Kunming get around · Get around Kunming
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Get around Kunming
Get around Kunming
Kunming has very bad traffic conditions and not only at peak times. It's worth planning ahead if you have somewhere to get to.
Bicycles can be rented at most hostels and hotels for about ¥20 a day. There are bike lanes along the edges of many major roads and traffic generally moves fairly slowly.
City Buses are ¥1 apiece and cover most of the city. They operate from about 6am until late evening 21:30/22:00!! (from first stop, which means, if you go from last stop, you can get bus also at 11 pm going back to first stop). They stop at every stop along their assigned route, but not all bus routes stop at all physical bus stops! Don't be surprised to see a bus driving right past a stop, as it may not be on their route. Stops are ususally 500m to 1km apart. Bus drivers are lead footed, and often race each other, especially on the ring roads. They tend to stop suddenly too, so get a good hand hold. Some of the bus stops are at the sides of the road but some bus stops are located in the middle of the road and appear to have been designed to provide maximum inconvenince and danger for passengers. There have been reports of pick-pocketing on crowded buses, especially just before "Spring Festival", when people need extra cash. It is possible to get a bus card, which reduces the cost per trip to ¥0.90. The card itself costs ¥20 and is bought at bus stations. Bus Nos. 52 and 67 run to the airport and may cost ¥2 depending on the bus and hour. Also some other buses cost ¥2. These usually go longer distances such as to "villages" around Kunming. Bus routes are marked on some local maps (purchased from street venders or kiosks) but are not always accurate.
Taxis start at ¥8. Make sure the driver uses the meter to avoid being scammed. Sometimes, taxi drivers will ask for a flat fee, but you should avoid this, because usually such flat fees are much more expensive than using the meter for rides within the city. As usual, care should be taken when traveling at night or long distances. Larger taxis cost more than smaller taxis. Also be aware that taxis are zoned and cannot access all areas. Don't be surprised if a taxi driver cannot take you to your destination as it may be outside their zone. Only certain taxis are allowed into the central areas at certain times. This is to allow all taxis a chance at the lucrative business areas. It is especially difficult to get a taxi around 6:30pm, when taxi shifts switch and drivers need to return their cars.
- A fuel tax of ¥2.50 has been added to fares and is explained on a small sign on the dashboards of all taxis. Thus for each ride you'll have to add ¥2.50 to the meter reading to calculate your real fare. (current May 2011)
Metro Spring 2010 start built, expect finish 2012/2013 , Details
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Kunming
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Kunming - updated May 2024
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WHERE TO TRAVEL NEXT IN 2020
Kunming Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.