Kunming to Lijiang by High-Speed Train
Fastest 3h · from ¥166 second class · 10 daily trains · Train wins vs flight
Verified against 12306 on 2026-04-30.
The Kunming to Lijiang corridor is 440 km of G/D-class high-speed rail. Trains run from Kunming Railway Station to Lijiang Railway Station, with the fastest service taking 3h and the longest about 4h. Second-class seats start at ¥166 – ¥199. Opened 2023. Flight is similar door-to-door but train goes through Yunnan highlands.
Quick facts
- Distance
- 440 km
- Train types
- G, D
- Duration
- 3h – 4htypical mainline services
- Daily departures
- 10 trains
- Service window
- 07:50 → 17:26
- Second class
- ¥166 – ¥199
- First class
- ¥265 – ¥318
- Business class
- ¥496 – ¥596
- Scenery
- ★★★★☆our editorial rating
Train vs flight
| Metric | Train | Flight |
|---|---|---|
| Fastest | 3h | 1h |
| Door-to-door | ~4h | 4h |
| Price | ¥166 – ¥199 | ¥400 – ¥1000 |
Editor: Opened 2023. Flight is similar door-to-door but train goes through Yunnan highlands.
Stations
- Departing fromKunming Railway StationKunming · D/T-class · ~15 min to city centre
Downtown station, much closer to Green Lake + old town than Kunming South. Handles the direct Lijiang D-trains plus conventional services (T/K). Use this for Lijiang unless you're connecting from another HSR line.
- Arriving atLijiang Railway StationLijiang · G/D-class · ~25 min to city centre
HSR line from Kunming opened 2023. Buses 16/18 to Lijiang Old Town in 25 min; taxis ~¥40.
How to book
Two paths for foreign travelers — either the official Chinese system at face price, or a Western OTA for an English-first checkout with a small markup.
- 12306 (official): face price, no booking fee. Requires a passport-bound account. Step-by-step 12306 walkthrough →
- Trip.com: English UI, foreign cards work, small markup. Best when 12306 frustrates you. Search Kunming → Lijiang on Trip.com →
- Compare the two: read 12306 vs Trip.com →
Deep guide available. We have a full editorial write-up for this route — when to go, which class to pick, station tips, things to do at both ends. Read the Kunming ↔ Lijiang guide →