How to Get from Changsha to Fenghuang or from Fenghuang to Changsha

Fenghuang Ancient Town, praised as “the most beautiful ancient town in China”, with a history of over 400 years, is one of the best preserved traditional villages in China located in the western part of Hunan Province, about 330km from Changsha. Changsha, the capital of Hunan Province, is often used as a transit depot to Fenghuang Ancient Town and other highlights in Hunan Province such as Zhangjiajie, Hengshan and Shaoshan, etc.

For those who want to visit Changsha and also have a pleasant leisure break in ancient towns, can plan a tour combining Changsha and Fenghuang Ancient Town together for 4 - 5 days. Therefore, you may not only enjoy the picturesque scenery and the Miao minority culture in Fenghuang but also have a food, history and culture tour in the ancient “Star City” - Changsha. So how do visitors get from Changsha to Fenghuang? What’s the best way to travel to these two places? Check this useful transportation guide to plan your Changsha Fenghuang Tour in 2023.

Where are Changsha and Fenghuang Ancient Town?

Changsha is located on the eastern edge of Hunan Province while Fenghuang Ancient Town is located in the west of Hunan Province, bordering Guizhou Province (61 km from Tongren City and 123 km from its UNESCO World Heritage Site - Fanjingshan Mountain), which means Fenghuang is in the west of Changsha, about 330 km away. There are 3 ways to travel between Changsha and Fenghuang - by car, bus or train transfer.

Top Recommended Changsha Fenghuang Tour:

6 Days Zhangjiajie, Fenghuang and Changsha Tour

7 Days Hunan Discovery Tour from Changsha

Changsha Fenghuang Transportation Map

Changsha Fenghuang Transportation Map


How to Get from Changsha to Fenghuang | Fenghuang to Changsha

By the end of 2020, there is no direct train or flight between Changsha and Fenghuang. Therefore, the most common and comfortable way to get from Changsha to Fenghuang or Fenghuang to Changsha is by taking a private car. Independent travelers can choose to take coaches or train-bus transfers to travel from one destination to another.

Private Car with China Discovery (about 5~6 Hours) - Top Recommended

Fenghuang Ancient Town is about 454km driving distance from Changsha, takes about 5 hours by car. We offer Changsha city exploration with Fenghuang Ancient Town packages (some may also include 1-2 days Zhangjiajie tour in the itinerary) which includes the private car service with experienced driver, and private tour guide. That means you’ll enjoy a worry free trip from the beginning to the end of the tour. The driver will drive you to Fenghuang Ancient Town after your Changsha or Zhangjiajie tour. If you are interested in visiting Changsha, Fenghuang and Zhangjiajie in one go, please go to book 7 Days Hunan Discovery Tour from Changsha >>

Or if you are interested in other attractions in Hunan and China, the tour can also be tailor made according to your own preferences. Please feel free to contact us!

Changsha to Fenghuang | Fenghuang to Changsha by Car Fireworks on Orange Isle in Changsha

By Bus (5.5~6 Hours) - Cheapest Way Recommended for Independent Travelers

From To Distance Bus/Coach Length
Changzhutan Bus Station Fenghuang Bus Station 450 KM 2 runs a day from 10:00 - 13:30 About 5.5 hours
Changsha West Bus Station 436 KM 2 runs a day from 10:50 - 14:20 About 6 hours
Fenghuang Bus Station Changsha West Bus Station 460 KM 3 buses a day from 9:00 - 14:00 About 5.5 hours

(Note: The above information is for reference only. The real driving time and fees may vary based on the real situation.)

● Changzhutan Bus Station (长株潭汽车站)

Location & Detailed Address: No.33 Chezhanzhong Road, Furong District, Changsha (芙蓉区车站中路33号)

Transportation: about 30km from Changsha Huanghua International Airport, 10km from Changsha South Railway Station and 1.9 km from Changsha Railway Station.

● Changsha West Bus Station (长沙汽车西站)

Location & Detailed Address: No.53 Third Maple Road, Yuelu District, Changsha (岳麓区枫林三路53号)

Transportation: about 38km from Changsha Huanghua International Airport, 24km from Changsha South Railway Station and 12 km from Changsha Railway Station.

● Fenghuang Bus Station (凤凰总客运站)

Location & Detailed Address: No.1 Fenghuang North Road, Fenghuang Town, Xiangxi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture (凤凰北路1号)

Transportation: about 1 KM to Fenghuang Ancient Town.

Changsha to Fenghuang | Fenghuang to Changsha by Bus Changzhutan Bus Station
Fenghuang Bus Station Fenghuang Bus Station

By Train + Bus (8.5~9 Hours) - Not Recommended

There is no direct train from Changsha to Fenghuang at present. If you want to take a train, Jishou Railway Station is the nearest train station to Fenghuang Ancient Town. You can first transfer to Jishou (吉首) by normal train and then take a bus, car or taxi to Fenghuang Ancient Town. It is time-consuming and not recommended.

● Jishou Railway Station (吉首站)

Location & Detailed Address: No.1, North Renmin Street, Jishou City (吉首市人民北路1号)

Step 1: Changsha <-> Jishou by Train

There is only 1 normal train running between Changsha Railway Station (长沙站) and Jishou Railway Station (吉首站). The whole journey takes about 7-8 hours.

Changsha to Fenghuang | Fenghuang to Changsha by Train Jishou Railway Station
From To Time of Depature Length
Changsha Railway Station Jishou Railway Station Around 7:20 About 8 hours
Jishou Railway Station Changsha Railway Station Around 16:20 About 7.5 hours

(Notice: The above information is for reference only. The real length and departure time may vary based on the real situation.)

Step 2: Jishou -> Fenghuang by Car/Bus/Taxi

After arriving at Jishou, you should transfer to Jishou Passenger Terminal for the bus running to Fenghuang Ancient Town. Or you can also hire a car and taxi after getting off the train, the driving distance between Jishou Railway Station and Fenghuang Ancient Town is about 50km. It takes about 1-1.5 hours.

More related transportation information, please visit:

>> Zhangjiajie to Fenghuang | Fenghuang to Zhangjiajie Transportation

>> How to Get to & around Changsha | Changsha Transportation

>> How to Get to & around Zhangjiajie | Zhangjiajie Transportation

Fenghuang Ancient Town Stilted Building Group in Fenghuang

How to Plan a Changsha Fenghuang Tour?

Changsha and Fenghuang are on the two edge of Hunan province, with Zhangjiajie - the UNESCO World Natural Heritage in the middle. Usually, tourists would take 5-7 days to tour the top three destinations in Hunan together. You may spend 1-2 days to try Hunan food and explore the history of Changsha by visiting highlights like Yuelu Mountain, Orange Isle, Hunan Provincial Museum and Taiping Street, etc. Then take a car or a high-speed train to Zhangjiajie, visit Zhangjiajie National Park, Yuanjiajie, Tianzi Mountain... for 2-3 days. Then you can take a 1-2 day rest at the most beautiful ancient town in China - Fenghuang Ancient Town and meet Miao and Tujia Minority there.

6 Days Zhangjiajie, Fenghuang and Changsha Tour

7 Days Hunan Discovery Tour from Changsha

For those who still have time, energy and interested in minority culture, you are recommended to extend your tour to Guizhou province, the holy Mount Fanjing, the largest waterfalls - Huangguoshu Waterfall and ethnic neighbourhood Kaili are all waiting for you to explore!

3 Days Amazing Fanjingshan & Fenghuang Ancient Town Tour

9 Days Zhangjiajie, Fenghuang & Beautiful Guizhou Tour with Ethnic Culture

Zhangjiajie Zhangjiajie National Forest Park
Mount Fanjing Mount Fanjing

Travel Changsha & Fenghuang with China Discovery

To help you enjoy a worry-free trip to Changsha and Fenghuang, we highly recommend you travel with us China Discovery. Our local experienced drivers will escort you to the attractions with comfortable car directly with speed and safety. And our English-speaking tour guide will accompany you all the way, show you the best travelling route, share interesting stories, introduce all highlights, and give you warm insider tips of avoiding offending local custom taboos, so you can focus all your attention on the highlights. Our experienced travel expert will help arrange your accommodation and plan your trip sincerely. The tour can be tailor-made according to your interests, time, group size, budget and every special need. If you are interested, please feel free to contact us to customize your tour!

Recommended Changsha Fenghuang Tours

Top 3 Changsha Fenghuang tours chosen by most customers to explore Changsha Fenghuang in the best way. Check the detailed itinerary, or tailor your own trip now with us.

Zhangjiajie National Forest Park
7 Days Hunan Discovery Tour from Changsha

Changsha / Shaoshan / Zhangjiajie / Fenghuang / Zhangjiajie

Orange Beach
6 Days Zhangjiajie, Fenghuang and Changsha Tour

Zhangjiajie / Fenghuang / Changsha

Mrs.Tracey's Group from USA - Fenghuang Ancient Town
3 Days Amazing Fanjingshan & Fenghuang Ancient Town Tour

Tongren / Fanjingshan / Fenghuang / Tongren

Start planning your tailor-made holiday to China by contacting one of our specialists. Once inquired, you’ll get a response within 0.5~23.5 hours.

Customize a Trip

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