Diqing Transportation

Without a railway line, however, there is only a small regional airport within its boundaries, Shangri-La mainly relies on its roads as the main means of transportation. The Yunnan - Tibet Road, Sichuan-Tibet Road all pass through there, which really brings more convenience to the local land traffic. The railway from Lijiang to Shangri La is under construction. The railway will be finished from Lijiang to Lijiang in 2020.

How to Get to Diqing

 1. By Air

Diqing Shangri-La Airport (DIG) is located about four kilometers (2.49 miles) southeast of Shangri-La County and serves the airlines traveling to Kunming, Lhasa, Guangzhou, and Shanghai. After arriving at the airport, you can take a taxi to Shangri-La County.

 Note: If there is no direct airline between your starting point and Shangri-La, you can reach the Kunming Changshui International Airport first and then transfer to Shangri-La by long-distance bus or by air.

2. Long-distance Bus

In Shangri-La, the long-distance bus is the most important vehicle. Visitors can get to Shangri-La by long-distance bus from Kunming, Dali, Lijiang, and Panzhihua. Here is information on long-distance buses to Shangri-La.

1) Kunming - Shangri-La

2) Lijiang - Shangri-La

3) Dali - Shangri-La

4) Shangri-La - Deqin

5. Shangri-La - Napa Lake

6) Shangri-La - Bitahai Lake

How to Get Around Diqing

1. City-bus

In Diqing, city-buses are quite few. Apart from the several city-buses, there are some minibuses to the surrounding towns. In the tourism high season, the minibuses will open more routes to the surrounding attractions. Like the Bus No.3, it can take you to reach the Songzanlin Monastery.

Note: Sights of Shangri-La are distant from each other and the regular buses may change sometimes. Therefore, please acquire clearly at the bus station before departure, whether there are buses to your destinations and  the road condition.

 2. By Taxi

The taxis are in service for 24 hours, so it is convenient for visitors to go anywhere at any time.

3. Chartered Vehicle

You can hire a car to the surrounding attractions. But according to the law, the International Driving License or the foreign Driving License can not be used in China. So you should hire a local driver when you rent a car.

4. By Horse 

In many places, the most beautiful scenes of Diqing can not be admired without horses, especially the way to Bitahai Lake at an altitude of 4,000 meters (13,123 feet). Horses are provided by local Tibetans. Some attractions can not be reached by vehicles easily so it is easier to do on horseback.  For instance, Shangri-La is 32 kilometers (19.88 miles) from Bitahai Lake but the bus can only go as far as Shuangqiao. From there you can hire a horse or walk to the lake. The locals will teach you how to ride, so don't worry.