New train service between Kunming and SE Yunnan

Kunming, China
Level Contributor
4,670 posts
589 reviews
425 helpful votes
New train service between Kunming and SE Yunnan
Save

I rode this train today and thought it might be of interest to some of you planning to travel from Kunming to the SE of Yunnan, for example to Jianshui, Yuanyang, and Hekou (Vietnam border.) Up until the beginning of this month (May, 2013) the only public transport to that part of Yunnan has been by bus. But there is now limited train service, which presents another option.

There is one train a day in each direction between the main Kunming station to Mengzi Bei Zhan 蒙自北站, which is a few kilometers north of Mengzi. Mengzi is a regional bus hub, and you can easily catch a bus there to Hekou, Yuanyang County, or other remote parts of SE Yunnan.

I rode the train from Jianshui up to Kunming, on my way back from Vietnam. Hard seat 硬座 only (no soft seat or sleepers.) It was full but not packed, by which I mean all seats were full in the cars near mine, but people were not standing in the aisles. My trip cost 43.50 Yuan, and I bought the ticket through an agent in Jianshui which added 5 Yuan. I think the ticket for the whole way (between Kunming and Mengzi) costs about 50 Yuan.

The Jianshui Station 建水战 is several kilometers out of the city, along muddy, unpaved roads. I saw shuttle buses and shared vans available for 5 Yuan or less. A taxi to the main part of town costs 15 Yuan; and that's the way I got from Jianshui to the station because it was raining hard.

The train number for the Kunming to Mengzi direction is K9652, departing Kunming at 8:42am and arriving in Mengzi at 12:37pm. Going north from Mengzi to Kunming, it's train number K9654. Also only one train a day. It left Mengzi at about 9 a.m. I got on in Jianshui at about 9:45. Arrived Kunming a few minutes late at about 1:20 p.m.

Edited: 7 years ago
Vancouver, Canada
Level Contributor
1,533 posts
11 reviews
10 helpful votes
1. Re: New train service between Kunming and SE Yunnan
Save

Thanks OP.

The stops along the railway, timetable and fare (from Kunming/ Mengzi North) are summarized herein.

#K9652/K9653: (Kunming- Mengzi North)

Kunming (08:42)- Yuxi (10:32 / 10:34, RMB29pp)- Tonghai (11:18 / 11:20, RMB32.50)- JIANSHUI (12:01 / 12:03, RMB43.50)- Mengzi North Station 12:37 / 12:37, RMB49.50pp)

#K9654/K9651: (Mengzi North- Kunming )

Mengzi North Station (09:03)- JIANSHUI (09:36/09:38)- Tonghai (10:19/10:21,)- Yuxi (11:05/11:07)- Kunming (13:01)

Beijing, China
Level Contributor
15,310 posts
2. Re: New train service between Kunming and SE Yunnan
Save

This is a useful service and particularly to Jianshui, which also has a number of daily buses to Yuanyang and also is a worthwhile stop for a day/overnight in its own right. The price is right, there are some safety advantages over buses esp in inclement weather, and the departure timing from Kunming allows for a good connection from overnight trains arriving early into Kunming, such as those from Lijiang.

Likely they'll have a paved road from Jianshui station to the town sometime this year (rainy season plays havoc with road construction). The bus station still has the advantage over the train station in being conveniently in town.

Edited: 7 years ago
Kunming, China
Level Contributor
4,670 posts
589 reviews
425 helpful votes
3. Re: New train service between Kunming and SE Yunnan
Save

#1 -- The train I was on made one additional stop between Tonghai and Yuxi, at Yuxi South Station 玉溪南, which might be confusing if one were counting stops. But one advantage when coming in the northerly direction is that there's no way to miss the Kunming stop, because that's where the route ends and everyone must get off.

#2 -- The station looked newly built. Agree that they will surely pave the access road when they can. The train itself, i.e. the rolling stock, was not new, and had frayed hard seats plus those same old nasty squat toilets. The one I used could not be flushed.

Beijing, China
Level Contributor
15,310 posts
4. Re: New train service between Kunming and SE Yunnan
Save

#3, well the bus alternative between Kunming and Jianshui--and vice versa--makes a pit stop somewhere after turning off the expressway onto the S304 towards Tonghai, at the most foul outdoor pit toilets (no water) I've seen in a long time, anywhere in China. I mean these are unspeakably disgusting. They stop here instead of one of the better petrol/service stations just because it's a good place to wash the buses down. So it doesn't sound like the train is any worse of an option on that dimension!

One day, when this train line is completed all the way to the Hekou, they'll probably put on better rolling stock and maybe some sleepers. Sounds like now the oldest train cars in China are being put on this route, lol.

Edited: 7 years ago
Kunming, China
Level Contributor
4,670 posts
589 reviews
425 helpful votes
5. Re: New train service between Kunming and SE Yunnan
Save

#4 -- Yes, I think you are right on both counts.

One advantage of the train, in my opinion, is that the main Kunming station is conveniently located, whereas the new south bus station is pretty far out. I can reach the train station by taxi from home in under 20 minutes and for about 15 Yuan, whereas it's a half hour, 50 Yuan ride to the south bus station 南部客运站。There's lots of construction on the roads in that part of the city.

6. Re: New train service between Kunming and SE Yunnan

-:- Message from Tripadvisor staff -:-

This topic has been closed to new posts due to inactivity. We hope you'll join the conversation by posting to an open topic or starting a new one.

To review the Tripadvisor Forums Posting Guidelines, please follow this link: http://www.tripadvisor.com/pages/forums_posting_guidelines.html

We remove posts that do not follow our posting guidelines, and we reserve the right to remove any post for any reason.

Removed on: 1:17 am, May 24, 2014
Get answers to your questions about Yunnan
CA$CAD
United States
© 2021 TripAdvisor LLC All rights reserved.

This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu.