Jilin is a province in northeast China bordering North Korea and Russia, known for Changbai Mountain and its Heaven Lake crater, Changchun's Manchukuo-era palace and film heritage, Jilin City's winter rime ice, and the Korean-Chinese culture of Yanbian. The Tumen and Yalu rivers form its southern frontier, and Goguryeo tombs at Ji'an are UNESCO World Heritage sites. Winters are long and cold, with excellent skiing.
- Public
- China Railway G-trains and D-trains (12306 app or Trip.com) link Changchun, Jilin City, Siping, Songyuan, Tonghua and Yanbian prefecture; Changchun has metro lines and a historic tram network, and every city has an inexpensive bus system, but English signage is limited outside Changchun
- Taxi
- Metered taxis and the DiDi ride-hailing app are plentiful in Changchun, Jilin City and Yanji and cheap by international standards; show the Chinese-character address on a phone because few drivers speak English
- Rental
- Foreign visitors cannot drive on a foreign licence in mainland China and need a Chinese licence, so self-drive is not practical; a car with driver booked through Trip.com or a hotel is the usual route to Changbai Mountain, Chagan Lake and the border areas
- Walking
- Central Changchun (Renmin Square, the former Manchukuo government district, Puppet Emperor's Palace area) and Yanji's Korean-style streets are walkable, but distances between districts are large and winters (December to February) are severe, with temperatures commonly below minus 20 degrees Celsius
Transport at a glance
- Public
- 4/5
- Taxi
- 4/5
- Rental
- 1/5
- Walking
- 3/5
Airport transfers
Getting from the airport to your accommodation.
| Option | Cost | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bus about 50-70 minutes; taxi 35-50 minutes | |||
| About 15-25 minutes by taxi | |||
| Allow 1-2 hours to reach the mountain gates | |||
| About 45-60 minutes |
Taxis & rideshare
What to expect from taxis and apps.
- Overview
- Metered taxis operate 24 hours in Changchun, Jilin City and Yanji, and DiDi cars are available in all prefecture cities. Flag-fall is roughly CNY 8-10 (about USD 1.20-1.50) for the first 3 km, with about CNY 1.8-2.5 per additional km and a surcharge at night. Most drivers use a meter, and rides can be paid by Alipay, WeChat Pay or cash.
- Typical Fares
- Tips
- Open DiDi through the Alipay mini program or the English DiDi app and enter the destination in Chinese characters; payment is automatic by linked card, Taxis queue at the official rank outside every airport and station; avoid unlicensed drivers who approach inside the terminal, In winter, taxis can be scarce during snowfall; DiDi pre-booking in the evening is more reliable than hailing on the street, Have the hotel write the destination address in Chinese; few drivers read English or pinyin
Transportation details
Full breakdown of how to get around.
Jilin Province is served by six commercial airports (Changchun, Yanji, Baishan Changbaishan, Tonghua, Songyuan and Baicheng), a backbone of high-speed rail from Changchun, and an extensive coach network. The provincial capital Changchun is the main gateway; Yanji is the hub for the Korean-ethnic Yanbian prefecture, the Tumen River border and Changbai Mountain's north slope; and Baishan and Songjianghe serve the west slope. Rail is the fastest and cheapest way between cities, while a hired car and driver is the practical option for Changbai Mountain, Chagan Lake and rural areas. Jilin City's Ertaizi Airport (JIL) has had no regular passenger service since 2005, so Jilin City is reached through Changchun.
Airports
Changchun Longjia International Airport
Yanji Chaoyangchuan International Airport
Baishan Changbaishan Airport
Tonghua Sanyuanpu Airport
Songyuan Chaganhu Airport
Baicheng Chang'an Airport
Useful apps
Download before you arrive.
12306 China Railway
Trip.com
DiDi
Amap (Gaode Maps)
Baidu Maps
Alipay
Transport tips
Travel smarter, not harder.
Install Alipay (with the Tour Pass or a linked Visa/Mastercard) or WeChat Pay before arrival; cash is accepted by law but many small vendors and DiDi drivers prefer mobile payment. Carry some cash (CNY 200, about USD 30) as a backup
Bring the original passport for every train ticket purchase and to pass the station gates; foreign visitors scan the passport at the gate instead of a paper ticket
Buy G-train and D-train tickets on the 12306 app (English version) or Trip.com up to 15 days ahead; services on the Changchun-Shenyang, Changchun-Harbin and Changchun-Yanji lines sell out on Fridays, Sundays and public holidays such as Golden Week (1-7 October)
Google Maps and Uber do not work reliably in China; use Amap (Gaode, has an English mode), Baidu Maps or Apple Maps, and DiDi for cars
Changchun has two main rail stations: Changchun (the old central station, Changchun Zhan) and Changchun West (Changchun Xi, the high-speed hub for Harbin, Shenyang and Beijing services); always check which station the ticket lists
Yanji has Yanji West (Yanji Xi) station for the high-speed line to Jilin, Changchun and Hunchun, and a separate older Yanji station; the Yanji Chaoyangchuan airport is about 10 km from the city centre
Changbai Mountain (Heaven Lake) summit roads close for snow from roughly mid-October to early June; check the park status on the Changbai Mountain Scenic Area official channels before booking a transfer
Winter travel from December to February brings ice and heavy snow; allow extra time for airport transfers and confirm flights, which are sometimes delayed by fog and snow
Separately, many nationalities currently enter China visa-free for up to 30 days for tourism and some can use the 240-hour visa-free transit scheme; policies are extended periodically, so check the National Immigration Administration site (en.nia.gov.cn) for the traveler's own passport before booking