Short answer
Almost everyone arrives by high-speed train at Huangshan North Station (黄山北站). From Shanghai Hongqiao the trip is 2.5 to 3 hours, from Hangzhou East about 1.5 hours, from Nanjing around 2 hours. Second class seats on the Shanghai leg run roughly ¥180-210. The station is not at the mountain, it sits about 45km away in Huangshan City.
From Huangshan North, a tourist shuttle bus goes to Tangkou, the town at the south gate, every 20 to 30 minutes from around 07:00 to 19:00. It costs ¥30 and takes 45 to 60 minutes. A metered taxi is ¥130-160 and takes around 50 minutes. Both drop you near the scenic area transfer centre, where a separate shuttle takes you to the cable car stations for ¥19.
Tunxi Airport (TXN) is small and mostly domestic. It sits 7km from Tunxi town centre, which is 15 minutes by taxi, and roughly an hour from Tangkou by road. Direct flights from Europe or North America do not exist, so the airport works best if you are already flying inside China or from Seoul, Taipei or Kuala Lumpur.
The three gateways, and which one you want
| Arrival point | Where it is | To Tangkou (south gate) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huangshan North Station | Huangshan City, north of Tunxi | Shuttle ¥30, 45-60 min | Most visitors, from Shanghai, Hangzhou, Nanjing |
| Tunxi Airport (TXN) | Tunxi District, 7km from the old street | Roughly 1 hour by road | Domestic flights, Seoul, Taipei, Kuala Lumpur |
| Tunxi town centre | Huangshan City, where the old street is | Bus ¥20-30, about 1 hour | A night before or after the mountain |
| Tangkou (汤口) | At the south gate, 1,000m up | You are there | Sleeping at the base before an early climb |
The south gate at Tangkou is the entrance most people use, and it feeds both the Yuping and Yungu cable cars. There is also a north gate at Taiping Town and a west gate for hiking. Both are a long way from everything else if your train arrives at the wrong end of the day.
By high-speed train
Huangshan North opened in 2015 on the Hangzhou to Huangshan line, often called the most scenic high-speed route in the country. It runs past Qiandao Lake, through Jixi and Shexian, with tea terraces on the last stretch.
| From | Fastest | Typical | Second class, approx. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hangzhou East | 1h 15m | 1.5-2.5 hours | ¥115-130 |
| Shanghai Hongqiao | 2h 30m | 2.5-3 hours | ¥180-210 |
| Nanjing South | Around 2 hours | 2-3 hours | ¥130-160 |
| Suzhou | Around 2.5 hours | 2.5-3.5 hours | ¥160-200 |
| Beijing | Direct service exists | Most of a day | Check the timetable |
| Guangzhou / Shenzhen | Direct service exists | Long haul | Check the timetable |
Fares vary by train type and booking lead time. G trains are faster and dearer, D and C trains cheaper and slower. Around 70 trains a day leave Shanghai for Huangshan, though the popular morning departures fill first. Check which Shanghai station your train uses: Hongqiao is the main one on the metro, while Shanghai South and Shanghai Station add time to the journey.
From Huangshan North to the mountain
The bus station is on the west side of the station forecourt, a five-minute walk from the arrivals exit. Look for the sign for the Huangshan Tourist Transport Centre.
| Service | Destination | Fare | Duration | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tourist shuttle | Tangkou / south gate | ¥30 | 45-60 min | Every 20-30 min, roughly 07:00-19:00 |
| Direct bus to cable car | Yungu Temple (back mountain) | Around ¥28 | About 1.5 hours | A few departures a day |
| Direct bus to cable car | Ciguang Pavilion (front mountain) | Around ¥28 | About 1.5 hours | A few departures a day |
| Bus to Hongcun | Hongcun village | ¥30 | 1h 20m | Roughly hourly, morning to mid-afternoon |
| Taxi or DiDi | Tangkou | ¥130-160 | About 50 min | On demand |
The last shuttle leaves in the early evening, so a train arriving after 19:00 means a taxi or a night in Tunxi. Timetables shift with the season, and the departure list is posted at the bus station window rather than online in English.
By plane: Tunxi Airport
Huangshan Tunxi International Airport (TXN) has one runway and a small terminal. It serves domestic routes including Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Xi'an, Xiamen, Chongqing, Chengdu, Dalian, Sanya, Harbin, Shenyang, Qingdao and Tianjin, plus a short list of international and regional services such as Seoul, Busan, Taipei, Kuala Lumpur and Hanoi. Routes come and go with the season, so confirm with the airline.
- To Tunxi town centre: 7km, about 15 minutes by taxi, roughly
¥30-40. City buses run to the bus station and take around 50 minutes with stops. - To Tangkou and the south gate: roughly one hour by road. A taxi is the practical option and costs several hundred yuan. There is no convenient direct airport bus to the scenic area.
- Worth knowing: most travellers land in Hangzhou or Shanghai and take the train instead. The airport is useful mainly when a domestic connection lines up.
For the wider picture on arriving in China and transferring between airports and stations, see China airport transfers.
By long-distance bus
Direct coaches run to Tangkou from Shanghai, Hangzhou, Nanjing and Suzhou. They cost less than the train and take far longer, so they only make sense if you are already near a bus terminal or the trains are sold out.
The last mile: Tangkou to the cable cars
Private cars cannot drive up the mountain. Everything funnels through the scenic area transfer centre in Tangkou, sometimes called the Zhaixi transfer centre, where you switch to the official shuttle.
- Buy or show your entry ticket
¥190in peak season (March to November) and¥150in winter. Booked by real name in advance through the official Huangshan Tourism WeChat mini-program, and valid for three days from first entry. - Ride the transfer shuttle
¥19one way,¥38return, to either the Yungu Temple station (back mountain) or Ciguang Pavilion (front mountain). Buses run from around 06:30 every 15 to 20 minutes. - Take a cable car or start walkingYungu
¥80, Yuping¥90, Taiping¥80, and the West Sea Grand Canyon rail¥100. Winter prices drop to¥65-80. - Watch the clock on the way downLast cable car departures are around 17:00 to 17:40 depending on the season and the day. Once they stop, the only way off is on foot, in the dark.
Practical notes
- Arriving the night before beats arriving the morning of. A night in Tangkou puts you at the transfer centre for the first shuttle instead of adding a 90-minute road transfer to your climbing day.
- Cash is close to useless. Set up Alipay or WeChat Pay with a foreign card before you travel, since bus windows and ticket machines assume phone payment. See paying in China.
- Luggage storage exists at both ends. The transfer centre in Tangkou and the cable car stations have left-luggage counters.
- English signage thins out fast. Station signs are bilingual, bus windows and ticket counters are not. Screenshot the characters for Tangkou (汤口) and Yungu Temple (云谷寺) before you set off.
Frequently asked questions
What is the closest station to Yellow Mountain?
Huangshan North Station (黄山北站) is the high-speed rail station and the one you want. It is about 45km from the south gate at Tangkou, 45 to 60 minutes by shuttle bus. Do not confuse it with Huangshan Station, the older conventional-rail station in Tunxi, which is further from the mountain.
How long is the train from Shanghai to Huangshan?
Between 2 hours 30 minutes and about 3 hours on the fastest services from Shanghai Hongqiao, with second class seats around ¥180-210. Slower departures from Shanghai Station or Shanghai South take 3 to 4 hours.
Is there an airport at Huangshan?
Yes, Tunxi International Airport (TXN). It handles domestic flights plus a small number of international and regional routes such as Seoul, Taipei and Kuala Lumpur. There are no direct flights from Europe, North America or Australia, so most long-haul visitors fly into Shanghai or Hangzhou and take the train.
How do I get from Huangshan North Station to the mountain?
Take the tourist shuttle from the transport centre on the west side of the station forecourt. It costs ¥30, takes 45 to 60 minutes, and runs every 20 to 30 minutes from around 07:00 to 19:00. Taxis to Tangkou are ¥130-160 and take about 50 minutes.
Can I drive to the summit?
No. Private vehicles are not allowed inside the scenic area. Cars stop at Tangkou, and everyone continues by the official shuttle to the cable car stations or trailheads.
Do I need to book the scenic area ticket in advance?
Yes. Tickets are sold by real name through the official Huangshan Tourism platform, and on-site walk-up sales are no longer the norm. Book three to seven days ahead normally and several weeks ahead for April, May, September, October and public holidays.
What is the last bus from Tangkou back to Huangshan North Station?
Return shuttles run into the evening, with final departures around 19:00 to 20:00 in high season. Outside peak dates the last bus can be earlier. Confirm the current list at the Tangkou bus station when you arrive.
Should I go to the north gate instead?
Only if you are coming from the north, for example from Hefei or Taiping Lake, or you specifically want the Taiping cable car and the quieter western side. The north gate has far fewer services, fewer hotels and no high-speed station next to it.
Related reading
Journey times, fares and departure windows are compiled from rail and local transport sources current as of September 2026. Shuttle frequencies change with the season and with Chinese public holidays. Confirm the current schedule on the official Huangshan Tourism platform or at the station ticket window before you travel.