Understanding Putuo Before You Go
"Putuo" is a name that appears in several places in China, so the first practical step for any visitor is to confirm which one you are heading to. The name is the Chinese rendering of the Sanskrit Potalaka, and it is shared by Mount Putuo (one of the four Buddhist holy mountains of China), Putuo District in Zhoushan, Zhejiang Province (where Mount Putuo is located), Putuo District in Shanghai, Putuo Zongcheng Temple in Chengde, Hebei Province, and South Putuo Temple in Xiamen, Fujian Province. The guidance below concentrates on the Zhoushan and Mount Putuo area, which is where the available transport information is most detailed.
Getting Around the Zhoushan and Mount Putuo Area
Travel in this part of Zhejiang is built around a mix of local buses, a main bus station, and short boat crossings to the island itself. There is no metro or tram network described in the available information for this area, so plan on buses and ferries as your core modes.
Buses and the Main Bus Station
The hub for onward travel is Zhoushan Putuo Bus Station (舟山普陀客运中心), located at No. 18 Xueyun Road in the Chengbei Development Zone of Putuo District, Zhoushan City. It is open daily from 05:30 to 19:00, and the listed telephone number is +86-580-3012011, with Chinese-speaking operators only.
- Local routes serving the station: bus routes 6, 9 and 12.
- Route to Putuoshan Island: take bus route 27 (roughly half an hour) to Zhujiajian Wusongsi Port, then a direct speedboat or ferry across to Putuoshan Island.
Because the station closes in the early evening, aim to complete your onward connections well before 19:00, and allow extra time if you are relying on the ferry link.
Boats to the Island
The crossing from Zhujiajian Wusongsi Port is the practical way to reach Mount Putuo. Both speedboats and ferries run directly to the island, so you can choose based on your schedule and budget. The bus-plus-boat combination via route 27 is the simplest route described for visitors.
Taxis, Ride-Hailing and Walking
The available information does not describe taxi, ride-hailing or walking conditions in this area, so treat these as options to confirm locally on arrival rather than something you can plan around in advance. For the island itself, expect to cover shorter distances on foot once you have landed.
Arriving by Air
No airport transfer details are provided in the available information. The most reliable approach is to ask at your arrival point for the connection to Zhoushan Putuo Bus Station, from which the local bus and ferry links described above will carry you onward to Mount Putuo.
Practical Tips
- Confirm which "Putuo" you are visiting before booking — the name covers several unrelated destinations across China.
- Note the bus station's hours (05:30–19:00) when planning your arrival and departure.
- Have your destination written in Chinese, since station telephone operators speak Chinese only.
- Build the bus-to-port-to-ferry chain into your day rather than treating each leg separately.