La. Using Kunming as a base for day trips makes sense only for nearby sights such as the Stone Forest, Jiuxiang and Fuxian Lake. In short, Kunming works best as the start and end of a Yunnan trip rather than a place to sleep every night.

Q: What is on the southern loop of Yunnan, and is it worth it?

The southern loop is a different world from the north. Jianshui (建水, ~2 hr by rail) has one of China's largest Confucian temples, the Double Dragon Bridge, and purple-clay pottery. Yuanyang (元阳) has UNESCO rice terraces that are at their best in the flooding season, November to March. Xishuangbanna / Jinghong (西双版纳, ~3.5 hr by rail) is a tropical, Dai-culture region of rainforest and golden temples near the Laos border — a good fit if you have spare time and want a side of Yunnan that feels familiar to Thai travellers.

Why Kunming is the best place to start Yunnan

The Spring City and the rail hub of the whole province

Most people misread Kunming — they treat it as a connection. In fact it is the gateway to Yunnan (云南), the most scenically varied province in China. Kunming's mild, year-round climate earned it the nickname Spring City; it sits at about 1,890 m. Walk Green Lake Park (翠湖) with its red-billed gulls, visit Yuantong Temple, eat a bowl of crossing-the-bridge noodles, and it is a likeable city for a day or two. But the heart of any trip here is the high-speed rail that fans out of Kunming across Yunnan.

This page is a complete guide to planning a whole Yunnan trip with Kunming as your base — from the classic northern route, Kunming → Dali → Lijiang → Shangri-La (how many hours by train, how many nights per stop, and how many days Yunnan really needs), to the southern loop that fewer visitors know (Jianshui, Yuanyang, Xishuangbanna), plus the thing you cannot skip — Kunming South versus Kunming Railway Station and booking tickets with a passport. Before you start, read our China high-speed rail guide and the full Kunming city guide.

Erhai Lake at Dali, a wide expanse of grey-blue water under a sky of large clouds, with mountains and a town on the far shore — **Erhai Lake, Dali (洱海)** — a broad sheet of water under the Yunnan sky, the Cangshan range on the far shore. The train from Kunming reaches Dali in about 2 hours: the first stop on the northern route.

Red-billed gulls flying over Green Lake Park in Kunming, with willow branches in the foreground and a city tower behind — **Green Lake Park, Kunming (翠湖)** — red-billed gulls swirling over the water in winter, the image that tells you Kunming has charm of its own before you head onward.

The classic route (heading north)

Kunming → Dali → Lijiang → Shangri-La

Yunnan's most popular route — the four towns line up on a single line north. Moving city to city, one way, is by far the best use of your time.

🏙️1

Kunming — your starting base

昆明 Kunming · stay 1–2 nights

Begin in Kunming and let yourself adjust to the altitude and the Yunnan pace for a day or two. Walk Green Lake Park, take a day trip to the Stone Forest, eat crossing-the-bridge noodles, then board the train. See our Kunming three-day itinerary if you want a fuller stay before you leave.

Board at: Kunming South (昆明南站) — take Metro Line 1

Stay: 1–2 nights (acclimatise + Stone Forest day trip)

Where to stay: top 10 hotels in Kunming

🏞️2

Dali — Erhai Lake + the Bai old town

大理 Dali · ~2 hr by rail · stay 1–2 nights

From Kunming it is about 2 hours by train to Dali, home of the Bai people on the shore of Erhai Lake (洱海), a blue expanse beneath the Cangshan range. Hire an e-bike or a bicycle to ride around the lake, and wander the walled old town. Dali moves slowly: plenty of travellers arrive for one night and end up staying far longer.

Time: Kunming South → Dali ~2 hr (D/G trains)

Fare: second class about ¥130–145 (~฿650–725)

Stay: 1–2 nights · highlights: Erhai, Bai old town, Three Pagodas

🏔️3

Lijiang — old town + the snow mountain

丽江 Lijiang · ~3–3.5 hr from Kunming · stay 2 nights

Lijiang is about 3–3.5 hours by rail from Kunming (only ~1.5 hr further on from Dali). It is a UNESCO old town of the Naxi people: cobbled lanes, streams running through the centre, red lanterns after dark. The highlight is Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (玉龙雪山), over 4,500 m, reached by cable car to a glacier viewpoint. Two nights is about right.

Time: Kunming → Lijiang ~3–3.5 hr · Dali → Lijiang ~1.5 hr

Fare: Kunming–Lijiang second class about ¥220 (~฿1,100)

Stay: 2 nights · highlights: old town, snow mountain, Tiger Leaping Gorge

🛕4

Shangri-La — the Tibetan plateau

香格里拉 Shangri-La · ~4.5 hr by rail or fly · stay 1–2 nights

The end of the northern line is Shangri-La, in the Diqing Tibetan area, where the scenery turns to high plateau — Tibetan monasteries, grasslands and yaks. The highlight is Pudacuo National Park (普达措), with clear lakes set in pine forest, and Songzanlin Monastery. The new rail line from Kunming takes about 4.5 hours, or you can fly direct. Mind the altitude — this is around 3,200–3,300 m, so climbing up gradually is best.

Time: Kunming → Shangri-La rail ~4.5 hr, or fly ~1 hr

Altitude: ~3,200–3,300 m — watch for altitude sickness

Stay: 1–2 nights · highlights: Pudacuo, Songzanlin, Dukezong old town

How many days for Yunnan

A tight 5 days or a fuller 8–10+

Choose by your leave and the pace you like — but do not rush it. Yunnan means long distances and a lot of mountains.

Tight · 5 days

Kunming + Dali + Lijiang (no Shangri-La)

Day one in Kunming (acclimatise + Stone Forest) → train to Dali for one night → on to Lijiang for two nights (old town + Jade Dragon Snow Mountain) → fly home from Lijiang or back via Kunming. This is the best-balanced route for a short trip: lake, old towns and a snow mountain, all in. Start with our Kunming one-day itinerary on day one.

Fuller · 8–10 days

Kunming + Dali + Lijiang + Shangri-La

Add Shangri-La at the top of the northern line — Kunming 2 days → Dali 2 days → Lijiang 2 days → Shangri-La 2 days, then fly back to Kunming from Shangri-La (or Lijiang). Climbing up one town at a time lets your body acclimatise, so do not compress it below this. If you have extra time, slot in Tiger Leaping Gorge between Lijiang and Shangri-La.

Add on · +3–5 days

Continue with the southern loop (a separate trip)

If your trip is longer, or it is your second visit, try the southern loop — a different world again: Jianshui, the Yuanyang rice terraces and Xishuangbanna (see the next section). But the southern and northern routes head in opposite directions from Kunming, so do not cram them into one trip. With limited time, pick one route and do it well rather than racing both.

Grey limestone pinnacles standing in a stone forest under a deep blue sky, with a branch of pink blossom in the foreground, at the Kunming Stone Forest — **The Stone Forest (石林)** — the favourite day trip from Kunming itself. Easy to do as a return trip on your first day, before you set off north.

Erhai Lake at Dali, a wide body of water under a cloudy sky with the Cangshan mountains stretching along the far shore — **Dali on Erhai** — the first stop north, just 2 hours by rail from Kunming. It is exactly why so many people treat Kunming as only the start.

The southern loop (another world)

Jianshui · Yuanyang · Xishuangbanna

Yunnan's south is nothing like the north — a Confucian temple, terraced rice fields, and a tropical Dai region that feels familiar to Thai travellers.

🏯1

Jianshui — Confucian temple + purple clay

建水 Jianshui · ~2 hr by rail · stay 1–2 nights

About 2 hours by train from Kunming is Jianshui, an old town with one of the largest Confucian temples (建水文庙) in China, second only to the one in Confucius's home town of Qufu. It also has the Double Dragon Bridge (双龙桥), a seventeen-arch stone span, and a reputation for purple-clay pottery (紫陶). It stays quiet, with far fewer tourists.

Time: Kunming South → Jianshui ~2 hr

Highlights: Confucian temple, Double Dragon Bridge, purple-clay pottery

Onward: bus from Jianshui to Yuanyang ~2.5–3 hr

🌾2

Yuanyang — UNESCO rice terraces

元阳 Yuanyang · by bus from Jianshui

The Yuanyang rice terraces (元阳梯田) are a UNESCO World Heritage site, carved into the mountains by the Hani people over more than a thousand years. They are at their most beautiful in the flooding season, November to March, when the terraces catch the sunrise and sunset in gold and pink. There is no direct train yet — connect by bus from Jianshui or hire a car — so it takes effort and an overnight stay to catch the morning light, but the reward is worth it.

Getting there: rail to Jianshui → bus / private car ~2.5–3 hr

Best season: flooding season Nov–Mar (reflective terraces)

Stay: overnight near the terraces for sunrise

🌴3

Xishuangbanna / Jinghong — the tropical Dai south

西双版纳/景洪 Xishuangbanna · ~3.5 hr by rail · stay 2–3 nights

The Kunming–Laos rail line runs deep south to Jinghong (景洪), the main town of Xishuangbanna, in about 3.5 hours. This is a tropical region of Dai culture that feels strikingly familiar to Thai travellers — the language, the food, the golden temples and house-like stupas. There is a tropical botanical garden, rainforest, and a night market along the Mekong, close to the Laos border. A good choice if you want a warmer, greener side of Yunnan.

Time: Kunming South → Jinghong ~3.5 hr (Kunming–Laos line)

Highlights: Dai culture, rainforest, botanical garden, Mekong night market

Stay: 2–3 nights · hot and humid (unlike the north)

🚌4

Day trips from Kunming itself

Stone Forest · Jiuxiang · Fuxian Lake

If you would rather not change cities, you can base in Kunming and make several return trips — the Stone Forest (石林), a spectacular field of limestone pinnacles; the Jiuxiang caves (九乡), with stalactites and gorges; and Fuxian Lake (抚仙湖), the clearest lake in Yunnan. All are good for days when you do not want to pack up and move. They are gathered in our Kunming day trips guide.

Stone Forest: ~1.5 hr from Kunming · easy return day trip

Jiuxiang: often paired with the Stone Forest on a day tour

More: Kunming day trips

What to know before you book

Stations · booking · base vs pass-through

Kunming South vs Kunming Railway Station — this is the easiest thing to get wrong. High-speed G and D trains to Dali, Lijiang, Jianshui and Xishuangbanna nearly all leave from Kunming South (Kunming South 昆明南站), on the south-eastern edge of the city, reachable by Metro Line 1. Kunming Railway Station (昆明站) is the older downtown station for conventional and some services. Always check the departure station printed on your ticket, because the two are at opposite ends of the city — and allow time to reach it. For getting around town, see our getting around Kunming guide.

Booking the trains — buy on the 12306 app (official, with an English interface, register with your passport) or on Trip.com (the easiest route for visitors, accepts foreign cards). You board by scanning your passport at the gate, with no paper ticket. Yunnan routes really do need booking ahead, unlike a short hop between big cities — especially in high season and over the public holidays, when Kunming–Dali and Kunming–Lijiang trains sell out fast. Our China high-speed rail guide covers the details.

Use Kunming as a base, or pass through? — for the northern route (Dali–Lijiang–Shangri-La), move city to city, one way, then fly back to Kunming from the end point; that is the best use of your time, with no daily return to base. Basing in Kunming for day trips only makes sense for nearby sights such as the Stone Forest, Jiuxiang and Fuxian Lake. The simple rule: Kunming works best as the start and end of a Yunnan trip rather than a place you sleep every night.

Three honest notes: (1) Kunming itself is worth only 1–2 days; the real magic is the trip onward, so do not over-budget your nights in the city. (2) The altitude rises sharply toward Shangri-La (Kunming ~1,890 m → Shangri-La ~3,200–3,300 m). Climbing up one town at a time helps your body adjust; on your first day up high, rest, drink plenty of water and skip alcohol. (3) Avoid the Chinese holidays — Golden Week (1–7 Oct), May Day (1–5 May) and Chinese New Year, when the whole province is crowded and trains sell out. See our best time to visit Kunming guide.

A white stone statue of Confucius seated in front of the ornate roofs of the Jianshui Confucian Temple, with trees and stone steps around it — **Jianshui Confucian Temple (建水文庙)** — one of the largest in China, on the southern route, just 2 hours by rail from Kunming, yet a world away from the north in feel.

Red-billed gulls flying over Green Lake Park in Kunming, with visitors and city buildings behind the water — **Kunming — the start and the end** — whichever route you choose, north or south, every Yunnan rail line begins and ends here.

Frequently asked

FAQ · planning a Yunnan trip from Kunming

How many days do I need for Yunnan using Kunming as a base?

It depends on how far you go. Kunming itself is worth 1–2 days. A tight 5-day trip works as Kunming 1 day + Dali 1–2 days + Lijiang 2 days, then fly home. To add Shangri-La without rushing, give yourself 8–10 days or more, because distances in Yunnan are long and the terrain is mountainous. The southern loop (Jianshui, Yuanyang, Xishuangbanna) is a separate trip and needs another 3–5 days. See our Kunming three-day itinerary for ideas.

How long are the trains from Kunming to Dali, Lijiang and Shangri-La?

By high-speed rail, Kunming to Dali takes about 2 hours, Kunming to Lijiang about 3–3.5 hours, and Shangri-La about 4.5 hours on the newer line (or fly direct from Kunming). A second-class Kunming–Dali ticket is roughly ¥130–145 (~฿650–725), and Kunming–Lijiang around ¥220 (~฿1,100). Times and fares vary by train and season, so always check the 12306 app or Trip.com before booking.

What is the difference between Kunming South (昆明南站) and Kunming Railway Station?

Most high-speed G and D trains leave from Kunming South (昆明南站), on the south-eastern edge of the city, reachable by Metro Line 1 to the centre. Kunming Railway Station (昆明站) is the older downtown station for conventional and some services. Always check the departure station printed on your ticket, because the two are at opposite ends of the city. Kunming South is the station you will use for Dali, Lijiang, Jianshui and Xishuangbanna.

Should I use Kunming as a base or move city to city?

For the northern route (Dali–Lijiang–Shangri-La), move city to city, one way: these towns sit on a single line heading north, so go up one stop at a time and fly back to Kunming from Lijiang or Shangri-La. Using Kunming as a base for day trips makes sense only for nearby sights such as the Stone Forest, Jiuxiang and Fuxian Lake. See our Kunming day trips guide.

What is on the southern loop of Yunnan, and is it worth it?

The southern loop is a different world from the north. Jianshui (建水, ~2 hr by rail) has one of China's largest Confucian temples, the Double Dragon Bridge, and purple-clay pottery. Yuanyang (元阳) has UNESCO rice terraces at their best in the flooding season, November to March. Xishuangbanna / Jinghong (西双版纳, ~3.5 hr by rail) is a tropical, Dai-culture region of rainforest and golden temples near the Laos border — a good fit if you have spare time and want a side of Yunnan that feels familiar to Thai travellers.

Do I need to worry about altitude going to Shangri-La?

Yes. Kunming sits at about 1,890 m and feels comfortable, but Shangri-La is around 3,200–3,300 m and the altitude rises sharply. Some people feel it (headache, tiredness, poor sleep). Acclimatising by stopping in Dali and Lijiang first helps your body adjust. On your first day up high, rest, drink plenty of water, skip alcohol and avoid hard exertion. Jade Dragon Snow Mountain at Lijiang (over 4,500 m at the summit) deserves the same caution.

Kunming City Guide

Hotels, sights, food and transport — everything about Kunming

Read →

Kunming Attractions

Green Lake, the Stone Forest, the Western Hills, Dianchi Lake and the temples

Read →

Kunming Day Trips

Stone Forest, Jiuxiang, Fuxian Lake — nearby sights to base from Kunming

Read →

Kunming Three-Day Itinerary

Three days in and around the city, ready to roll into a Yunnan trip

Read →