How to get to Pingyao by Bus (Tips, Photos & Map)

Plan your Pingyao tour? If you are an irrepressible bus traveller, and wonder how to get to Pingyao by bus. Well, Pingyao does has a long-distance passenger bus station, but it mainly operates within the province of Shanxi.

So if you are going to visit Pingyao by bus from Beijing, Datong, Xian or Luoyuang, it's better first to get to Taiyuan ( bus, train or flight), the capital city of Shanxi, where many daily buses go to Pingyao.

Taiyuan - Pingyao By Bus

Once you arrive at Taiyuan, go to Taiyuan Jiannan Passenger Bus Station （太原建南汽车站） which operates the daily buses going to Pingyao.

The earliest bus leaves at 8:00 am, and runs every 30 minutes. Twenty-six yuan for the bus fare, and the bus ride takes about two hour and half hours. The bus terminates at Pingyao Bus Station (seethe red-circled).

Pingyao Bus Station is located about 500 meters to the northeast of the Northern Gate of the walled Pingyao Ancient City. So when you arrive at Pingao Bus Station, you can walk to the north gate of the walled ancient city or vice versa.

If you have too much luggage, you may take a taxi to the north gate at the rate of RMB 5 or the south gate at RMB 10.

Take Bus from Pingyao Railway Station

There are two railway stations in Pingyao. If you take the regular train (not the high speed train ), you will arrive at Pingyao Railway Station (the old station). Pingyao Railway Station is located about 1000 meters to the northwest of the ancient walled city of Pingyao.

When you arrive at Pingyao Railway Station, you may taxi to the West Gate of the Walled Pingyao ancient city ( about RMB10 taxi fare) or walk to the west gate of the ancient city of Pingyao

If you insist on taking a bus from Pingyao Railway Station, it is just a breeze and you may take the local public buses: No 1, No 102, 103 and 108. Get on from Pingyao Railway Station and get off at the third stop of North Gate （北门口）of the walled ancient city of Pingyao.

Note: Almost all the hotels within the walled city of Pingyao offer free transfer between station or bus station and hotel transfer to alleviate the hustle involved. So you may contact your hotel for an easy and comfy transfer.

Take Bus from Pingyao Ancient City Railway Station

The high speed trains in Pingyao use Pingyao Ancient City Railway Station （平遥古城站）instead of Pingyao Railway Station. So don’t confuse Pingyao Ancient City Railway Station with Pingyao Railway Station.

Pingyao Ancient City Railway Station is located 10 km to the southwest of Pingyao Ancient City. If you take the high speed train to Pingyao from Beijing, Xian, Datong or Taiyuan ( or other places), after getting off Pingyao Ancient City Station, you can take bus No. 108, which may take about 45 minutes, and get off at the south gate (ask the driver to remind you). The bus fare is 1 yuan. Or you take a taxi at the rate of 25 yuan for an easy drive to the ancient city.

Tip:  Hassle-free Pingyao & Shanxi Guided Tours

If you don’t want to do a self-guided tour and prefer the hassle-free escorted tours,  here are some options for organized tours to Pingyao and Shanxi Province:

Shanxi Tour

Further Readings