Kunming
Kunming World Horticultural Expo Garden: free entry, hours and how to get there
The 218-hectare site of the 1999 World Horticultural Expo, with national and regional gardens beside Golden Temple. Most of it is now a free public park, and parts are aging or shut. It suits a walk among plants if you keep expectations modest.
- Entry
- Free
- Extras
- 99 Time Garden zone (adult) US$7.5 (¥49)
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- How to book
- No booking for the free area; paid zone tickets online or at the gate
- Children
- Concession ticket 25 for the paid zone
- Seniors
- Concession ticket 25 for the paid zone
- Other discounts
- Some venues inside the paid zone waive entry with a food/drink purchase
Main park free since 2022. Since 1 Oct 2025 the '99 Time Garden' zone inside is ticketed: adult 49, concession 25, two-person 89, parent-child 69, family 99.
Prices checked October 2026.
How to get there
- Metro Line 3 to Wuyi Road, change to Line 5, and ride to the end of the line, World Horti-Expo Garden (世博园). The park is about 1 km from the station.
- Bus 71 from Nanping Street goes directly to the park, per the operator's site. Bus 47 runs from the Kunming Railway Station area.
- From the airport, take Metro Line 6 to East Bus Station, then Line 3 to Wuyi Road and Line 5 to the end. The operator's undated page also lists airport bus 空港3号线 and bus 919E to the park, but we could not confirm either still runs.
Before you go
- Know which part is which. The main gate is free. The ticketed 99 Time Garden has its own ticket hall across Expo Avenue, at the old China Splendid Garden entrance.
- A May 2026 press report found the China Pavilion, Palestine Garden and Inner Mongolia house shut or badly decayed. The operator promised phased renovation, so check before going for a specific garden.
- Some old pavilions are now leased to cafes and restaurants, and some of these businesses turn visitors away.
- Hours are not clear, and the park's site still shows a booking button. Check that morning, and carry your passport.
Who should skip it
Skip it if you expect the Expo as it was in 1999, or if you are short on time in Kunming.
Close by, same day
Going to several of these?
Tell us which sights and when. We’ll tell you what needs booking ahead and what’s worth skipping, and book the tickets that need a Chinese app.