Getting Around Anqing: An Overview
Anqing is a medium-sized provincial city on the north bank of the Yangtze in southwest Anhui, and its transport network is built around that scale. There is no metro or tram system here, so visitors rely on a combination of city buses, taxis, ride-hailing, and walking. The good news is that the main things a visitor needs to reach — the railway stations, the long-distance bus station, the commercial districts, and the riverfront — are reasonably well connected by bus and by car.
City Buses
Buses are the workhorse of public transport in Anqing. The network covers most of the city and its suburban areas, linking residential neighbourhoods, shopping and commercial centres, major attractions, and both of the city's railway stations.
- Key hubs: Anqing Train Terminal, Anqing West Train Station, Anqing Long-Distance Bus Station, and the main commercial districts. If you can get to one of these, you can usually find a route onward.
- Fares: typically ¥1–¥2 per ride. Exact change is required — drivers do not give change, so keep small notes or coins handy.
- Payment: cash, local bus cards, or a QR code scanned through WeChat Pay or Alipay. For most short-stay visitors, the QR code option is the simplest if your phone is set up for Chinese mobile payments.
- Hours: service generally runs from around 6:00 AM until roughly 9:00–10:00 PM, with frequency varying by route.
- Accessibility: some newer buses have low-floor access, but this is not guaranteed across the whole fleet.
Buses can be crowded at peak hours, so plan around the morning and evening commutes if you have flexibility. For navigation, Baidu Maps and Amap (Gaode) both provide real-time bus information and route planning, which is by far the easiest way to work out which bus to take and where to change.
Rail, Metro and Trams
Anqing has no metro and no tram network. Rail travel here means intercity and regional trains, and the city is served by two stations: Anqing Train Terminal and Anqing West Train Station. Both appear among the key bus hubs, so arriving by train you can expect to continue into the city by bus or taxi rather than by a metro connection. For a visitor, the practical takeaway is simple: use rail to get to Anqing, then switch to buses, taxis, or ride-hailing for everything within the city.
Taxis
Licensed taxis are a straightforward option and are easy to identify: they have a distinct colour scheme and a roof light reading "TAXI", and they run on the meter.
- Where to find them: hailed on the street, at designated taxi stands, or booked through apps.
- Fares: a flag fall of roughly ¥8–¥12, then about ¥1.8–¥2.5 per kilometre, with a night surcharge applying after 10:00 PM.
- Payment: cash, WeChat Pay, or Alipay.
Ride-Hailing
Didi Chuxing is the dominant ride-hailing app in Anqing, offering tiers such as Express, Premier, and Taxi. It works much like ride-hailing anywhere: you enter your destination, get a driver and vehicle assignment, and the trip is GPS-tracked. Two practical caveats apply for foreign visitors — registration generally requires a Chinese phone number, and payment runs through WeChat Pay or Alipay linked to the app. If you have those set up, ride-hailing is often the most convenient way to cross the city or reach a specific address.
Walking and Cycling
Anqing is partly walkable, but it is not uniformly pedestrian-friendly. The pleasant places to be on foot include Linghu Park, the Yangtze River embankment, and some of the older streets in the city centre. Elsewhere, be realistic about conditions.
- Bicycle lanes: dedicated lanes are limited, and cyclists often share the road or the pavement with pedestrians.
- Roads to avoid on foot: multi-lane arterial roads and highways are unsuitable for pedestrians and cyclists. Use designated crossings and signals.
- Bike-sharing: dockless bike-sharing is available through Hellobike, Meituan Bike, and Qingju Bike. Using it requires a smartphone app, a Chinese phone number, and WeChat Pay or Alipay. Motorcycle or electric moped rental for tourists is rare.
Car Rental and Driving
Renting a car is possible but comes with a significant hurdle for foreign visitors: you need a Chinese driving licence or a temporary permit, and International Driving Permits are not recognised. If you do drive, note that traffic drives on the right, seatbelts are required, and traffic laws are enforced. Major roads are generally good, while smaller streets can be congested. Paid car parks are available, but street parking is limited.
Specialised and Recreational Transport
Anqing does not have hop-on/hop-off tour buses. Tour buses generally serve pre-booked group day trips, for example to Tianzhushan. At the Tianzhushan Scenic Area, outside the city, cable cars reach the higher elevations. Small leisure boats operate on Linghu Lake and on parts of the Yangtze, but these are recreational rather than commuter transport — useful for sightseeing, not for getting across town.
Accessibility
Accessibility infrastructure in Anqing is still developing. Older buildings and some attractions have limited accessibility features, while newer hotels and major public buildings are more likely to have ramps, lifts, and accessible bathrooms. If accessibility matters for your trip, contact venues in advance to confirm what is available.
Getting Into the City from the Airport
The reference material for Anqing does not describe an airport transfer in detail, so the safest guidance is to plan your arrival around the modes that are reliably documented: taxis and ride-hailing. A metered taxi or a Didi from the airport into the city is the most direct option, and both accept WeChat Pay and Alipay alongside cash. If you prefer public transport, buses are the city's main network and connect the railway stations, the long-distance bus station, and the commercial districts — but you should confirm locally, on arrival, which routes currently serve the airport and how late they run, since timetables vary by route. As a general rule, arriving with a Chinese phone number and a working mobile payment app will make every onward option — taxi, Didi, or bus — considerably easier.