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to Yuanyang and Xishuangbanna

amnesia (4 posts) • 0

Thank you all so much for replying! I have now booked a stay at Sunny Guesthouse in Yuanyang for tomorrow. They told me I can make the 12.30 bus, if not I should take the bus to Gezhui or Jianshui and take a bus to Yuanyang from there (writing this for others). (Referring to Xinjie here)

She told me that I can also go from Yuanyang to Xishuangbanna in one day with one transfer, but I will confirm this later.

Once again, thank you all and if anyone has more hotel advice for especially Xishuangbanna, please let me know! My ideal stay would a place that is not too expensive but is very relaxed and tranquil, with nice rooms/cabins/lodges in a natural surrounding. Also, anyone know about swimming opportunities in Xishuangbanna? I probably can't afford a hotel with a pool, like Sheraton :( But maybe they allow visit for the public? (or another fancy hotel? :P)

kiara (39 posts) • 0

@amnesia, right if you can't catch the 12.30 bus you can take one to Jianshui (from south bus station) or to Gejiu (from east bus station). Both run frequently. And then change to a bus to Xinjie. Would be great to know about the trip from there to Jinghong, please share updates about it when u come back!

Pandamaria (3 posts) • 0

There is a bus between 南沙yuanyang New town and jinhong. I used Sunny hostel in yuanyang i loved it. They Also have the number for a taxi to pick u up so travel between yuanyang and jinhong can be done in a Day

amnesia (4 posts) • 0

You are right Pandamaria. I am currently on the bus from Yuanyang Nansha to Jinghong. One bus a day, leaves at 15.30 because it comes from Hekou. I also had a very nice stay at sunny guesthouse! The way to yuanyang was also smooth for me, made it in one day from Chengdu! :)

luckyboy712 (1 post) • -1

of cause you time is enough! if you need any help in XiShuangbanna,please you can add my Wechat number :metrosexual712 .I am Tim.

sezuwupom (44 posts) • +3

Good news! The high speed rail (HSR) train from Kunming to Xishuangbanna will finally be complete at the end of this month, and in service for the public on December 2, 2021.

Approximately a 3-hour trip from Kunming to Xishuangbanna. 2.5 hours for Puer. Also stops at Yuxi. The HSR will continue beyond the Chinese border and connect to Laos as part of the BRI.

Perhaps I'll pay those elephants a visit later next year to apologize.

Tom69 (151 posts) • 0

Any word on whether the train will carry passengers into Laos? Haven't heard either Laos or China agreeing to lift quarantine anytime soon, and parts of Laos are still under lockdown (for example Luang Prabang).

I don't see that changing in just 6 weeks from now.

I've heard people say that the train will only be for freight at the beginning. Now it appears that passengers will be allowed aboard but I suspect ONLY for the domestic component on either side of the border. If you're coming from Kunming, I'd imagine you would have to alight at either Mengla or Mohan station, with only freight permitted to cross the border for the time being.

I anticipate full service to begin sometime in 2022, as land borders reopen. Since Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and even Myanmar have announced tentative reopening schedules, I suspect Laos will be under pressure to reopen around the same time and the same can be said for China (despite previously stating that the country won't reopen before mid-2022). China may have to abandon it's current "zero Covid" policy for that to happen though.

According to the Bangkok Post, the Thai-Lao land border should reopen starting on January 15, 2022, but I expect it will involve much more than just arriving with your passport and visa like before Covid. I can't see China having any looser requirements in place.

In fact, I'd imagine that a passenger getting on this train will need to be fully vaccinated and may also need a negative Covid test. Once the Lao-China border re-opens, both of these requirements (or at least vaccination alone) will be mandatory, certainly at the beginning.

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