Short answer
Huangshan Tunxi International Airport (TXN) is 5 to 6km from the centre of Tunxi, which is 15 to 20 minutes by road. The airport shuttle bus costs ¥5 per person and drops near the old street; a taxi runs ¥20-40 depending on where you stop and whether the driver uses the meter. City buses 18 and 19 connect the airport with the centre roughly every 20 minutes between about 07:00 and 17:30.
For the mountain, the airport is a poor starting point. Tangkou, the south gate town, is around 65km away and roughly an hour by road, and no airport shuttle serves the scenic area. Taxis on that run quote rather than meter, commonly around ¥200.
The better plan for Tangkou is a double hop: get into Tunxi, then take the coach from the Huangshan long-distance bus station for ¥17-20 and one to one and a half hours. If your travel dates are flexible, the smoothest arrival is not this airport at all. Trains into Huangshan North Station have a direct shuttle to the south gate, running roughly every 10 to 30 minutes from 07:00 to 20:00.
Where the airport actually is
Tunxi Airport sits inside Tunxi District, the southern half of Huangshan City, on the same side of town as the old street and the long-distance bus station. That is the good news. The bad news is that the city and the mountain are two different places 65km apart.
Huangshan North Station, the high-speed rail hub, is on the other side of the urban area, with the bus station forecourt on its west side. The scenic area south gate is at Tangkou, at the end of a road that climbs into the foothills. Nothing at this airport is set up to move people straight onto the mountain.
| Destination | Best option | Time | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tunxi Old Street | Airport shuttle bus | Around 15-20 min | ¥5 per person |
| Tunxi Old Street | Taxi or DiDi | About 15 min | ¥20-40 |
| Tunxi city centre | City bus 18 or 19 | 30-50 min with stops | Cheapest option, small change or QR |
| Huangshan long-distance bus station | Taxi or DiDi | 15-20 min | Around ¥20-30 |
| Huangshan North Station | No direct shuttle. Taxi or DiDi, or bus into town then bus 21 or 32 | 30-45 min by road | Taxi fare plus ¥2 if you use the bus |
| Tangkou, south gate | Taxi or DiDi, quoted not metered | About 1 hour | Commonly quoted around ¥200 |
| Tangkou, south gate | City bus or taxi to the long-distance station, then the scenic-area coach | 2-2.5 hours in total | ¥20-30 plus ¥17-20 |
The airport shuttle bus
The shuttle is a small bus rather than a coach, timed around flight arrivals and terminating in the old street area, within a few minutes' walk of the Tunxi Old Street west entrance. At ¥5 a head it is the cheapest way into the city by a wide margin, and on a short city hop the wait is usually shorter than queueing for a taxi.
Two things to check before counting on it. It runs to the flight schedule rather than a fixed clock, so a late arrival or a quiet season can leave you standing, and drivers occasionally park up and shout for passengers rather than waiting at a marked bay.
¥7, so a hop of 6km has no business costing ¥50. Use DiDi if you have the app, and if you are taking a taxi at night, agree the number before the bags go in.
City buses 18 and 19
Two city routes serve the airport, running between the centre and the airport's old terminal building every 20 minutes or so from about 07:00 to 17:30. They take 30 to 50 minutes depending on traffic and stop frequently, which makes them a reasonable choice for a daytime arrival with one small bag and a poor choice for anything else.
These routes serve the old terminal, a short walk from the current one. Fares are low and usually paid by scanning a QR code in Alipay or WeChat, with coins as backup. Set up a wallet before flying, since change is not something bus drivers carry.
Getting to the mountain: the two-hop route
If the plan is to sleep at Tangkou and start up the mountain the next morning, the airport is not where you want to begin. The cheapest and most reliable version of this journey is to get into Tunxi first and switch onto the coach.
- Airport to TunxiShuttle bus
¥5or taxi¥20-40, 15 to 20 minutes. Ask for the old street or the long-distance bus station, whichever comes first. - Buy a Tangkou ticketAt the Huangshan long-distance bus station, coaches to the scenic area run through the day for
¥17-20, and the trip takes one to one and a half hours. - Arrive at TangkouThe coach sets down near the Zhaixi transfer centre, where the park shuttle takes over. The new national line station in Zhaixi, phone
0559-5572618, opens about 05:00 and closes around 18:00. - Or go straight to the summit sideFrom the transfer centre the park shuttle runs to Yungu Temple or Ciguang Pavilion for
¥19one way, then the cable car for¥80or¥90.
The alternative is a taxi for the whole 65km, quoted rather than metered. For two or more with luggage it can be worth the money, especially arriving after dark.
Arriving by train instead
Most visitors to Huangshan do not fly in at all. There are no direct long-haul flights from Europe, North America or Australia, so the practical route runs through Shanghai or Hangzhou and then by high-speed rail. From Huangshan North Station the tourist shuttle to Tangkou leaves roughly every 10 to 30 minutes between 07:00 and 20:00 and costs ¥30 for the 45 to 60 minute run. Taxis make the same trip for ¥130-160.
| From Huangshan North Station | To | Fare | Duration | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tourist shuttle | Tangkou, south gate | ¥30 | 45-60 min | Every 10-30 min, roughly 07:00-20:00 |
| Tourist shuttle | Yungu Temple or Ciguang Pavilion | Around ¥28-33 | About 1.5 hours | A few departures a day |
| City bus 21 or 32 | Tunxi Old Street | ¥2 | 30-40 min | Frequent through the day |
| Tourist shuttle | Hongcun village | ¥30 | 1h 10-1h 30 | Roughly hourly, morning to mid-afternoon |
| Taxi or DiDi | Tangkou, south gate | ¥130-160 | About 50 min | On demand |
Bus 21 and 32 are the link between the station and the old street, dropping you at the west entrance. Tickets for both the shuttle and the park transfer can be bought in advance through the Huangshan Tourism official platform mini programme, or at the counter.
If you are staying in Tunxi first
A night in Tunxi before the mountain is the standard plan and a good one. Tunxi Old Street is free to walk, runs a few hundred metres along the Xin'an River, and fills up after dark when the lanterns come on. Liyang Old Street, across the river, is quieter and has better food. The airport shuttle terminates within walking distance of the first, and a taxi to either is cheap.
Frequently asked questions
How far is Huangshan Tunxi Airport from the city centre?
Five to six kilometres, 15 to 20 minutes by road. The airport is inside Tunxi District, on the same side of the city as the old street and the long-distance bus station. The mountain is a different matter: Tangkou is around 65km away and about an hour by road.
Is there an airport bus to the scenic area?
No. The airport shuttle only runs into the city centre, and there is no direct service to Tangkou. Go into Tunxi first, then take the scenic-area coach from the long-distance bus station for ¥17-20, or hire a car for the whole run at a quoted price of around ¥200.
How much is a taxi from the airport to Tunxi Old Street?
Usually ¥20-40 in a metered car, about 15 minutes. Drivers at the airport frequently quote a flat fare instead of using the meter, and the quote can be two or three times the metered rate. DiDi works if you have the app set up.
Is there a bus from the airport to Huangshan North Station?
Not a dedicated one. The station and the airport are on opposite sides of the urban area. Take a taxi or DiDi for the whole run, or a city bus into the centre and then bus 21 or 32 out to the station. Allow 30 to 45 minutes by road.
What is the cheapest way from the airport to the mountain?
The airport shuttle into Tunxi at ¥5, then the scenic-area coach from the long-distance bus station at ¥17-20. Under ¥30 in total, but the two hops plus waiting time add up to two to two and a half hours. A direct taxi is around ¥200 and takes an hour.
Do I need cash at the airport?
Not really. Alipay and WeChat Pay are accepted on the shuttle bus and in the terminal, and taxis take QR payments. Cash still works, but change is often the problem. Set up a wallet with a foreign card and complete passport verification before flying.
Should I fly into Huangshan or take the train from Shanghai?
The train, unless a domestic connection lines up neatly. There are no direct flights from Europe, North America or Australia. Shanghai Hongqiao to Huangshan North takes 2.5 to 3 hours, and the station has a shuttle to the south gate every 10 to 30 minutes from 07:00 to 20:00.
Can I store luggage before going up the mountain?
Huangshan North Station and the Tangkou transfer centre both have left-luggage counters. The airport terminal is small and storage there is not something to rely on.
Related reading
Airport-to-city distances, shuttle and city-bus times and taxi bands follow local transport listings and airport guidance for Huangshan Tunxi International Airport and are quoted as approximate. Shuttle departure windows and fares for Huangshan North Station to Tangkou follow the published tourist bus list and the operator's timetables, which change with the season and with public holidays. Hotel pickups, taxi quotes and scenic-area transfer prices vary on the day. Confirm the current schedule at the station window, in the Huangshan Tourism official platform mini programme, or with your hotel before travelling.