Lijiang: how to get there and around
Airports, stations, ports, where the hotels are and what the numbers say, from public data rather than a brochure.
Lijiang is a city of 211,151 people in China (Yunnan), 2,397 m (7,864 ft) above sea level. The nearest large airport is Lijiang Sanyi International Airport (LJG), 21 km (13 mi) from the centre. It has 3 railway stations on record, including Yulong Snow Mountain Station.
Key facts
Daylight in Lijiang runs from about 10 h 30 min a day in late December to 13 h 53 min in late June (computed for 26.87° latitude), which matters more than the forecast when a day is built around one flight or one crossing.
Getting there
Lijiang is served by 2 airports with scheduled flights within 100 km. The closest large one is Lijiang Sanyi International Airport (LJG), 21 km (13 mi) from the centre, with a longest runway of 9,843 ft, which limits it to short and medium-haul aircraft. The alternatives are Ninglang Luguhu Airport (NLH, 92 km).
Flights to Lijiang: every airport, routes and times
By rail: stations on record include Yulong Snow Mountain Station, Visitor Center Station, Dongbagu Station. Trains to Lijiang
Buses to Lijiang · Driving and car hire
What people come for
UNESCO World Heritage in the city: Old Town of Lijiang.
Tours, tickets and day trips from Lijiang
Nearby cities, and how to get between them
- Kunming, 322 km — flights · trains
- Qujing, 387 km — trains
- Baoshan, 222 km — trains · buses · car rental · tours
- Zhaotong, 350 km — trains
- Panzhihua, 152 km — trains · buses · car rental · tours
- Chuxiong, 243 km — trains · buses · car rental · tours
- Jianshui, 305 km — buses · car rental
- Xichang, 232 km — trains · buses · car rental · tours
- Lincang, 333 km
- Longling County, 297 km — buses · car rental · tours
Twin towns and sister cities: Roanoke.
Common questions
Which airport serves Lijiang?
Lijiang Sanyi International Airport (LJG), 21 km (13 mi) from the centre, plus 1 other airport with scheduled flights within 100 km.
How big is Lijiang?
About 211,151 people live in Lijiang, across 20,555 km² (GeoNames and Wikidata).
What time zone is Lijiang in?
Asia/Shanghai, currently UTC+8.
What currency is used in Lijiang?
The Yuan Renminbi (CNY). Traffic drives on the right.
Which cities are near Lijiang?
Kunming (322 km), Qujing (387 km), Baoshan (222 km), Zhaotong (350 km), Panzhihua (152 km).
Where these facts come from
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, elevation, time zone, postal codes
- Wikidata (CC0): area, sister cities, visitor numbers, heritage listings, stations and ports
- OurAirports (public domain): airports, runways
- Natural Earth (public domain): map outlines
Data compiled 13 September 2026. Hotel figures are from our booking partner’s catalogue on that date. Journey times on this page are estimates from distance, not timetables; check the operator before you rely on one.