Short answer
Lijiang has no metro, and since February 2026 it has no working tram either. The Yulong Snow Mountain sightseeing train, officially Lijiang Rail Transit Line 1, opened to passengers in February 2025 and suspended operations on 12 February 2026, with the operator citing very low ridership and continuing losses. No restart date has been announced. Plan as if it does not exist, and check the official channel before you travel.
What actually moves you: city buses, DiDi, metered taxis, and your own feet inside the Old Town. The useful numbered services are bus 101 to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain at ¥15 a person, and bus 6 plus the Baisha scenic line linking the city with Shuhe and Baisha. Everything else is a short, cheap road hop.
The geography makes this easy to plan: Lijiang Old Town (Dayan), Shuhe and Baisha sit in a line along the foot of the mountains, with Jade Dragon Snow Mountain beyond Baisha.
Modes at a glance
| Mode | Covers | Typical fare | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sightseeing train (Line 1) | Old town foothills to the snow mountain | Was ¥50 single, ¥80 return | Suspended from 12 February 2026, no resumption date published |
| City buses | New town, Old Town, Shuhe, Baisha | Around ¥2 local, ¥15 on the mountain express | Chinese-language signage and announcements |
| DiDi or taxi | Anywhere a road reaches | Metered | Drops at the gate, not at your guesthouse door |
| Walking | Inside all three old towns | Free | Cobbles, steps and no vehicles |
| Bike or e-scooter | Valley floor, Shuhe, Baisha | Shop-set daily rate | Riding is not practical on the Old Town's stone lanes |
The sightseeing train and its current status
The line is one of the more ambitious pieces of tourism infrastructure in Yunnan and it is currently switched off. It runs 20.7km along the southern foot of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain range, from the tourist service centre in the south to Ganhaizi and the Snow Mountain station in the north, with intermediate stops at Baisha, Yushuizhai and Dongbagou. Five stations, all at ground level, with a designed speed of 70km/h.
Construction began in 2020 and the opening slipped several times before services started in February 2025, at ¥50 one way and ¥80 return. Under a year later, on 12 February 2026, the operator suspended the line, reporting average daily passenger numbers below 500 and revenue far under its own forecasts. The suspension has continued since, with no published restart date.
Which bus goes where
Lijiang's bus network is unglamorous and it works. Fares are flat and low, and the mountain express is the one service worth learning before you arrive.
| Route | Where it goes | Fare | What to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| 101 Snow Mountain Express | Lijiang bus station, Zhongyi Market, Old Town north side, Heilongtan, Dongba Valley, Yulong Snow Mountain (Ganhaizi) | ¥15 a person; children under 1.2m free without a seat | Reported to run roughly 07:00 to 16:00 with frequent departures. This is the no-tour way to the mountain. |
| Bus 6 and the Baisha scenic line | City to Shuhe to Baisha | City bus fare | Connects the two smaller old towns to each other and to the city; change onto the tourist shuttles for the Old Town gates. |
| Tourist shuttles 115 and 116 | Old Town south gate and north gate | City bus fare | For the last hop into the pedestrian core, when a bus is closer than a taxi can legally go. |
| Local city routes | New town, railway station, guesthouse districts | Around ¥2 | Stop names are in Chinese. A map app with Chinese input does the work. |
Pay by scanning the QR code on the fare box with Alipay or WeChat Pay, or drop coins in. Drivers do not give change and do not sell tickets.
Between the old towns and the mountain
The three old towns are close together in a straight line, but the mountain road turns it into a longer run. Times below are estimates based on road distance and normal traffic, not published timetables.
| Journey | Best option | Time (approx.) | Rough cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Old Town (Dayan) to Shuhe | Bus 6 or DiDi | 15 to 25 minutes | Bus fare, or a short metered ride |
| Old Town to Baisha | Baisha scenic line, bus 6 with a change, or DiDi | 25 to 35 minutes | Bus fare, or a metered ride |
| Shuhe to Baisha | DiDi, or the same scenic line | 10 to 15 minutes | Bus fare, or a short metered ride |
| Old Town to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain | Bus 101 to Ganhaizi | 40 to 50 minutes | ¥15 a person |
| Snow mountain to Shuhe or Baisha on the way back | DiDi or a shared car | 30 to 40 minutes | Metered, or agree a price on the spot |
The mountain is not just a bus ride away, because the bus ends at Ganhaizi and the scenic area starts there. Entry, the cableway and the internal shuttle are separate bookings, and the cableway sells out in high season.
The Old Town is walk-only
Lijiang Old Town is a UNESCO site of cobbled lanes, bridges and canals, and no vehicles enter it. That single fact shapes the last part of every journey.
- Your driver stops at a gate. The north side near the water wheels and the south side are the usual drop-offs, and the walk from there to a guesthouse can be ten minutes through a maze of identical-looking alleys.
- Have the guesthouse send someone, or send a pin. Guesthouses handle this constantly and will meet you at the gate if you ask before arrival and share your arrival time.
- Keep the address in Chinese. An English guesthouse name is not usable by a driver.
DiDi and taxis
DiDi works normally in Lijiang and the app has an English interface, which removes most of the language problem. Fares are metered and short hops across the new town are inexpensive; longer runs out to the mountain or the airport add up quickly. Set the pickup point to the nearest gate or main road, because the app will not find a car inside the pedestrian zone.
Street taxis are metered and plentiful around the new town and the railway station, thinner late at night and in the old town lanes. Asking the guesthouse to call a car is faster than standing on a corner after dark.
Bikes, scooters and the valley floor
The land between the old towns is flat, the roads are quiet outside the main G-road, and a bicycle turns the Shuhe to Baisha stretch into an easy half-day. Shops in Shuhe, Baisha and the new town rent bicycles and electric scooters by the day. Check the brakes and ask how much battery range is included before paying, because the quoted range decides whether you get back without pushing.
Practical notes
- Altitude. Lijiang sits at roughly 2,400m. Walking uphill through the old town with a pack feels harder than the distance suggests, and the mountain goes far higher.
- Payment. Alipay or WeChat Pay with a foreign card bound and verified covers buses, DiDi and scooters. Keep a little cash for small stalls whose QR reader fails.
- Maps. Google Maps is unreliable in mainland China. Amap or Baidu Maps shows bus lines and stop names, which is the information bus stops themselves do not give in English.
- Timetables move. Bus routes and departure times are adjusted by season and by changes to the mountain ticketing system, so confirm the day before.
Frequently asked questions
Does Lijiang have a metro or tram?
No metro. Lijiang's only rail transit is the sightseeing line to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, and that has been suspended since 12 February 2026 with no announced restart date. Buses, DiDi and taxis cover the city and the villages.
Is the Lijiang sightseeing train running again?
As of the latest reports it is still suspended. The operator stopped services on 12 February 2026 citing low ridership and losses, and has not published a resumption date. Check the official channel, and plan around bus 101 in the meantime.
How do I get to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain without a tour?
Take the 101 Snow Mountain Express. It costs around ¥15 a person, leaves from the bus station and the Zhongyi Market side of the Old Town, and runs to Ganhaizi, reportedly from about 07:00 to 16:00. Scenic-area entry and the cableway are booked separately, and the cableway sells out in peak season, so book before the day.
Can a car reach my guesthouse inside Lijiang Old Town?
No. The Old Town is pedestrian only and drivers stop at a gate. Ask the guesthouse to meet you at the gate, or to send a location pin, and keep the address written in Chinese for the driver.
How do I get from Lijiang Old Town to Shuhe?
Bus 6 or a DiDi, roughly 15 to 25 minutes by road depending on traffic. Shuhe is smaller, quieter and cheaper than Dayan, and several visitors base themselves there instead.
Is DiDi available in Lijiang?
Yes, and the app has an English interface. Fares are metered. Set the pickup to a gate or a main road, because cars cannot enter the pedestrian lanes, and it is worth having DiDi as a backstop for early flights and late arrivals.
Can I cycle from the Old Town to Baisha?
Yes, and it is one of the better easy days in Lijiang. The valley floor is flat, hire shops in Shuhe, Baisha and the new town rent bikes and electric scooters by the day, and the roads are quiet once off the main highway. Check brakes and battery range before paying.
Related reading
The suspension of Lijiang Rail Transit Line 1 from 12 February 2026 and its launch fares of ¥50 single and ¥80 return follow the operator's suspension notice and subsequent Chinese news reporting, which agree on the date and the stated reasons. Route details for the 101 Snow Mountain Express and the connecting services to Shuhe, Baisha and the Old Town gates follow published Lijiang bus route information. Fares and timetables change by season, and road journey times here are estimates from distance and normal traffic rather than published timetables. Confirm all of it on the operator's official channel before you travel.