Getting Around Qiqihar
Qiqihar is a large, spread-out city in western Heilongjiang, and the practical reality for visitors is that you will rely mostly on buses, taxis, and ride-hailing to get between districts. The built-up core is made up of the Longsha, Tiefeng and Jianhua districts, which is where most of the hotels, shops, stations and sights cluster. There is no metro or tram system, so plan your movements around the road network rather than rail-based urban transit.
Arriving by Rail
Qiqihar is well connected to the rest of the region by train, and the two stations you are most likely to use are in different parts of the city, so check which one your ticket names before you set out.
- Qiqihar Railway Station (齐齐哈尔站) sits on Zhanqian Street in Tiefeng District, on the eastern side of the central area. The original station building dates from 1909, and the current building was rebuilt in 1979 before undergoing a major renovation completed in 2015.
- Qiqihar South railway station (齐齐哈尔南站) is on Nenjiang Ring Road in Longsha District, on the western side of the city. This is the station to look for if you are arriving on high-speed services.
Journey times give a sense of how the city connects to the wider region: Harbin is roughly one to two hours away by G and D high-speed trains and three to four hours by slower K trains; Beijing is about six to seven hours by high-speed train and considerably longer on Z and T services; Hailar is around six to seven hours on ordinary express trains; and Bei'an takes roughly three to four hours. Tickets for Chinese rail services can be bought through the official booking channels or at station counters, and you will need your passport as ID.
Buses
The public bus network is the main way people move around Qiqihar, with an extensive system covering both the urban districts and suburban areas. For a visitor this is the cheapest option and often the most useful for reaching parts of the city that taxis would charge more to serve.
- Fares are typically ¥1–¥2 per ride.
- You can pay with exact-change cash, a local bus card, or mobile payment through WeChat Pay or Alipay.
- Most routes run from roughly 6:00 AM until around 8:00–9:00 PM, with frequency varying by route and time of day.
- Route information is displayed at bus stops, and real-time planning and tracking are available through Baidu Maps (百度地图) and Gaode Maps/Amap (高德地图).
- Key transfer points include the Qiqihar rail terminal, the city centre in Longsha District, and the major retail areas.
- Expect crowding during the morning and evening rush hours.
- Buses generally lack ramps or wheelchair spaces, so accessibility is limited.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
Taxis are plentiful and straightforward for visitors who do not read Chinese, provided you can show your destination in writing. Licensed cabs are yellow or blue, marked "TAXI," metered, and carry ID numbers; you can hail them on the street or pick them up at stands. Fares start at ¥8–¥10, and payment is accepted in cash, by WeChat Pay, or by Alipay. As a rough guide to cost, a cross-city trip can come in around ¥20.
Didi Chuxing (滴滴出行) is the dominant ride-hailing app and is the easiest option if you want to avoid explaining an address verbally — it offers an English interface and supports linking international cards. It is worth carrying your destination written in Chinese regardless, since English proficiency among local drivers and passers-by may be limited.
Walking and Cycling
Qiqihar is not a city you can comfortably cover on foot end to end, but several areas reward walking. Longsha Park and its surroundings, the city centre, the commercial streets, and the Nen River embankments are all walkable and pleasant for self-guided exploration. There are no formal guided walking tours aimed at international visitors, so plan your own route.
Cycling is possible but not especially well catered for: there are few dedicated bicycle lanes, and cyclists generally share the road with vehicles or the pavement with pedestrians. Bike-sharing is available through apps such as Meituan Bike and Hello Bike, but these require local mobile payment to unlock. Some parks, including Longsha, may rent bicycles for use within the park itself.
Car and Scooter Rental
Renting a car is an option, but the paperwork is a real barrier for foreign visitors: you need a valid Chinese driving licence, whether temporary or full, and International Driving Permits are not recognised. Major rental companies operating here include Shouqi Car Rental (首汽租车) and Dida Chuxing (嘀嗒出行). Motorcycle and scooter rentals are uncommon for tourists and require a Chinese motorcycle licence. If you do drive, remember traffic keeps to the right, posted speed limits are enforced, parking is usually in marked spaces or paid on-street bays, and urban congestion is common. Winter driving is hazardous because of ice and snow.
Accessibility
Public transport in Qiqihar is generally not wheelchair-accessible. Accessible taxis and vans are rare, so visitors with mobility needs should arrange transport in advance or seek local assistance rather than relying on turning up and finding a suitable vehicle.
Getting from the Airport into the City
Qiqihar Sanjiazi Airport (齐齐哈尔三家子机场, IATA: NDG) is on South Buquine Street in Longsha District, and it handles flights from Beijing, Qingdao and Shanghai (Pudong). The airport's telephone number is +86 0452 2393727. Because it sits within Longsha District, the same district as the city centre and Qiqihar South railway station, it is on the western side of the urban area rather than far out in the countryside — useful to know when you are choosing where to stay or which station you need. Taxis and ride-hailing are the practical ways to cover the final leg into town; as with any taxi journey here, have your hotel address written in Chinese to show the driver.
Practical Tips
- Download Baidu Maps or Gaode Maps (Amap) and set up WeChat Pay or Alipay before you arrive — both are used for bus fares, taxi payments and bike-sharing.
- Carry destination addresses written in Chinese for taxi drivers, as English proficiency among locals may be limited.
- In winter, allow extra travel time for snow and ice; in summer and around public holidays, expect heavier traffic and higher demand for transport.
- There are no cable cars or funiculars in the city, and no commuter water transport — small pleasure craft are rented on artificial lakes in parks for leisure only.
- Tour buses are not typically available to international tourists; local operators may run bus tours to Zhalong, but mainly for domestic groups.