Kaili Transportation: How to Get to/around Kaili, Guizhou, China

Though you may feel unfamiliar with Kaili, It is usually a must-visit stopover city if you are heading to explore the colorful ethnic culture and villages in Guizhou, China. There are countless Miao Villages and Gejia Villages spreading the mountain areas of Kaili. Even Xijiang Miao Village, the largest Miao Village of Guizhou, is only 1 hour driving away.

How to get to Kaili? How to travel from Kaili downtown to the nearby ethnic villages? This Kaili Transportation Guide will help you solve the above problems, with very detailed information like Flights to Kaili and Trains to Kaili listed.

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How to Get to Kaili

Kaili is located in Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture in Guizhou Province of southeast China. It is the center of Qiandongnan region and about 125km (direct distance) east of Guiyang, the capital of Guizhou. Both flights and bullet trains are available to get to Kaili directly, because it has its own airport and high speed train station. However, not all the visitors prefer to travel direct to Kaili. Some visitors also choose to arrive at Guiyang first and then make a transfer to Kaili, because the capital city Guiyang has more frequent flights and bullet trains!

Flights to Kaili

When it comes to the airport in Kaili, it usually refers to Kaili Huangping Airport located between Kaili downtown and Zhenyuan Ancient Town. The airport is 70km and 1.5 hours around from Kaili downtown by car. It provides flight services between Kaili and Guilin, Hangzhou, Kunming, Jinan, etc.

Compared with the flight schedules of Guiyang, the flights to/from Kaili Huangping Airport are limited. Therefore, most of the tourists prefer flights to Guiyang more when they are planning trips to visit Kaili.

Huangping Airport: Huangping County, Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Guizhou (黄平机场,贵州省黔东南苗族侗族自治州黄平县)

Hot Guizhou Kaili Tour by Flight:

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Trains to Kaili

Kaili has two mainly-used train stations, including Kaili Railway Station and Kaili South Railway Station. They all located in Kaili downtown area. Kaili Railway Station offers normal K-trains between Kaili and Guiyang (2.5 hours around), Zhenyuan (1.5 hours around), etc. Kaili South Railway Station is a High Speed Railway Station offers bullet trains between Kaili and many tourist cities in Guizhou and other provinces of China. You can ride a bullet train to get there from Guiyang (0.5 hour), Tongren (1-1.5 hours), Kunming (2.5-3 hours), Changsha (2.5-3 hours), Chongqing (3 hours), Chengdu (4.5 hours), Beijing (10 hours), Shanghai (8.5-9 hours) and Wuhan (4.5 hours)…

Kaili South Railway Station: Jinhui Avenue, Kaili, Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Guizhou (凯里南站,贵州省黔东南苗族侗族自治州凯里市金汇大道)

Kaili Railway Station: No.237, Qingjiang Road, Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Guizhou (凯里站,黔东南苗族侗族自治州凯里市清江路237号)

Popular Real-time Kaili Train Schedules:

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Kaili Huangping Airport

Kaili Huangping Airport

Kaili Railway Station

Kaili Railway Station

Kaili South Railway Station

Kaili South Railway Station

How to Travel around Kaili

In Kaili downtown area, it is very easy to travel around by taxi and city bus. However, those taxis in downtown area cannot take you to the ethnic villages in the remote area. Therefore, if you are going to visit the villages hidden in the mountains, you are required to take a coach or private car. Private cars are more popular for visitors, because the coaches are not fixed and the road condition is not very good.

Kaili Private Car - Top Recommended

The most convenient way to make transfers from Kaili to the villages and from one village to another in the remote area is going with a licensed private car offered by travel agencies. And then you will no longer need to worry about finding the wrong coach station or missing the coach you are looking for! Your experienced local driver will take you from the airport/train station/hotel to the village directly. And the English- speaking guide will accompany you all the way so that you will get rid of the language barriers.

Such convenient private car service is included in all our Kaili Tours. If you are interested, just choose your best Kaili tour or customized a personal tour to go with us now!

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Kaili Taxi

The taxis in Kaili are mostly in green or green and white. During the day hours from 06:30 to 22:00, the meter starts running at CNY 6 for the first two kilometers, with CNY 2.1 added every kilometer thereafter. If you travel more than 5 kilometers, about CNY 2.5 instead of CNY 2.1 added every kilometer after the 5 kilometers. The price is little bit higher during the night hours from 22:00 to 6:30 of next day.

Taxi fee for your reference:

  • Kaili South Station to Kaili Minority Museum: CNY 40;
  • Kaili Airport to Kaili downtown: CNY200 and more.

Kaili Bus/Coach

In Kaili downtown area, you can also ride the Kaili city bus to travel around. At Kaili Huangping Airport, there is also airport buses provided from 9:30 to 17:30. By taking the airport bus, you can travel between the airport and downtown area in about 1.5 hours.

And if you have plans to visit the villages, you need to take the coach. Right next to Kaili South Railway Station, the bullet train station in Kaili, there is a small Tourist Center, where offers direct coach to Xijiang Miao Village. The coaches make departures every half an hour or one hour around. And the coach ride needs about 1 hour. Every day from 7:30am to 17:40pm, you can also find frequent coaches to visit the villages at Kaili Coach Station, which is about 17km northwest of the bullet train station. There are more coaches for you to choose at Kaili Coach Station than the Tourist Center. And the ticket is a little bit cheaper. You can just make your decision according to your tour plan and budget.

Note: the above bus info like the schedules may be changed according to real-time situation.

Kaili Private Car

Kaili Private Car

Kaili Taxi

Kaili Taxi

Kaili Bus

Kaili Bus

Kaili to Xijiang Miao Village

Xijiang Miao Village is about 30km and 1 hour southwest of Kaili downtown by car. Tourists can travel between the two places by private car (1 hour around) or coach (from 1.5 hours). Private cars are the hottest options.

By Private Car (Top Choice)

In the remote area of Kaili, there is a strong ethnic atmosphere, which is the reason why so many tourists from home and abroad feel crazy about Kaili. However, it is also the ethnic atmosphere that makes it is a hard work to go with the local coach/bus to get around, because seldom speak English and even Mandarin! Plus the poor road condition, it is also not wise choice to try the local coach, especially when you are travelling alone!

The best way to travel around Kaili is booking a private car service from an experienced travel agency. And then you will get not only vehicle support, but also helps from English-speaking driver and guide! All our Kaili Ethnic Village Tours include convenient private car service. You can check Kaili Tours to find tour best trip or customize your tour with your own interests!

Hot Kaili Ethnic Village Tour by Private Car:

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By Coach - Cheapest Choice but Time-consumption

Coach is still available for the travel. However, it is more recommended for independent travelers who have China Village Tours before or have very detailed knowledge of the remote area of Kaili. You can find the coaches at Kaili Coach Station or the small Tourist Center next to Kaili South Railway Station. The service time of Kaili Coach Station is usually from about 7:30am to 17:40pm. And for the Tourist Center, it normally provides service from 10:00 to 17:00.

Kaili Coach Station: No.25, Wenhua North Road, Kaili, Guizhou, China (凯里客运站,凯里市文化北路25号)

Kaili South Railway Station: Jinhui Avenue, Kaili, Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture, Guizhou (凯里南站,贵州省黔东南苗族侗族自治州凯里市金汇大道)

Note: the above bus info like the schedules may sometimes be changed according to real-time situation.

Xijiang Miao Village

Xijiang Miao Village

Xijiang Miao Village

Xijiang Miao Village

Guiyang to Kaili

Kaili is about 180km and 3 hours around east of Guiyang by car. Travelers usually have 3 ways from Guiyang to Kaili, including by high speed train (About 35 ~ 45 mins), car (About 2.5 hrs) and long distance bus (About 2.5 ~ 4 hrs).

By Private Car - Top Recommend & Most Worry-free

Kaili is mainly serving as a vital gateway to the nearby ethnic villages instead of a top tourist destination itself. Travelling to the villages from Guiyang with the help of private car is the most worry-free way, especially when you are travelling in group or with heavy luggage, because you can get to the villages directly. The car ride needs about 2.5~3.5 hours. If you need such car service, please feel free to contact us.

By High Speed Train - Best Way for Independent Travelers

Taking a high speed train is the best way to go from Guiyang downtown to Kaili downtown. There are frequent high speed trains for you to choose from 6:40~20:40 every day. Those trains depart from Guiyang East Railway Station or Guiyang North Railway Station and arrive at Kaili South Railway Station. The bullet train ride takes about 30~45 minutes.

From Kaili downtown, you are required to change to a coach or private car to the ethnic villages.

>> Real-time Guiyang to Kaili High Speed Train Schedule

>> Real-time Kaili to Guiyang High Speed Train Schedule

By Coach/Bus - Cheapest but Most Time-consuming

Riding a local coach or bus to visit the Kaili villages is, of course, the cheapest way. However, with the rapid development of high speed trains, the direct bus is very limited now. There is only one coach from Guiyang City New Stadium to Xijiang Miao Village directly. And its departure time is unfixed! Except for the direct coach, you can only take a coach to Kaili downtown first and then change to another coach to the villages. Considering the long time and uncomfortable experience of coach travel, seldom tourist chooses to go from Guiyang to Kaili ethnic villages by coach.

Check more about Guiyang to Kaili Transportation >>

Guiyang Airport

Guiyang Longdongbao Airport

Guiyang to Kaili Transportation

Guiyang to Kaili Transportation

Mount Fanjing to Kaili

Mount Fanjing, the sacred UNESCO World Heritage Epic Site in Guizhou with awe-spring Mountain View and profound Buddhist Culture, is about 224km northeast of Kaili. Driving from Kaili to Mount Fanjing takes about 3.5 hours. To get from Mount Fanjing to Kaili, you are suggested to go with a private car or high speed train.

>> Kaili to Fanjingshan Transportation

By Private Car - Best Choice

In about 3.5 hours, you can get to Kaili downtown or the Kaili villages from Mount Fanjing by car. It is the most convenient way, because there is no need for you to travel from Mount Fanjing to Tongren and from Kaili downtown to the villages.

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By High Speed Train - Fast but a Little Bit Tiring

High Speed Trains are available between Kaili and Tongren. Every day from 8:00 to 20:00, there are 4~5 bullet trains running between the two cities. In less than 1.5 hours, you can get from one side to another side with the help of the train, which is really a good choice.

The only problem is that there are still 70 kilometers around from Mount Fanjing to Tongren. You are required to look for a local coach or private car for help. Driving from Mount Fanjing Scenic Area to Tongren needs at least 1 hour. And after arriving at Kaili, you need to change to another coach/private car to visit the villages.

>> Real-time Tongren to Kaili High Speed Train Schedule

>> Real-time Kaili to Tongren High Speed Train Schedule

>> Tongren to Fanjingshan Transportation

Check more about Kaili to Fanjingshan >>

Fanjingshan

Temples on Mount Fanjing Summit

Fanjingshan

Tongren South Railway Station

Anshun Huangguoshu Waterfall to Kaili

Anshun and Kaili are located at the two sides of the capital Guiyang. It takes about 4 hours from Anshun Huangguoshu Waterfall to Kaili downtown by car. Normally, you are required to go through Guiyang in the middle way to travel the two cities, no matter you are travelling by car or by high speed train. Therefore, it is a more popular choice to add a short Guiyang tour into an Anshun Kaili tour instead of travelling the two cities only.

Anshun is well connected with Guiyang by high speed train (about half an hour). And from Guiyang, you can hop on another bullet train to Kaili downtown (half an hour around). If you are looking for the most hassle-free way, private cars are highly suggested!

Check more about Guiyang to Huangguoshu Waterfall >>

Check more about Guiyang to Kaili Transportation >>

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Anshun Huangguoshu Waterfall

Anshun Huangguoshu Waterfall

Guilin to Kaili

Guilin City has a driving distance for about 375km from Kaili, which needs about 4.5 hours by car. The two cities have no direct flight, train or bus. Tourists can take a long-distance coach (from 5 hours) or make a transfer at Guiyang to travel one side to another. The latter option is more popular and more recommended!

Guilin enjoys frequent bullet trains running to/from Guiyang. The time needed for a single way is about 2~3.5 hours. And from Guiyang, you can ride another high speed train to Kaili downtown or a private car to the ethnic villages.

Check more about Guilin to Kaili Transportation >>

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Li River in Guilin

Li River in Guilin

How to Plan a Kaili Tour

Kaili, though its name is not so famous among international travelers, is an important gateway to explore ethnic culture and villages with many primitive Miao villages surrounded. Travelers who are planning a trip to Guizhou Province, they would like to spend 2 or 3 days in and around Kaili City. The nearby highlights include Xijiang Miao Village, Upper Langde Miao Village, Matang Gejia Village, Qingman Miao Village, and more. If you have one more day, you can extend to Zhenyuan Ancient Town for further exploration.

Since Kaili is located in the east of Guizhou, between Guiyang City and Rongjiang/Congjiang. It is a good idea to extend your Kaili trip longer that you can add Guiyang, Congjiang, Rongjiang into your Guizhou Kaili trip. No matter you come from Guiyang or from Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, you won’t miss the most highlighted Miao and Dong ethnic villages in Southeast Guizhou.

>> 5 Days Guizhou Miao & Dong Minority Tour

For another part of travelers would like to do an overall Guizhou trip for more sightseeing in the hot destinations, they usually put Kaili in the middle of the trip and cover Huangguoshu Waterfall in Anshun City for one day, Mount Fanjing in Tongren City for one day... Just tell us your likes and interests, China Discovery is here ready to help customize your own Guizhou tour with best prices! Contact Us now.

>> 6 Days Diverse Guizhou Tour (Guiyang - Fanjingshan - Kaili)

Huangguoshu Waterfall Huangguoshu Waterfall Mount Fanjing Mount Fanjing

Travel Kaili & Guizhou with China Discovery

Feel trouble to explore so many Miao and Dong villages hidden in the remote mountains? Looking for the best suggestions of which villages to visit according to your interest and plan? Travel with China Discovery, and all your problems will be perfectly solved! You will get a customized itinerary from our professional Guizhou travel consultants! Our driver will escort you from the airport/train station/hotel to the Miao Villages or Dong Villages directly. And our local guide will accompany you all the way and introduce you the unique and interesting local ethnic culture and customs. You can just leave all your hassles aside and indulge in the colorful ethnic atmosphere!

The tour can be customized according to your group size, budget, plan and every special need of you. If you are interested, please feel free to contact us to customize your personal Guizhou Kaili tour!

Xijiang Miao Village Xijiang Miao Village

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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.

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