Getting Around Xilinhot
Xilinhot is a county-level city and the seat of government for the Xilingol League in Inner Mongolia. It sits at roughly 990 metres elevation on the Xilin Gol grassland, and its urban core is home to a large share of the area's residents, while the wider jurisdiction stretches across open rangeland. For a visitor, that means the practical travel picture is simple: the city itself is compact and easy to cover by road, while the grasslands, yurt resorts and outlying sights require a vehicle.
Rail
Xilinhot is connected to China's national rail network. The K7917 train links the city to the wider system and departs daily for Hohhot and Baotou, making rail a viable option for arriving from, or continuing on to, those cities. There is no metro or tram network in Xilinhot, so trains serve long-distance travel rather than movement within the city.
Buses and Public Transport
Public transport within Xilinhot is road-based. As a small city with a compact urban core, local bus services cover the built-up area, but the source material does not detail specific routes, fares or passes. Visitors should expect to buy tickets on board and to rely on local signage or asking at their accommodation for the routes most useful to them.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
Taxis are the most straightforward way to move around the city and to reach places that buses do not serve conveniently. Ride-hailing apps are widely used across Chinese cities and are generally available in Xilinhot as well, though the source material does not confirm specific operators. For trips out to the grasslands, yurt resorts or the Beizi Temple area, arranging a car and driver for the day is the practical approach, since these destinations sit outside the walkable centre.
Walking
The historic centre of Xilinhot contains an artistic temple and is the most rewarding part of the city to explore on foot. Mongolian culture is visible throughout the city scene, with tapestries and monumental statues of Genghis Khan adorning homes, shops and street corners, so wandering the central streets is a worthwhile activity in itself. Outside the core, however, the city spreads out and the surrounding countryside is open grassland, so walking is best treated as a way to explore the centre rather than to cross the whole city.
Getting from the Airport into the City
Xilinhot Airport (XIL) is the main gateway by air. It has regular flights to Beijing on Air China and China United Airlines, and is served by Tianjin Airlines with multiple daily flights to Hohhot plus a seasonal daily flight to Tianjin. There are also occasional direct flights to other major cities, and additional services from Beijing, Hohhot, Wuhan, Chongqing, Dalian, Guiyang, Tianjin and Xi'an depending on the season and airline.
On arrival, taxis and ride-hailing are the practical way into town, and the airport sits close enough to the urban area that the transfer is short. If you would rather not arrange this yourself, many hotels and yurt resorts can organise a pickup, which is worth doing if you are heading straight out to the grasslands rather than into the city centre.
Practical Notes
- Xilinhot experiences a cold semi-arid climate with long, very dry, bitter winters and short, hot summers. Winter travel requires serious cold-weather clothing, and the large day-to-night temperature swings mean layers are useful year-round.
- Most of the annual rainfall falls in July and August, which is also when the Naadam festival takes place — a Mongolian summer gathering with wrestling, horse racing, horse trading and costume contests, with colourful yurts set up to serve food and supplies.
- Tourists can stay at nearby yurt resorts, where large yurts are used for dining and smaller individual yurts for sleeping. These are outside the city, so plan transport accordingly.
- The city is a long way from major hubs — roughly 610 km from Beijing and 620 km from Hohhot — so flying or taking the train is far more practical than driving yourself.
- By road, China National Highway 207 and China National Highway 303 both terminate in the Xilinhot area, and the S27 Xilingol-Kalgan Expressway ends in a suburb of the city.