Kunming Railway Stations: Kunming, South & North Stations

If you’re traveling through Kunming for the first time, one question almost always comes up: “Which train station am I supposed to go to?” It sounds simple – but with multiple stations like Kunming Railway Station and Kunming South, many travelers end up second-guessing their tickets or even heading to the wrong place. This confusion is especially common when planning trips to Dali, Lijiang, or other popular destinations in Yunnan.

The good news? Kunming’s rail system is actually very logical once you understand how it’s structured. Each station serves a clear purpose, and knowing the difference can save you hours of stress and unnecessary transfers.

Kunming Station: The Most Commonly Used Comprehensive Station for Ordinary-Speed and EMU Trains in the Urban Area

Kunming Station is located on Jing North Road in Guandu District, the core railway station in Kunming’s urban area. With a scale of 9 platforms and 14 tracks, it is a first-class station, and major railway lines such as the Shanghai-Kunming Railway, Chengdu-Kunming Railway and Nanning-Kunming Railway all pass through this station.

Kunming Station handles the passenger boarding and alighting business of both ordinary-speed trains and EMU trains at the same time. Most trains to intra-provincial destinations such as Dali, Lijiang, Mengzi and Xuanwei, as well as inter-provincial destinations such as Chengdu, Guiyang and Nanning, depart from or stop at Kunming Station. Located in the city center, the station is conveniently connected with buses and subways in the surrounding area. If you stay in the urban area, taking a train from Kunming Station first can save your transportation time.

Key Points for Entry and Exit at Kunming Station

Entrance and exit selection: Kunming Station has two squares, the North Square and the South Square. The North Square is close to Jing North Road, with the most convenient bus and taxi pick-up and drop-off services; the South Square is close to South Second Ring Road with relatively less passenger flow, which can be used as an alternative entrance during peak hours.
Transfer connection: Passengers who need to transfer to other trains in the station can walk along the “Convenient Transfer”signs on the platform without exiting and re-entering the station. It is recommended to reserve at least 40 minutes for transfer.
Ticket check reminder: Ticket check-in gates usually close 5 minutes before the train departs. It is recommended to arrive at the station to wait for the train more than 30 minutes in advance.
Subway connection: You can reach the subway station entrance by walking about 5 minutes after exiting Kunming Station, and take Metro Line 1 or Line 2 to all major areas of the urban area.

Kunming Railway Station

Kunming South Station: The Core Hub for Kunming High-Speed Rail and EMU Trains

Kunming South Station is located on Xiangyuan Street in Chenggong District, the main starting station for high-speed rail and EMU trains in Kunming. With a station yard scale of 16 platforms and 30 tracks, it is designed to send 46.93 million passengers annually. As one of the large-scale comprehensive transportation hubs in western China, the station undertakes the departure and arrival tasks of most high-speed rail and EMU trains.

Main Information of Kunming South Station

Major lines: Including the Shanghai-Kunming High-Speed Railway (to Shanghai, Hangzhou, Changsha and Guiyang), Nanning-Kunming High-Speed Railway (to Nanning and Guangzhou), Chongqing-Kunming High-Speed Railway (to Chongqing and Chengdu), and Kunming-Yuxi Intercity Railway (to Yuxi and Honghe).
Direct reach scope: Kunming South Station can reach many major cities in China directly, and it is also one of the starting stations of the China-Laos Railway international passenger trains.
Subway connection: Both Metro Line 1 and Line 4 can reach Kunming South Station. It takes about 40 minutes to get to the station from Kunming’s urban area by subway, so it is recommended to reserve sufficient time.
Airport connection: You can take Metro Line 6 and transfer to Line 4 to reach Kunming South Station directly from Kunming Changshui International Airport, which takes about 1 hour for the whole journey.
Taxi fare: It takes about 40 to 50 minutes to go to Kunming South Station by taxi from the urban area during off-peak hours, with the fare ranging from 60 to 80 CNY.
Fast transfer channel: Passengers arriving at Kunming South Station by high-speed rail can enter the subway transfer area directly from the No.1, No.2 and No.3 exit channels on B1 floor without queuing for security check again, and can connect to Metro Line 1 and Line 4, saving queuing time.
Ticket information check: For passengers coming to Kunming by high-speed rail or EMU train, the terminal station is likely to be Kunming South Station rather than Kunming Station. Please check the arrival station name on the ticket carefully when buying tickets to avoid going to the wrong station.

Kunming South Station

Kunming North Station: A Cultural Experience Station for the Century-Old 1-Meter Gauge Small Train

Kunming North Station is located in the north of Kunming’s urban area, a historic old station bearing a century of railway memories. Instead of high-speed EMU trains, the station operates a 1-meter gauge railway with a track gauge of only 1 meter. The Yunnan-Vietnam Railway is China’s first international railway, with a total length of 465 kilometers, extending from Kunming to Haiphong in Vietnam.

Unique Experience at Kunming North Station

Current situation of the 1-meter gauge railway: The 1-meter gauge railway from Kunming North Station to Shizui Station has a total length of 12.4 kilometers, a remnant part of the historic Yunnan-Burma Railway with a history of nearly a century. Starting from Kunming North Station and ending at Shizui Station, the line with a gauge of 1000 millimeters still has trains running between Kunming North, Heitu’ao, Niujiezhuang, Chenggong, Wangjiaying, Mayuan, Shizui and other stations.
Unique riding experience: The 1-meter gauge small train runs slowly with a total fare of only a few CNY. The conductor writes ticket stubs by hand in the carriage, a riding experience rarely seen in other parts of China. Many railway enthusiasts come here on purpose to experience it.
Mayuan Station: A popular tourist spot: After renovation, Mayuan Station has become a popular tourist spot. The station area retains the old station house with yellow walls and green windows, century-old railway tracks and retro steam locomotives, and also adds characteristic facilities such as a track coffee shop, railway exhibition hall, handcraft market and graffiti wall. The number of visitors exceeded 20,000 during the Spring Festival.
Future connection plan: This 1-meter gauge line will be connected with the planned high-speed rail Kunming West Station in the future, realizing seamless transfer of “high-speed rail for fast arrival and 1-meter gauge railway for slow travel”.
Suitable crowd: For passengers interested in railway culture and history, the 1-meter gauge small train at Kunming North Station is worth experiencing.

Kunming North Station

Kunming West Station: A New Hub Under Construction

Kunming West Station is located between Biji Road and Chunyu Road in the Majie Area of Xishan District, about 1.5 kilometers away from Dianchi Lake. At present, the old Kunming West Station mainly undertakes freight transport and train servicing functions, and a brand-new Kunming West Railway Station is under construction.

Construction Status of Kunming West Station

Planned scale: The new Kunming West Station is one of the main passenger stations in the “three main and one auxiliary”passenger transport pattern of the Kunming railway hub. With a total land area of about 1700 mu, the proposed scale is 6 platforms and 17 tracks, which is planned to be completed and put into use synchronously with the Chongqing-Kunming High-Speed Railway.
Future functions: After completion, Kunming West Station will form the Kunming railway hub together with Kunming Station, Kunming South Station and Changshui Airport Station, undertaking the departure and arrival of ordinary-speed trains, and will connect with the new line of the Chengdu-Kunming High-Speed Railway and the West Line of the Trans-Asian Railway in the long term.
Current status: Kunming West Station is still under construction and does not handle passenger transport services for the time being. If the words “Kunming West Station”appear on the train ticket in the future, it means the new station has been put into use, and you can pay attention to the official announcement at that time.

Kunming East Station: A Station Focusing on Marshalling and Freight Transport

Kunming East Station is located in the Liangting Area of Guandu District, an important marshalling and freight station in the Kunming railway hub, mainly responsible for the marshalling and unmarshalling of freight trains with weak passenger boarding and alighting functions. However, it is still helpful for passengers who need to go to the Liangting, Jinma and other areas to know the location of the station.

Practical Information of Kunming East Station

Passenger transport situation: Kunming East Station basically does not handle passenger transport services, and most passenger trains do not stop here. “Kunming East Station”will generally not appear as the arrival station when buying tickets.
Ticket purchase reminder: If the ticket shows “Kunming East”, it is recommended to confirm again whether it is a passenger train number. In general, Kunming Station or Kunming South Station is the first choice for taking the train to Kunming.
Transportation connection: There are bus routes around Kunming East Station, but the frequency is low, so it is not recommended as the main travel choice.

Kunming Anning Station and Other Ordinary-Speed Stations

In addition to the above main stations, there are several small and medium-sized stations distributed in and around Kunming, convenient for passengers going to surrounding counties and towns.

Practical Information of Other Stations

Anning Station: Located in Anning City, it mainly serves passengers along the Chengdu-Kunming Railway. The Chengdu-Kunming Railway starts from Chengdu in the north and ends in Kunming in the south, with a total length of 1096 kilometers, an important railway trunk line connecting the southwest region.
Songming Station, Shilin Station and others: There are many stations around Kunming such as Songming Station, Shilin Station, Shilin West Station, Yanglin Station and so on. These stations are small in scale with few train numbers, mainly serving as intermediate stops for high-speed or ordinary-speed railway lines.
Usage suggestion: If you are going to surrounding counties and towns such as Songming and Shilin, you can pay attention to these stations, which are usually more convenient than transferring after arriving in Kunming’s urban area first.
Ticket purchase reminder: It is recommended to use map software to check the specific location of the station when buying tickets. The name of some stations seems to be in the urban area, but they may actually be located in counties and districts dozens of kilometers away. Confirm the station location before buying tickets to avoid taking a useless trip.

Transportation Connection and Accommodation Guide Around Kunming Station

Kunming Station is located on Jing North Road in Guandu District in the south of the urban area, with mature transportation supporting facilities and a wealth of accommodation options around. The following details are introduced from the aspects of exit selection, bus routes, subway travel, airport connection, accommodation and catering.

Methods for Selecting Exits at Kunming Station

Kunming Station has two exits, the South Exit and the North Exit. Choosing the right exit can reduce walking distance.

South Exit (first choice for subway):

After exiting from the South Exit, take the escalator to the first floor ground, turn left and you can see Exit A of Kunming Railway Station Subway Station with the shortest walking distance.
Passengers who need to take online car-hailing or taxis can walk about 300 meters forward after reaching the first floor ground to reach the pick-up point.
There is no bus station set at the South Exit for the time being. If you need to take a bus, it is recommended to use the North Exit.

North Exit (first choice for bus):

Passengers taking the bus can walk out along the corridor of the North Exit, and the Zhanqian Road Bus Station is just across the road.
Passengers going to Jing North Road Bus Station can turn left after exiting the station and see it when reaching the intersection.
Passengers transferring to taxis can go straight along the corridor of the North Exit and then turn left to reach the taxi pick-up point.
Passengers who need to transfer to Metro Line 1 or Line 2 can turn left after exiting the station and walk about 10 minutes along Jing North Road to reach Huancheng South Road Subway Station.

There are clear signboards in the exit passage, and you can walk according to the guidance.

Bus Routes Around Kunming Station

There are many bus routes around Kunming Station, with bus stations set on Jing North Road and Zhanqian Road, covering all directions of the urban area. The main routes include Line 23, Line 2, Line 83, Line 44, Line 24, Line 59, Line 25, Line 60, Line 32, Line 47, Line 68, Line 80 and so on.

Examples of commonly used routes:

Line 2, Line 23: To the northern urban area with frequent departures.
Line 83: To Haiyuan Temple, passing through the main sections of the urban area.
Line 44, Line 24: To Haigeng Park and Dianchi Lake, suitable for passengers planning to visit Dianchi Lake on the way.
Line 25, Line 60: Connecting the eastern area of the urban area.
Airport Express Line 2: Direct to Kunming Changshui International Airport, suitable for passengers rushing for flights.

In addition, Kunming Public Transport has opened a number of peak connection special lines, which operate during the morning and evening peak hours on working days (7:00 to 9:00 and 17:00 to 19:00) with a fare of 2 CNY, and a 50% discount is provided during the trial operation period.

Subway Travel Methods at Kunming Station

The subway station of Metro Line 1 and Line 2 is just outside the South Exit of Kunming Station. The two lines operate through Huancheng South Road Station, and passengers do not need to get off and transfer after getting on the bus at Huancheng South Road Station, and the train continues to run forward.

Riding reminders:

Metro Line 1 and Line 2 operate through, and no transfer is needed when passing through Huancheng South Road Station.
It takes about 15 minutes to go from Kunming Station to Dongfeng Square and about 20 minutes to North Railway Station by subway.
Operation time: The first train of Kunming Railway Station Subway Station to Huancheng South Road is at 06:21 and the last train at 22:50; the first train to University Town South is at 06:48 and the last train at 22:42.
It is recommended to reserve sufficient time to enter the station before the departure of the last train.

Transportation Methods From Changshui Airport to Kunming Station

The distance from Kunming Changshui International Airport to Kunming Station is about 27 kilometers. The main transportation methods are as follows:

Subway (most economical): Take Metro Line 6, transfer to Line 2, and then transfer to Line 1. The whole journey takes about 40 to 50 minutes with a fare of 6 CNY. This method is low in price, but requires two transfers, which is inconvenient when carrying large luggage. The operation time of Metro Line 6 usually ends around 23:00, and passengers arriving at night need to pay attention to the time of the last train.
Airport bus (most worry-free): Airport Express Line 2 goes directly to Kunming Station, with the terminal at Jinjiang Hotel near the railway station, and you can reach the station by walking about 5 minutes after getting off. The fare is 25 CNY and the driving time is about 50 minutes. It operates from 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. the next day, with about 1 to 2 departures per hour. No transfer is needed, and luggage can be placed in the carriage, suitable for passengers arriving at night or unwilling to transfer.
Taxi or online car-hailing (most direct): The fare is about 80 to 90 CNY during the daytime (including 10 CNY toll fee), and the driving time is about 40 to 50 minutes. This method is the most direct but with a higher cost. The per capita cost can be reduced when traveling with multiple people.
Carpooling (cost-effective choice): The fare is about 35 CNY per person, and the driving time is about 30 minutes. It is suitable for 2 to 3 people traveling together. You can find a regular carpool spot at Exit 3 of the airport or make an appointment in advance through the platform.

Accommodation Options Around Kunming Station

Youth Hostels (for budget-conscious passengers):

Starry Sky Female-Only Youth Hostel: About 420 meters from Kunming Station, only for female passengers, with a per capita cost of several tens of CNY.
Kunming Youth Lodge: About 200 meters from Kunming Station, located in Xindu Yuncheng Community on the west side of the station, with an average bed price of 35 CNY per night.
Jinxichun Youth Hostel: Located in a high-quality community, close to subway stations and bus stations.

Economical Hotels (comfortable and worry-free):

Chain hotels such as Home Inn and Hanting: Prices range from 150 to 300 CNY.
GPH Hotel (Kunming Railway Station Branch): Located at No.7 Yongping Road, Guandu District, with smart devices in the rooms.

Mid-Range Hotels (for quality pursuit):

Vienna Hotel, Hilton Garden Inn: Prices range from 250 to 500 CNY.
Four Points by Sheraton Kunming City Center: A newly opened hotel in recent years with new facilities.

Hourly Rooms:

Express hotels around provide hourly room services, usually charging 60 to 100 CNY for 4 hours, suitable for a short rest during transfer.

Luggage Storage Reminder: Kunming Station has canceled the manual luggage storage service and replaced it with self-service luggage lockers. There are 4 locations in total: the self-service ticketing hall at the North Entrance, the second floor of the South Entrance (behind the security check area), inside the business channel of the North Entrance, and the entrance of the second floor of the North Entrance (near the 2A waiting room). Please check the charging standard displayed on the screen before storing luggage, and keep valuables with you.

Catering Recommendations Around Kunming Station

In-station catering: Dicos, Jianxinyuan Rice Noodles, Meiyuan Characteristic Fast Food, etc., located near the 7A entrance.
Off-station characteristic restaurants: Laodian Shanzai (Yunnan ethnic cuisine), Jianxinyuan (Crossing-the-Bridge Rice Noodles), Mainiugong Fresh Cut Beef Rice Noodles, 320 Old Yunnan-Burma Garden Restaurant (colorful hand-grabbed rice).
Snacks: There are many rice noodle shops, fast food restaurants and snack stalls along Zhanqian Road and Jing North Road, providing Yunnan characteristic snacks such as roasted rice cakes, fried potatoes and roasted tofu, with a per capita consumption of 15 to 30 CNY.

Transportation Connection and Accommodation Guide Around Kunming South Station

Kunming South Station is located in Chenggong District, far from the urban area, but the surrounding transportation and accommodation supporting facilities are gradually improving.

Methods for Transferring to Subway After Exiting Kunming South Station

Convenient transfer: At present, passengers arriving at Kunming South Station by high-speed rail do not need a second security check to transfer to the subway. After exiting through the ticket gate, walk towards the West Square and you can transfer to Metro Line 1 or Line 4 directly on the B1 floor.
Exit guidance: There are signs for the East Square, West Square and urban transportation in the underground exit passage, and you can walk according to the signs. Passengers from the small number side platforms (Platform 2 to 15) can choose the Convenient Transfer Channel 1, and those from the large number side platforms (Platform 16 to 29) can choose the Convenient Transfer Channel 2.
Travel time: It takes about 40 to 48 minutes to take Metro Line 1 from Kunming South Station to the city center (Dongfeng Square).

Buses and Taxis at Kunming South Station

Bus hub: There is a bus hub at the East Square of Kunming South Station, with many routes to Chenggong District and Kunming’s urban area. Passengers taking buses or coaches are requested to go to the East Square according to the instructions.
Taxi waiting area: Located on the exit floor. The taxi and online car-hailing parking lot is opposite to the meeting point 6 of the exit passage, with arrow signs on the ground. The fare to Chenggong urban area is about 20 CNY, and about 60 to 80 CNY to the urban area.
Online car-hailing pick-up point: Go straight towards the East Square and walk to the designated area according to the “Online Car-Hailing Pick-Up Point”sign.

Transportation Methods From Changshui Airport to Kunming South Station

Subway: Take Metro Line 6 and transfer to Line 4 to reach Kunming South Station directly, the whole journey takes about 1 hour with a fare of about 7 CNY.
Taxi: The driving time is about 50 minutes with a fare of 90 to 110 CNY.

Accommodation Options Around Kunming South Station

The accommodation around Kunming South Station is mainly mid-range and business hotels, with prices slightly lower than those in the urban area.

Hyatt Place Kunming South Station: About 500 meters walk from Kunming South Station and the subway station, a newly opened hotel in recent years with 315 guest rooms, overlooking the white dragon pond lake view or the city skyline.
Minyoun Elegant Hotel: Adjacent to the West Square of Kunming South Station, a 5-minute walk to the high-speed rail and subway hub, with 503 guest rooms.
City Comfort Inn (7th Block of Kunming High-Speed Rail South Station): Located near the University Town Food Street, with a quiet environment, not far from the high-speed rail station, and provides pick-up and drop-off services.
Lai Zhu Xingchen S Hotel (Chunrong Street Subway Station, Kunming High-Speed Rail South Station): Close to Kunming South Station, with many food options around and convenient travel, providing free washing machines.
Economical chain hotels: Home Inn, Hanting, etc., with prices ranging from 150 to 250 CNY.
Hourly Rooms: Some hotels provide hourly room services, suitable for rest during transfer.

The surrounding catering is mainly fast food and Yunnan cuisine, and there are convenience stores and simple meals in the waiting hall of Kunming South Station.

Kunming South Station Waiting Hall

Transportation Connection and Accommodation Guide Around Kunming North Station

Kunming North Station is located in the north of the urban area, featuring 1-meter gauge sightseeing, with convenient transportation and accommodation around.

Transportation Connection at Kunming North Station

Subway: The nearest subway station to Kunming North Station is North Railway Station (the transfer station of Metro Line 2 and Line 4), which is about 10 to 15 minutes on foot after exiting the station.
Bus: Bus routes such as Line 3, Line 23 and Line 61 pass near Kunming North Station.
Taxi: The fare from the urban area to Kunming North Station by taxi is about 15 to 25 CNY.

Accommodation Options Around Kunming North Station

Kunming North Station is close to the north of the urban area with a variety of accommodation options.

Youth hostels: There are many youth hostels around the North Station, with bed prices ranging from 40 to 70 CNY.
Economical hotels: Chain hotels such as Home Inn and Hanting, with prices ranging from 120 to 200 CNY.
Mid-range hotels: Vienna Hotel (North Railway Station Branch), etc., with prices ranging from 200 to 350 CNY.

Catering Recommendations Around Kunming North Station

There are many residential areas and business districts near the North Station with a rich variety of catering options. It is recommended to try the snack bars in the Beimen Street and Jiang’an Community areas, with affordable prices for rice noodles, barbecues, marinated food and so on.

Yunnan Railway Museum Beside Kunming North Station

The Yunnan Railway Museum beside Kunming North Station is the largest 1-meter gauge themed museum in China. The museum collects century-old steam locomotives, Yunnan-Vietnam Railway cultural relics and historical photos, and visitors can watch three railway systems of narrow gauge, meter gauge and standard gauge up close. It is a must-visit for railway enthusiasts.

Practical Reminders for Traveling By Train From Kunming Railway Stations

Ticket Purchase and Station Entry

Confirm the station before buying tickets: Kunming Station and Kunming South Station are the two most commonly used stations for passengers, but with different functions. There are trains from both Kunming Station and Kunming South Station to Dali, Lijiang, Chengdu, Guiyang and other directions. Please check the departure station name on the ticket carefully when buying tickets.
Judge the train type according to the train number: G-head trains are high-speed trains, D-head trains are EMU trains, and K, T, Z-head trains are ordinary-speed trains. High-speed trains and EMU trains mainly depart from Kunming South Station, and ordinary-speed trains mainly depart from Kunming Station, but there are exceptions, please refer to the ticket information.
Reserve sufficient time to arrive at the station: It is recommended to arrive at the station at least 1 hour before the train departs. During holidays and peak passenger flow periods, it is better to arrive 90 to 120 minutes in advance to leave ample time for security check, finding the ticket check-in gate and dealing with unexpected situations.
Electronic tickets have been fully implemented: There is no need to exchange paper tickets after purchasing tickets, and you can enter the station and take the train directly with the original identity document used for purchasing tickets.

Transfer and Connection

Reserve enough time for inter-station transfer: If you need to transfer from one station to another, you should reserve sufficient time. It takes about 40 to 50 minutes to take the subway from Kunming Station to Kunming South Station, plus the time for entering and exiting the station, it is recommended to leave an interchange interval of at least 1.5 hours.
Check the route in advance: Use map software to check the station location, transportation method and estimated time before departure, especially when transfer is needed, making a plan in advance can save time.

Luggage and Security Check

Luggage limit: Each adult passenger can carry luggage for free with a weight not exceeding 20 kilograms. The sum of the external length, width and height of luggage for EMU trains shall not exceed 130 centimeters, and that for ordinary-speed trains shall not exceed 160 centimeters. It is recommended to streamline luggage and choose easy-to-move luggage and bags.
Provisions on prohibited and restricted items: Please note during security check: each person is limited to carrying 2 lighters; pressure canned items shall not exceed 150 milliliters per bottle; knife items are not allowed to be carried; items with strong pungent smell are also not allowed to be carried.
Luggage storage: There are self-service luggage lockers in Kunming Station, and you can store your luggage for a short time and then go out for activities during transfer.
Differences in station facilities: Kunming South Station has relatively new facilities with wider elevators and passages, providing a better experience when carrying large luggage. Kunming Station is an old station with many stairs in some areas, making it laborious to pull large suitcases.

Pay Attention to Train Schedule Changes

The railway department will adjust the train operation diagram regularly, and the train numbers and schedules may change. Before traveling, it is recommended to check the latest train information through the official 12306 railway channel to avoid making a useless trip.

Although there are many railway stations in Kunming, it is not complicated to figure out their respective functions. Confirm the departure station name on the ticket in advance, check the station location and transportation method, and reserve sufficient transfer time, and there will be basically no problems.

Before You Take a Train from Kunming, Know This One Thing

If there’s one takeaway, it’s this: High-speed trains usually depart from Kunming South, while central-city departures and some regular trains use Kunming Station. Always double-check the departure station printed on your ticket – it matters more than most travelers expect.

For trips that involve multiple stops across Yunnan – like combining Kunming, Dali, Lijiang, or even Shangri-La – transport planning can quickly become the most time-consuming part. That’s why some travelers choose to work with agencies like China Dragon Travel: not because the routes are complicated, but because getting all the connections right makes the entire journey smoother and far more enjoyable.