hello all,

i'm heading to dali next weekend (thursday-sunday) with some friends so we need to buy our transportation tickets within the next couple of days. have heard so many conflicting things about bus vs train, length of time, frequency, cost etc so i'm hoping to get a good idea from the forum as to what would be the best way to get to dali!

so far from my understanding the bus is 4-6 hours and leaves every hour from the west bus station, can cost anywhere from 100-150rmb and can be a rickety death trap to a slick korean tour bus?

the train.. leaves morning and overnight from ? train station, 50-? rmb, takes 7-9 hours.. that's all i've got right now.

so, are these facts true? advice?

You can also book buses from any travel agent. They do pick ups from some hotels in the city, which may be more convenient for you, and cheaper if you avoid a taxi fare.

You pick which bus, there are pictures on a board. Go for the aircon bus, some are Volvo's. These cost 150rmb. The cheap bus is small and cramped and can be smelly.

Book one way.
Loads of agents in the centre of the old city selling bus/coach tickets. All agents are selling the same buses' seats. Or you may fancy the train.

NB, I am not sure, but I don't think the train goes to the Old Dali City, they go to the new city. The new city is maybe 10km from the old city, and so you will need a taxi.

Taxi in Dali do not use the meter, ever! You need to negotiate.
I am not sure what current rates are, I think 25-30rmb others can advise.

Another reason to take the bus.

I provide door to door transportation service. it could be either a one-way trip to dali or transportation for you during your stay in Dali and back trip to kunmin. .

it takes around 5 hours to go to dali(door to door). don't need to book or waiting for the bus schedul. could let you check out the ming-van and the English speaking driver before-hand.

emali me to 13354949490@qq.com or call 13354949490.

John

hey, busses from kunming generally go to *the new* dali, xiaguan. depending on when you are arriving take the number 8 Bus to the old town, which runs from a bus stop nearby the big one where you arrive (just leave that one and go right down the street, if i remember correctly). think the 8 is going till 8pm or so. i would try to avoid caps, since they really really overcharge you (think we paid 50 kuai, even though we tried to bargain with a couple of drivers-since it was later than 8 we didnt have a choice, but using the meter it shouldnt be more than 25 kuai).
think we paid about 100yuan for our tickets (bought at a local agency) and took us 4-5 hours. busses are more than ok for a 5 hours ride.

another advice-if you are planning on coming back to kunming-never ever take the night bus leaving from dali at 8.30 or so (you can by the tickets at the hump). 8.30 means you will start at 8.30 in dali, but go to xiaguan first, where you will wait another 2,5 hours somewhere in empty streets and the bus station. then going to kunming arriving somewhere in a parking lot in the middle of nowhere, not at xizhan.

I'm going to Dali by bus the 16th August.
So I have to go to xizhan (west station) and just ask for a bus to Dali. 150Kuai for a good bus with air con.? And they leave every hour?
And they all stop in "new Dali" so I'll have to take another bus to "old town"?
Is that right?

Train: several per day, best morning train seems to be: www.huoche.biz/dcL9014-L9015.aspx, leaving just after 8am and arriving just after 2pm. Cost is 30Y. You can find other trains to Dali on this site as well. Bus #8 goes from outside railway station to old town for 1.5Y.

Bus: 100Y for the smaller ones, about 140Y for the big ones. The cheaper ones have a habit of trying to pick up passengers on the way if they are not full, once I had a 2h detour through Anning to find two more passengers. The expensive ones usually drive through, but there is no guarantee. Fastest time realistically 4:30h, but it can also be 7h. The big ones seem to leave every hour, the smaller ones every 15min. The bus station in Kunming is called Xibu Busstation 西部客运站, technically Xizhan refers to a now disused station. Or ask taxi driver to go to Dali Busstation, they will know. Taxi from central KM to Xibu 25-30Y.

The busses all go to Xiaguan (new Dali). The smaller ones arrive at the new express-bus station, while the big express-busses arrive at the old express-bus station. To catch the local bus from the new expressbus station, turn left out of the station and turn into the next one left and walk to bus stop.

Taxi to old town is generally 40Y, but sometimes they try for more, it is not an unfair price.

Thanks for the info "ludwig". I checked the site you sent and I also checked here www.chinatrainguide.com/trainsearch.php?checi=K9614/K9615.

I also thing the best option is leave by train at 8:19 and get to Dali at 15:44. You said it arrives just after 2pm but actually it's almost 4pm. The cost is really 30Y. I didn't know it was so cheap. I'm not in a hurry so I'll take the train instead of the bus.

Everyday is the same schedule for trains right? I'm leaving on Tuesday 16th. That will still be 8:19am right?

Do I need to buy the ticket days in advance or the same day I leave is ok? Where is the best place to buy the ticket?

of course you need to buy the ticket in advance if you don't mind travel standing .

I am not sure which site has the up-to-date time-table (if any of them).

There is a train-ticket office near Wenhua Xiang (where Salvador's etc is): walk down and cross the pedestrian bridge over the big road (121 dajie), it is on the left hand side as you come down. I thought the trains to Dali now run faster because the first half to Chuxiong has been upgraded. (There are more agencies around town).

I doubt the day train is full, but if you are travelling in a group you are less likely to get seats together unless you book in advance.

The time-table was more or less as on the internet. I'll take the 8:19 train (8:35 now).
But on the internet it said 30Y for this train with seats and now is 50Y.
I went to the station ticket-office to buy it. There was still plenty of place to Dali for the 16th.