Daocheng County Transportation

Daocheng County is located on the southwest edge of Sichuan Province and in the south of Garze Prefecture. Located in the southeast of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and to the east of Hengduan Mountains, Garze Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture belongs to Kangba Tibetan area. There is no railway in Daocheng county, so tourists can only take plane or bus to Daocheng. The quickest way to get to Daocheng is by taking flight to Daocheng Yading Airport, then by local vehicle to Daocheng County. Daocheng County (Garzê) Transportation Guide serves you detailed transport information and introduces fights to Daocheng County, Daocheng County Cycling, Daocheng County buses, Daocheng County Bus Stations, Daocheng County taxis and ways of getting in and around Daocheng County.

How to Get to Daocheng County

By Air

Daocheng Yading airport is located in Haizi mountain, Sangdui Township, the north of Daocheng County, with an altitude of 4411 meters, which is the highest civil airport in the world. Daocheng Yading airport is about 50km away from the county seat and was officially opened on September 16, 2013. It opens air routes to Chengdu, Chongqing, LijiangGuiyangKunmingXianMianyang, etc. 

Airport Transfer

Shuttle Bus

The shuttle bus from Yading airport to Daocheng County depart at the gate of the airport when the bus is full after the flight landing, the whole journey takes about one hour. The bus from Daocheng County to the airport departs at 06:00 am at the gate of Airport Hotel(Xiangyun Airport).

The departure time of the bus from Daocheng County to Shangri-La Town is 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. at the gate of the airport hotel of the county. The whole journey is expected to be 2 hours. The bus from Shangri-La town to Daocheng county departs from the gate of Shangri-La Airport Hotel at 5pm.

If you have any doubts about the bus information of Daocheng airport, you can also directly call 0836-5722066/5723888.

Taxi

Besides shuttle bus, tourists can also take the taxi to and from the airport. There are taxis at the gate of Daocheng airport. It is 122 kilometers from Daocheng airport to Riwa township. You can take a taxi directly to Riwa township and get to the gate of Yading Nature Reserve. You need to take the scenic bus to enter Yading town.

What's more, tourists can also take the flights to Kangding, and then transfer to Daocheng county by bus. 

By Bus

At present, there are shuttle buses to Daocheng Bus Station from Chengdu, Ya 'an, Kangding and Shangri-La in Yunnan. The bus from Chengdu to Daocheng has two methods: direct bus and transfer bus to Kangding.

1. Chengdu-Daocheng

At present, the Xinnanmen bus station in Chengdu has a direct bus to Daocheng, which starts at 10:00 a.m. every day on time for 2 days, with a total travel time of about 22 hours. The first day of the trip will take about 8 hours to arrive at Kangding. Tourists will arrange their own accommodation in Kangding. On the second day, it took about 14 hours to drive, starting from Kangding at 6:00 in the morning, stopping at Yajiang for dinner, and arriving at Daocheng County bus station at around 17: 00-19: 00.

2. Chengdu-Kangding-Daocheng

Chengdu-Kangding: There are various types of medium-high air-conditioned buses, which run every hour from 7: 10 to 14: 30. Fares range from 105 yuan to 117 yuan and 127 yuan.

Kangding-Daocheng: Kangding bus station has a shuttle bus to Daocheng at 6:00 every morning, sometimes one bus and sometimes two buses leave at the same time. The ticket price is 133 yuan. Kangding-Daocheng bus is relatively hard to buy and passengers needs to queue up around 6:00 in the morning to buy.

3. Shangri-La-Daocheng

There is a shuttle bus every day. It takes 11 hours for 200km and leaves at 7:30 in the morning. The fare is 109 yuan. On the way, there was a section of pass that had to cross, which was mud road with poor road conditions.

  • Daocheng Bus Station(稻城客运站)
    Add: Echuhe Road, Daocheng County, Near Xibo Hotel(稻城县俄初河路喜波大酒店旁)
    Tel: 0836-5728762

Tips:

  • Due to seasonal influences, especially the dangerous road conditions caused by snow in winter, buses from Chengdu Xinnanmen Bus Station to Daocheng sometimes will stop. Please make sure to call or log on the website of the Xinnanmen Bus Station to confirm the departure time before you go.
  • The passenger transport from Daocheng to Shangri-La starts from Shangri-La in Yunnan. During the "May 1st" and "October 1st" periods, there are overtime buses to and from Daocheng to Shangri-La according to the number of customers.

How to Get Around Daocheng

By Bicycle

The most convenient way to visit Daocheng is by bicycle. The scenic spots such as Bang River and Sela Scenic Resort, Red Grassland, Rubuchaka Hot Springs are all near Daocheng County (within 3km), which is very convenient for cycling. If conditions permit, you can take a car to Sangdui Town, and then rent a car back to Daocheng (20km), because the road is downhill, the scenery is very good, which generally takes only 1-2 hours.

It is also very cheap to rent a car in Daocheng, which can be provided in youth hostels or some hotels.

By Sightseeing Bus

Vehicles outside are not allowed to enter Yading Nature Reserve and tourists can only take sightseeing bus to enter. There are several sections of the sightseeing bus line currently in operation.

  • Riwa Township-Longtongba in Yading Scenic Area
    This route is the most important route in Yading scenic area, which is sold in combination with tickets to the scenic area. Cost: 120 yuan/person (round trip)
    Sightseeing tickets are only used once, and only preferential service is provided for sightseeing bus every other day: 80 yuan/person (round trip);
    The actual service time and the departure frequency will be slightly adjusted according to the number of tourists. For details, please contact 0836-5721659.
  • Shangri-La Town (Riwa Township)-Longtongba in Yading Scenic Area
    Departure time: 7:00, pickup time: 17:00, Bus interval: 30 minutes;
  • Longtongba in Yading Scenic Area-Shangri-Shangri-La Town (Riwa Township)
    Departure time: 9:30, pickup time: 18:00, Bus interval: 30 minutes;
  • Longtongba-Chonggu Temple
    Up run: 30 yuan, down run: 20 yuan, Longtongba-Chonggu Temple is about 3km, 10 minutes one way by bus and about one hour on foot.
  • Chonggu Temple-Luorong Cattle Farm
    It takes 20 minutes one way(7km) and about 3 hours on foot. Round trip ticket is 80 yuan and one way is 50 yuan. It is suggested that tourists who want to go to Milk Sea and Five Colors Sea must keep their physical strength and take a sightseeing car. 

By Taxi

Daocheng taxi starts at 5 yuan and it charges 5 Yuan within the county seat. When you go out the county, talk with the driver about the fare. Most of the cars are Jettas. The car condition is quite poor.