KunmingTransportation Guide

Kunming Metro Lines 1–5. Take Line 5 from Daba Station to Haigeng Dam on Dianchi Lake, or Line 2 from Chuanxingu Lou Station to Cuihu Park. To get to the Stone Forest: Take a bus from the Eastern Bus Station for 34 yuan (about 1.5 hours), or take the high-speed rail to Shilin West Station and then a scenic area shuttle bus for 12 yuan. Simply scan the Alipay ride code to pay.

Base fare: 8 yuan (3 km). Short trips within the city cost 15–25 yuan. A ride from downtown to Changshui Airport costs 80–120 yuan (Metro Line 6 is more convenient and cheaper). Using Didi is more reliable than hailing a cab on the street.

Changshui International Airport (KMG): Take Metro Line 6 directly to the city center (about 40 minutes, 5 yuan). A taxi ride costs 80–120 yuan (about 40–60 minutes). The airport shuttle bus costs 25 yuan. The airport is about 25 kilometers from the city center.

Kunming has two high-speed rail stations. Kunming South Station: serves the Shanghai–Kunming and Yunnan–Guangxi high-speed rail lines; takes 40 minutes to reach the city center via Line 1 (to get to Shilin, take the high-speed rail from here—it’s an 18-minute ride to Shilin West Station for 18 yuan). Kunming Station: located in the city center; takes 5 minutes to reach the city center via Lines 1 and 2. Kunming Station is the preferred choice as it’s right in the city center.