Shanxi is a landlocked province on the Loess Plateau of north China, west of the Taihang Mountains and east of the Yellow River. It holds more surviving pre-modern timber buildings than any other Chinese province, three UNESCO World Heritage Sites (the Yungang Grottoes, the Ancient City of Pingyao and Mount Wutai), the cliff-clinging Hanging Monastery, the 1056 wooden pagoda of Ying County, the Qing-era merchant mansions of the Jin traders and the thundering Hukou Waterfall on the Yellow River.
- Public
- High-speed rail makes Datong, Taiyuan and Pingyao easy to link on one trip. Taiyuan Metro Line 1 connects the airport and both main railway stations; Line 2 runs through the centre. City buses are cheap but signage is mostly Chinese.
- Taxi
- Use Didi or metered taxis with the meter running. At Pingyao Gucheng station and outside the ancient city gates, agree any flat fare before setting off or insist on the meter.
- Rental
- Self-drive is not possible on a foreign licence. A car with driver is the best option for the Hanging Monastery plus Yingxian Pagoda loop, the Wang Family Compound and Mianshan, or Hukou Waterfall.
- Walking
- Pingyao's Ming-Qing Street, West Street and the 6 km city wall circuit are pedestrian-friendly; electric carts and bicycle rentals operate inside the walls. Datong's restored old town around the Drum Tower is compact and walkable.
Transport at a glance
- Public
- 4/5 (excellent high-speed rail between cities; Taiyuan has two metro lines; rural sites need shuttles or coaches)
- Taxi
- 4/5 (Didi and metered taxis are cheap and widely available in all main cities)
- Rental
- 1/5 (foreign licences are not valid; hire a driver instead)
- Walking
- 4/5 (Pingyao Ancient City and Datong's old town are very walkable; Taiyuan is spread out)
Airport transfers
Getting from the airport to your accommodation.
- Taxi
- ¥30–50 (about $4–7 USD) Wusu Airport to central Taiyuan; 30–40 minutes
- Taxi Info
- Use the official taxi rank outside arrivals or book via Didi; reference-fare boards are posted at the rank
- Shuttle
- Airport shuttle bus lines from outside T1 and T2 to the city centre and Taiyuan South Railway Station
- Shuttle Info
- Check current routes and departure times on the boards outside the terminals
- Bus
- Metro Line 1, ¥2–6 (about $0.30–0.90 USD), Wusu Airport T1/T2 to Taiyuan South Railway Station and Taiyuan Railway Station
- Bus Info
- Line 1 opened on 22 February 2025 and is the cheapest and most predictable airport link
- Private
- Pre-booked private transfer via hotel or Trip.com, roughly ¥100–200 (about $15–29 USD)
- Private Info
- Useful for late-night arrivals; send the hotel address in Chinese to the driver in advance
Local transport
Getting around the city.
Bus
City buses in Taiyuan and Datong charge about ¥1–2 (about $0.15–0.30 USD) per ride; pay by Alipay or WeChat QR code
Alternatives
Taiyuan Metro Lines 1 and 2; Didi; shared bicycles (Meituan, Hellobike) unlocked via Alipay or WeChat; bicycle and electric-cart rental inside Pingyao Ancient City
Taxis & rideshare
What to expect from taxis and apps.
- Regular
- Metered taxis in Taiyuan; reference fares to key destinations are posted at Taiyuan South, Taiyuan Railway Station and Wusu Airport ranks
- Apps
- Didi Chuxing, Amap (Gaode) ride-hailing
- App Names
- Didi Chuxing — main ride-hailing app, English interface, accepts international cards, Amap (Gaode Maps) — aggregates several ride-hailing fleets inside the map app
- Typical Fare
- ¥14 (about $2 USD) Taiyuan South Railway Station to Wusu Airport by day; ¥20–40 (about $3–6 USD) for most rides inside central Taiyuan
Intercity travel
Getting between cities and regions.
Bus
Coaches from Taiyuan East Bus Station to Wutai Shan (Taihuai), about 4 hours, ¥66–78 (about $10–11 USD); county buses from Pingyao to Jiexiu and Lingshi
Shared
High-speed rail is cheaper and faster than shared cars between Shanxi's cities; if accepting a shared van or unlicensed car at a station, agree the full price before departure
Flights
Taiyuan (TYN), Datong (DAT) and Yuncheng (YCU) have domestic flights; Beijing and Xi'an are usually faster by high-speed train
Private
Car with driver ¥500–1,000 (about $74–147 USD) per day depending on distance; Datong-based loops to the Hanging Monastery and Yingxian Pagoda are a common booking
Transportation details
Full breakdown of how to get around.
Shanxi is a long, narrow province running roughly 680 km north to south, and its sights are spread across several cities rather than clustered around one hub. Taiyuan, the provincial capital, is the main gateway, with Taiyuan Wusu International Airport and high-speed rail from Taiyuan South Railway Station. The Datong–Xi'an high-speed line runs the length of the province, linking Datong (Yungang Grottoes, Hanging Monastery) in the north, Taiyuan in the centre, Pingyao Gucheng station for the ancient city, and Linfen and Yuncheng in the south. Datong is also under two hours from Beijing by high-speed train. Mountain and river sites such as Wutai Shan and Hukou Waterfall are not on the high-speed network and need a bus, a regional train, or a hired car with driver.
Airports
Taiyuan Wusu International Airport
Datong Yungang Airport
Yuncheng Guangong Airport
Useful apps
Download before you arrive.
Railway 12306
Official China Railway booking app and website, with an English version; book high-speed and conventional trains with a passport
Trip.com
English-language booking for trains, flights and hotels; adds a small service fee but handles foreign cards easily
Didi Chuxing
Ride-hailing in Taiyuan, Datong, Pingyao and other Shanxi cities; English interface and international card support
Alipay
Pays for metro, buses, shared bikes and most shops via QR code; also hosts the Yungang Grottoes booking mini-programme
Amap (Gaode Maps)
The most accurate maps and transit directions in China, including bus and metro routing in Taiyuan and Datong
Messaging plus WeChat Pay; many Shanxi scenic areas (Yungang, Wutai Shan, Taiyuan Botanical Garden) sell tickets through WeChat official accounts
Transport tips
Travel smarter, not harder.
Book high-speed train tickets on 12306 or Trip.com with the passport used for travel; the passport is the ticket at station gates
For Pingyao, take the high-speed train to Pingyao Gucheng station (not the older Pingyao station), then a bus (about ¥3) or taxi (about ¥20–25) to the ancient city, about 10 km away
Taiyuan Metro Line 1 links Wusu Airport, Taiyuan South and Taiyuan Railway Station, so airport-to-train connections no longer need a taxi
Yungang Grottoes tickets are online real-name booking only since 1 January 2025 (Yungang WeChat or Alipay mini-programme); there are no ticket counters on site
Use the ¥39 shuttle from the Yungang Grottoes to the Hanging Monastery to combine both in one day from Datong
Allow at least one overnight at Taihuai for Wutai Shan; the coach from Taiyuan takes about 4 hours each way
Save hotel and site names in Chinese characters in a phone note to show drivers
Avoid Spring Festival and National Day (1–7 October) for train travel if possible; seats sell out weeks ahead