Lijiang has a mid-sized airport located 17 miles (28kms) to the south of the city. All of the flights into Lijiang are domestic, so international travellers will need to fly to Kunming first then make a connection. Direct flights are also offered from Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Guangzhou and Guiyang. There are only about 12 flights each day so the options are limited. Lijiang’s single terminal is modest but provides the basic amenities a traveller will need upon arrival.

To get from the airport to Lijiang you can take either the airport shuttle or a taxi. Shuttle buses run between the terminal and the Lantian Hotel, offering the cheapest means of getting into the city. From the hotel, taxis are waiting to take visitors to their specific destinations. A more direct choice is to hire a taxi from the airport, which is expensive but convenient. 

If you don’t feel like flying from Kunming to Lijiang, taking a bus is the best option. Lijiang is situated at the crossroads of a major regional highway network so road travel is possible from all four directions. The newly constructed Dali bypass has cut the road journey from Kunming to Lijiang to around five hours. There are also regular buses from Dali, Shangri La, and Panzhihua in Sichuan province.

Lijiang has four different long-distance bus terminals. Most of the buses arrive and depart from the Lijiang Transport Service Centre Bus Station in the Old Town. The Lijiang Guluwan Bus Station handles traffic from the north, while Lijiang Express Bus Station and Lijiang Tourism Bus Station only service buses from Kunming.

Once you get to Lijiang, the Old Town is completely pedestrianised and can easily be explored on foot. Some parts of the old cobblestone sidewalks are rustic so walk with caution. Bikes, however, are allowed in the Old Town and can be rented from a number of cafés. To get around the whole of Lijiang, there are an estimated 1,000 taxis running 24 hours. If you aren’t visiting during the peak tourist season, taxis can be cheaply rented by the day to facilitate sightseeing.

Lijiang also has a public bus system with more than 10 routes running to all corners of the city—except the Old Town. They operate throughout the day until around 21:00. Tickets for a single ride are very cheap, and one of the routes goes out to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. The main bus station is located just south of the Old Town. Minibuses also provide transport to outlying attractions, but you’ll need to bargain for a good rate. If you feel like having someone guide you around the city, nearly every café in town has a travel agency connected to them which provides day tours and transport tickets.