Getting Around, Guilin Travel, Transport and Car Rental

(Guilin, Guangxi, China)

It is possible to travel around Guilin and the Guangxi Region in a number of different ways, with local bus transport tending to be the most popular option. However, those brave enough to try their hand at driving in China may like to hire a car (with driver) upon arrival at the Guilin Liangjiang International Airport.

Public parks and riverside attractions in Guilin are best reached by using buses or taxi transport, with taxis being easy to find and hail. For longer distances, train transport is on hand, while cargo ferries often permit passengers and travel to destinations such as Guangzhou, Wuzhou and Yangshuo.

Guilin Liangjiang International Airport (KWL) / Arriving by Air

Address: Liangjiang Town, Lingui County, Guilin, Guangxi Province, 541106, China, CN
Tel: +86 0773 284 5114
Located just over 25 km / 16 miles to the south-west of the city, the Guilin Liangjiang International Airport is a major air facility in Guangxi and features around 20 different airlines, which fly to and from cities across China, Malaysia and South Korea. Popular domestic Chinese destinations connected by the airport include Beijing, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Kunming, Qingdao, Shanghai, Shantou, Shenzhen and also Xiamen, amongst other cities. Half-hourly bus transport is available from 06:30 each day and travels between Guilin city centre and the airport itself, while taxis are also on hand, although more expensive. Currently, the Guilin Liangjiang International Airport is serving in excess of five million passengers each year, clearly indicating its size and importance in this area of China.

Car Rental

Those choosing to rent a car upon arrival in Guilin (complete with driver), or at the Liangjiang International Airport, will find a number of familiar international chains to choose between.

Several prominent expressways allow visitors with their very own set of wheels to travel outside of the city and province, to many surrounding places of interest.

Book your Guilin Car Rental here.

Buses and Coaches

Local buses and minibuses are always ideal for relatively short distances, with frequent buses transporting passengers to both Yangshuo (one hour) and also Xingan (two hours). Buses travel from directly outside the bus station on the Zhongshan Nanlu, as well as next to the nearby railway station. Some of the most popular destinations include Quanzhou (one hour), Liuzhou (two and a half hours), Nanning (four hours), Longsheng (three and a half hours) and Wuzhou (seven hours). There is also express bus transport and sleeper buses travelling to Guangzhou (eight hours) and Shenzhen (ten hours).

Trains

In general, rail transport within Guilin is not so extensive and easy to come by as that in nearby Nanning. Train connections are often infrequent, although if you plan ahead you will find services and long-distance sleepers, which travel from Guilin to Beijing (22 hours), Guangzhou (11 hours), Kunming (22 hours) and Shanghai (25 hours). Trains running to Chengdu and Chongqing will require a change at Guiyang.