Understanding the Geography
One of the most important things to grasp before you arrive is that "Huangshan" refers to two different places. Huangshan City — historically known as Tunxi — is the urban base in the valley, while the mountain itself, the UNESCO World Heritage Site, sits some distance away. The main gateway town at the foot of the mountain is Tangkou. Because the city and the mountain are not close together, most of your transport decisions will revolve around how to bridge that gap, and how to move between the stations, the town of Tangkou, and the cable cars that carry visitors up to the peaks.
Arriving by Train
Huangshan has two railway stations, and which one you use shapes the rest of your journey.
- Huangshan North railway station is the high-speed rail hub, with services to Beijing, Fuzhou, Guangzhou, Nanchang, Qingdao, Shanghai and other cities in eastern China. It is expected to grow into an even bigger hub as lines radiate out in several directions.
- Huangshan station sits in the town of Tunxi (Huangshan City) and serves sleeper trains arriving from many major cities in eastern China. A popular option is the overnight train from Shanghai via Suzhou and Nanjing, which saves a night in a hotel and arrives in the morning, giving you a full day to visit the mountain. The return trip runs on similar timing.
From either station, your onward route to the mountain usually begins with a bus to the tourist distribution center at Tangkou.
Getting to the Mountain from the Stations
Upon arrival at the train station, airport, or long-distance bus station, the most convenient way to reach the mountain is by bus to the tourist distribution center at Tangkou. The ride takes about an hour and offers fine views of rural Anhui Province.
- Outside Huangshan station you will find plenty of small buses heading to Tangkou. They leave frequently and are inexpensive.
- From Huangshan North station, walk to the bus terminal to your right as you enter the station. Larger, less frequent tourist buses depart from there to the mountain. These can fill up hours in advance, the ticket desk may have long lineups, and nearly all booking is handled through a clunky, Chinese-only WeChat plugin — so plan ahead and allow extra time.
If you prefer a direct ride, a taxi from the airport to Tangkou is an option, though the fare depends heavily on your negotiating skills.
Around Tangkou and Up the Mountain
Tangkou, at the foot of the mountain, is quite walkable, and taxis are available to scenic spots around the base. From Tangkou a shuttle service runs frequently — roughly every twenty minutes — to the Hot Springs Area and to the two southern cable cars, the Yuping Cable Car and the Xinyungu (New Cloud Valley) Cable Car.
One crucial rule to remember: you cannot go directly to the mountain entrance by taxi. Only the National Express buses are allowed into the scenic area. There are trails up the mountain starting near each of the two southern cable cars, but they leave from different bus stops, so check which one you want before boarding.
A third option, the Taiping cableway, ascends the north side of the mountain from Huangshan District. It is readily accessible from Huangshan North station, but more difficult to reach from Tangkou, Tunxi and the other stations.
Getting In by Air
Huangshan Tunxi International Airport (TXN) is the nearest airport, located at Tunxi and about an hour's drive from the base of the mountain. The flight to Shanghai Hongqiao takes less than an hour. Taxis from the airport into downtown Tunxi, for example to Laojie, should cost around ¥30 — but drivers are notorious for asking much higher prices and refusing to run the meter. If you bargain at the airport, be prepared for rejections and delays until all other fellow passengers have gone.
Getting In by Bus
Frequent direct buses run from Shanghai and Hangzhou. Buses from Hangzhou go either to Huangshan City or direct to Tangkou at the mountain's tourist distribution center. The buses to Tangkou are less regular, but easy to catch if you phone the bus station for a timetable. Buses back from Tangkou leave in the mid-afternoon and are closely spaced, so the second bus is usually empty — in these circumstances the first bus may "break down" in Tunxi until the second catches up.
Practical Notes on Trails and Seasons
Two of the famous peaks, Lotus Peak and Celestial Capital Peak, are each typically open for five years at a time while the other closes, so check which is accessible during your visit. Less-popular and more dangerous trails, including Celestial Capital Peak and the routes up from the north and northwest, are normally closed in winter.