Short answer: Fast trains run all day. Kunming to Dali takes about 2 hours, with more than 50 trains a day and second-class seats from about ¥105 to ¥155.50. Kunming to Lijiang takes 3.5–5 hours, with about nine trains a day at about ¥166–199. Book on the official 12306 app or website with your passport, but register at least a week ahead, because the passport check usually takes 3–5 working days. Then set your alarm: tickets go on sale 15 days ahead, at 14:30 Beijing time for trains leaving Kunming. If 12306 won't work for you, we can book the tickets for you.
Trains, times and fares
We checked one ordinary weekday, Tuesday 3 November 2026, on 12306. Holiday timetables add trains, and fares can differ by train.
| Route | Trains a day | Journey time | Second class | First class |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kunming → Dali | 55 | 1 h 55 min – 2 h 46 min | ¥105–155.50 | ¥168–247.50 |
| Kunming → Lijiang | 9 | 3 h 29 min – 4 h 52 min | ¥166–199 | ¥265–318 |
| Dali → Lijiang (trains starting in Dali) | 7 | 1 h 36 min – 2 h 30 min | ¥56–80 | ¥89–127 |
Checked in October 2026 on 12306. Timetables and fares change; check before you book.
From Kunming Station most Dali trains cost ¥145 in second class; the same trains cost ¥155.50 from Kunming South. Most Lijiang trains cost ¥190. A slow overnight sleeper train also runs on both routes, taking about 7 hours to Dali and over 10 to Lijiang; most visitors take the day trains.
Kunming Station or Kunming South?
Kunming has two big stations, and the one on your ticket matters.
- Kunming Station 昆明站 is in town, on Beijing Road, with its own metro stop. On the day we checked, every Dali train and every Lijiang train stopped here.
- Kunming South 昆明南站 is the high-speed hub in Chenggong, far to the southeast. Of the 55 Dali trains, 41 started here and called at Kunming Station 20–25 minutes later. Only 2 of the 9 Lijiang trains started here.
So if you're staying downtown, board at Kunming Station: it's closer, the ride is shorter and the fare is lower. A search for Kunming on 12306 shows trains from both stations, so check the departure station listed for each train before you book. Coming from the airport? See how to reach each station.
At the other end, Dali Station 大理站 is in Xiaguan, the modern city at the south end of Erhai Lake, not in the old town. A taxi to Dali Old Town takes about 25–35 minutes and costs ¥35–50. Lijiang Station 丽江站 is also outside the old town: about 20 minutes and ¥20–30 by taxi to the Big Water Wheel 大水车 at the north gate. At both, use the taxi rank or DiDi; unlicensed cars touting at the exit often charge more.
Booking on 12306 with a foreign passport
12306 is the national railway's own booking system. It has an English version, and booking there costs only the fare.
- Install and register. Download the Railway 12306 app, or use 12306.cn in a browser, and switch it to English. Register with your email address; you don't need a Chinese phone number.
- Verify your passport. Enter your name exactly as it appears in your passport, plus your passport number and nationality. Most foreign passports are checked by hand, which usually takes 3–5 working days; neat, exact entries go faster. If anything is missing or doesn't match, the check is rejected and you fill it in again. Do this at least a week before you need tickets, because you can't book until it's done.
- Search and choose. Search by city or station, pick a train and seat class, and add each traveler with their own passport.
- Pay within 30 minutes. 12306 takes Visa, Mastercard and JCB, as well as Alipay and WeChat Pay. If your card is declined, try Alipay.
- No paper ticket. Your passport is your ticket. Screenshot the booking, including the train number, coach and seat.
Other ways in: Trip.com sells the same trains in English with a foreign card, and may add a service fee. Ticket windows at stations sell tickets against your passport too, but expect a queue.
When tickets go on sale
12306 sells tickets up to 15 days ahead, counting the travel day. Tickets for Tuesday 3 November 2026, for example, went on sale on 20 October. Each station releases its new day at a fixed time, Beijing time:
- Kunming and Kunming South: 14:30
- Dali and Lijiang: 16:15
On ordinary days you rarely need to race. For China's holidays, book the moment sales open. The worst are Chinese New Year, the May Day break (1–5 May in 2026) and National Day week (1–7 October).
On the day
- Arrive 45–60 minutes early. There is a passport check and a bag X-ray at the entrance, passport holders use the staffed lanes, and the big stations have long walks to the platforms.
- Bring the passport you booked with. Ordinary foreign passports can't open the automatic gates; only China's foreign permanent residence ID card can. Use the staffed lane beside the gates and show your passport there.
- Check the screens for your train number, not your destination: trains are listed by number and final stop, which may not be your stop.
- The platform gate closes a few minutes before departure. Be there when it opens.
Making the most of the line
- Break the trip in Dali. Kunming–Dali–Lijiang in stages is less tiring than one 4-hour ride, and both legs run often.
- Going on to Shangri-La? Trains continue north from Lijiang. It's higher again, so read Shangri-La without altitude sickness first.
- Day trips from the stations to places trains don't reach, such as Shaxi or the Jade Dragon villages, are easiest with a driver.
More on trains, visas and apps is on our practical page.
Sources
- China Railway 12306: train list, journey times, second- and first-class fares and sale times for 3 November 2026, checked on 24 October 2026.
- 12306: passport verification times and station gates for foreign passports, checked on 24 October 2026; China Railway notice on online passport verification (Xinhua via gov.cn, 28 November 2023).
- Taxi times and fares from Dali and Lijiang stations, checked on 24 October 2026. Registration and payment steps from 2026 travel guides for foreign passport holders (August and September 2026).
