How to Get to & around Zoige | Zoige Transportation Guide

Zoige (Ruoergai) County is known as the "oasis in the Northwest Sichuan Plateau" and "the most beautiful alpine wetland prairie in China". It is a place rich in natural resources such as Zoige Grassland, First Bend of Yellow River and Huahu Lake. People going there can also appreciate the Tibetan Buddhist culture in Langmusi.

Zoige County itself has no airport or train stations. People can fly to nearby airport in Jiuzhai or Hongyuan and then take a car there. Or you can get to Zoige by road. Here is more specific information about how to get to and around Zoige for your reference.

Where is Zoige

Zoige is a county in Ngawa Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan (四川省阿坝藏族羌族自治州若尔盖县), on the rim of northeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. It is about 490km (8 hours’ drive) to the north of Chengdu and borders on Aba County, Jiuzhaigou County, Hongyuan County, Songpan County in Sichuan and adjoins Gansu Province.

Zoige Location Map

How to Get to Zoige

Get to Zoige by Flight - Via Jiuzhai, Hongyuan or Xiahe

There is no airport in Zoige County. You can fly to nearby Jiuzhai Huanglong Airport, Aba Hongyuan Airport in Sichuan, or Gannan Xiahe Airport in Gansu and then charter a car to Zoige (bus is not recommended because the schedule is not fixed and it is not always available).

Jiuzhai Huanglong Airport 九寨黄龙机场
Connected cities: Chengdu, Beijing
Distance to Zoige: about 160km, 2.5 hours by car.

Aba Hongyuan Airport 阿坝红原机场
Connected cities: Chengdu, Lhasa
Distance to Zoige: about 180km, 3 hours by car.

Gannan Xiahe Airport 甘南夏河机场
Connected cities: Chengdu, Lhasa, Xian, Yinchuan
Distance to Zoige: about 210km, 3.5 hours by car.

Get to Zoige by Flight

Get to Zoige by Train - Not Available

At present, there is no train running through Zoige. But the Sichuan section of Xining-Chengdu Railway has started construction on March 5th, 2020. When it is completed, it will link Zoige with Chengdu, Songpan, Xiahe, Xining, etc. and it will be much more convenient for travelers to get to Zoige from Sichuan, Gansu and Ningxia provinces. The train is designed to run at a speed of 200km/h, which means you can get to Zoige by train from Chengdu in about 2.5h.

Get to Zoige by Road - Long Trip with Nice Scenery

Zoige Passenger Transportation Center operates buses between Zoige and about 14 destinations such as Chengdu, Tangke, Hongyuan, Songpan and Langmusi. But there are only 1-2 buses a day from these places to Zoige and they usually depart early in the morning before 8:00am.

A more chosen way to get to Zoige by road is charter a car or find a reliable travel agency that covers driver, car, guide, ticket, etc. A Zoige road trip usually starts from Chengdu (about 490km, 8h by car, pass Dujiangyan, Wenchuan and Jiuzhaigou) or Lanzhou (about 470km, 7.5h by car, pass Xiahe, Langmusi and Huahu Lake). The scenery on the way will be worthy of the time and effort. And the road is mostly in good condition except for the mountainous area where there will be some curves. Special attention should be paid to on rainy and snowy days.

Get to Zoige from Chengdu

Chengdu is chosen by most people as a transfer city to Zoige. As mentioned above, you can get to Zoige from Chengdu by car, bus, or a combination of flight and car.

Option 1: by car
It will need about 8h to charter a car from Chengdu to Zoige.

Option 2: by bus
You can take a bus from Chengdu Chadianzi Bus Station (茶店子客运站) to Zoige. There is only 1-2 buses a day and it will need about 10h.

Option 3: flight + car
From Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport, you can fly to Jiuzhai Huanglong Airport (about 1h) or Hongyuan Airport (about 70min), and then charter a car there, which will need about 2.5h from Jiuzhai and 3h from Hongyuan.

How to Get around Zoige

The most convenient way to get around Zoige is by car, as public transportation is limited here and the major attractions scatter in the north and southwest areas. Traveling by car will give you more flexibility and save you much time.

Zoige County to Main Attractions

To	Distance	Driving Time
Zoige Grassland	About 66km	About 70min
Huahu Lake	About 51km	About 50min
First Bend of the Yellow River	About 80km	About 1.5h
Langmusi Town	About 87km	About 1.5h

Zoige Attractions Map

Worry-free Zoige Transfer with China Discovery

If you don’t want to bother about the troublesome transfer, you can travel with us China Discovery. We will pick you up at the airport, train station or bus station and escort you to your hotel or any destination you want to go with comfortable vehicle, skillful driver and professional guide. The itinerary can be customized and all the matters such as transportation, meal, accommodation and ticket will be taken care of, all you need to do is enjoy your trip! >>Contact us now

★ Recommended Zoige Tour:

√ 5 Days Jiuzhaigou Ruoergai Superb Scenery Tour

√ 6 Days Hongyuan & Ruoergai Photography Tour

Private Transfer with China Discovery

How to Plan a Zoige Trip

Usually, you need at least 2-3 days to explore the highlights of Zoige including the arrival and departure time from Chengdu. Most travelers will choose to drive from Chengdu to Dagu Glacier or take a flight to Hongyuan Airport /Jiuzhaigou Airport and then drive to Zoige.

On the way you can pay a visit to the fairyland Jiuzhaigou Valley and Huanglong National Park, then in Zoige to enjoy the beautiful wetland scenery in Zoige Grassland and Huahu Lake. If you are interested in Tibetan Buddhist culture, Langmusi is worth a go.

★ Recommended Jiuzhaigou Tours:

√ 3 Days Classic Jiuzhaigou Tour (Flight Arrival)

√ 4 Days Jiuzhaigou In-depth Tour (Spending 2 Days in Jiuzhaigou Valley)

If you have more time and want to find more about Sichuan, you can try a panda volunteer program, hike on Mount Emei and admire the eye-opening Lehsan Giant Buddha.

★ Recommended Tours Covering Jiuzhaigou & Zoige:

√ 7 Days Jiuzhaigou Ruoergai Prairie Langmu Temple Tour

√ 8 Days Qinghai Gansu Jiuzhaigou Land Tour

√ 12 Days Jiuzhaigou Fairyland & Silk Road Overlanding Exploration Tour

If you have more questions about a Zoige trip, please feel free to contact us. We are specialized in customized tours according to your interests, budget, traveling time, etc. Just tell us your needs, and we will provided you with a satisfactory tour.

Zoige Scenery