By Air: Qingdao Liuting International Airport (TAO) offers service to destinations around the globe. Its terminals house the following airlines:
Air China (+86 10 6601 6667 / http://www.airchina.com.cn)
Air France (+86 10 6588 1388 / http://www.airfrance.com/)
All Nippon Airways (+86 10 6590 9191 / http://www.ana.co.jp)
British Airways (+86 10 6512 4070 / http://www.british-airways.com/)
China Southern Airlines (+1 86 10 6601 7596 / http://www.cs-air.com/en)
Dragon Airway (+86 10 6518 2533 / http://www.dragonair.com)
Finnair (+86 10 6512 7180 / http://www.finnair.com)
Japan Airlines (+86 10 6513 0888 / http://www.jal.co.jp)
Korean Air (+86 10 6505 0088 / http://www.koreanair.com/)
Lufthansa (+86 10 6465 4488 / http://www.lufthansa.com/)
Northwest (+86 10 6505 3505 / http://www.nwa.com)
Quantas Airways (+86 10 6467 4794 / http://www.quantas.com.au)
Thai Airways (+86 10 6460 8899 / http://www.thaiair.com/)
United (+86 10 6463 8551 / http://www.ual.com)
From the airport:
Bus: Hotel shuttles leave hourly to different parts of the city. Generally they cost CNY15 and arrive to their destinations in about an hour. City buses 117, 120, 121, 305, 306, 373 and 374 also go between the airport and various Qingdao neighborhoods. Costs range from CNY3-5.
By Bus
Qingdao has eight bus stations:
Long Distance Bus Station: 2 Wenzhou Road
West Bus Station: 49 Guantao Road
East Bus Station: 1 Harbin Road
North Bus Station: 352 Xiaobaigan Road
Inner Mongolia Bus Station: 58 Inner Mongolia Road
Railway Bus Station: on the square of the Qingdao Railway Station
By Train
Qingdao has three railway stations:
Qingdao Station: 2 Tai'an Road
Sifang Station: 1 Hai'an Road
Cangkou Station: Siliu Middle Road, Licang District
Most passenger trains go to the main station. All trains to and from Qingdao, with the exception of those going to Zibo, Yantai and Weihai, pass through the provincial capital Jinan. High speed trains are available to and from Beijing and Shanghai.
Getting Around:
By Bike: There are bicycles for rent in some hotels or bike rental stores. This is one way to enjoy the city and to get a great workout. If you don't want to do the pedaling, take a ride on the old-fashion pedicabs for a tour of Qingdao.
By Bus: One of the most convenient ways to get around Qingdao are buses that drive past scenic routes and around the city. Standard fare is CNY1, or CNY2 for air conditioned tourist buses.The tourist buses go to many points of interest throughout town. There is even a morning bus leaving from Huaneng Square that will take passengers to Laoshan, about an hour out of town. Check with the conductors for return times and meeting points.
By Taxi: Taxis are another popular form of transportation around the city. They are available at airports, hotels and can be flagged down in urban areas. Base fare starts at CNY7 for the first 4 kilometers and CNY1.2 for each additional kilometer. As in all Chinese cities, fares are slightly higher between 10p and 5a. All final fares are rounded up to the nearest yuan. In addition, there is a Qingdao-specific fuel fee of one yuan per ride. Qingdao drivers are overall friendly and honest, but exercise common sense before taking them up on an offer of taking you to a "better" hotel or restaurant than your destination, usually a commission is involved for the driver.
By Air: Qingdao Liuting International Airport (TAO) offers service to destinations around the globe. Its terminals house the following airlines:
Air China (+86 10 6601 6667 / http://www.airchina.com.cn)
Air France (+86 10 6588 1388 / http://www.airfrance.com/)
All Nippon Airways (+86 10 6590 9191 / http://www.ana.co.jp)
British Airways (+86 10 6512 4070 / http://www.british-airways.com/)
China Southern Airlines (+1 86 10 6601 7596 / http://www.cs-air.com/en)
Dragon Airway (+86 10 6518 2533 / http://www.dragonair.com)
Finnair (+86 10 6512 7180 / http://www.finnair.com)
Japan Airlines (+86 10 6513 0888 / http://www.jal.co.jp)
Korean Air (+86 10 6505 0088 / http://www.koreanair.com/)
Lufthansa (+86 10 6465 4488 / http://www.lufthansa.com/)
Northwest (+86 10 6505 3505 / http://www.nwa.com)
Quantas Airways (+86 10 6467 4794 / http://www.quantas.com.au)
Thai Airways (+86 10 6460 8899 / http://www.thaiair.com/)
United (+86 10 6463 8551 / http://www.ual.com)
From the airport:
Bus: Hotel shuttles leave hourly to different parts of the city. Generally they cost CNY15 and arrive to their destinations in about an hour. City buses 117, 120, 121, 305, 306, 373 and 374 also go between the airport and various Qingdao neighborhoods. Costs range from CNY3-5.
By Bus
Qingdao has eight bus stations:
Long Distance Bus Station: 2 Wenzhou Road
West Bus Station: 49 Guantao Road
East Bus Station: 1 Harbin Road
North Bus Station: 352 Xiaobaigan Road
Inner Mongolia Bus Station: 58 Inner Mongolia Road
Railway Bus Station: on the square of the Qingdao Railway Station
By Train
Qingdao has three railway stations:
Qingdao Station: 2 Tai'an Road
Sifang Station: 1 Hai'an Road
Cangkou Station: Siliu Middle Road, Licang District
Most passenger trains go to the main station. All trains to and from Qingdao, with the exception of those going to Zibo, Yantai and Weihai, pass through the provincial capital Jinan. High speed trains are available to and from Beijing and Shanghai.
Getting Around:
By Bike: There are bicycles for rent in some hotels or bike rental stores. This is one way to enjoy the city and to get a great workout. If you don't want to do the pedaling, take a ride on the old-fashion pedicabs for a tour of Qingdao.
By Bus: One of the most convenient ways to get around Qingdao are buses that drive past scenic routes and around the city. Standard fare is CNY1, or CNY2 for air conditioned tourist buses.The tourist buses go to many points of interest throughout town. There is even a morning bus leaving from Huaneng Square that will take passengers to Laoshan, about an hour out of town. Check with the conductors for return times and meeting points.
By Taxi: Taxis are another popular form of transportation around the city. They are available at airports, hotels and can be flagged down in urban areas. Base fare starts at CNY7 for the first 4 kilometers and CNY1.2 for each additional kilometer. As in all Chinese cities, fares are slightly higher between 10p and 5a. All final fares are rounded up to the nearest yuan. In addition, there is a Qingdao-specific fuel fee of one yuan per ride. Qingdao drivers are overall friendly and honest, but exercise common sense before taking them up on an offer of taking you to a "better" hotel or restaurant than your destination, usually a commission is involved for the driver.
more transportation
Frommer's
Planning a Trip
Getting There
Qingdao is well connected by air to many Chinese cities, including Beijing (1 1/4 hr.), Guangzhou (2 hr. 45 min.), and Shanghai (70 min.). Tickets can be purchased at the CAAC office (Minhang Dasha) at Xianggang Zhong Lu 30 (tel. 0532/8577-5555; open 24 hr.). International destinations served include Hong Kong, Seoul, Fukuoka, Tokyo, Pusan, and Bangkok. Dragonair (tel. 0532/8577-6159) has an office at the Hotel Equatorial, Xianggang Zhong Lu 28, as does Japan Airlines (Xianggang Zhong Lu 76; tel. 0532/571-0088). Qingdao's Liu Ting Airport (tel. 0532/8471-5777) is located 30km (19 miles) north of the city; the 40-minute taxi ride costs ¥80 to ¥100 ($10-$13/£5-£6.50). Airport shuttles charging¥15 ($1.95/£1) depart from the Haitian Fandian (Haitian Hotel), and make a stop at the Equatorial Hotel on the hour between 6am and 9pm. The bus also meets incoming flights.
The brand-new D series express trains from Beijing take 5 to 5 1/2 hours (1:05pm D54 and 7:53am D58, 5 hr.; 5:30pm D56, 5 1/2 hr.). The old overnight express train from Beijing (T26) takes 10 hours, and a slow overnight train from Shanghai (K29) takes 19 1/2 hours. Several trains a day connect to Weifang (2 hr.), Zibo (3-4 hr.), Ji'nan (4-5 1/2 hr.), Tai Shan (6 hr.), and Qufu/Yanzhou (7 hr.). Tickets can be bought at the railway station (tel. 0532/8297-5207) at Hai'an Lu 1, 5 days in advance.
The long-distance bus station is in the northern part of town, but the bus station (tel. 0532/8371-8060) just outside the railway station should serve most travelers' needs. Intra-province buses depart from the lot south of the railway station for Weifang (every 40 min. 6:40am-5:20pm; 2 hr. 40 min.; ¥37-¥44/$4.80-$5.70/£2.40-£2.85) and Ji'nan (every 30 min. 6:50am-4pm; 5 hr.; ¥95-¥99/$12-$13/£6-£6.50). Purchase your tickets at the little green kiosks. Long-distance sleeper buses depart from the front of the railway station for destinations farther afield such as Shanghai (noon, 5pm, 6pm, 7pm, 8pm; 11 hr.; ¥218/$28/£14) and Hangzhou (3:50pm; 14 hr.).
Ferries to Incheon, South Korea, run four times a week. Tickets can be bought at the Qingdao Port Passenger Terminal (Qingdao Gang Keyun Zhan) at Xinjiang Lu 6 (tel. 0532/8282-5001).
Getting Around
Downtown and the German Quarter can be toured on foot, but taxis and buses are more convenient ways to get to some of the beaches and attractions farther afield. Taxis charge ¥7 (85¢/40p) for 3km (2 miles), then ¥1.20 (15¢/10p) per kilometer until 6km (5 miles), when the price rises to ¥1.80 (25¢/10p) per kilometer; prices after 10pm rise to ¥1.80 (25¢/10p) per kilometer and ¥2.40 (30¢/15p) per kilometer respectively. Bus nos. 26 and 301 run from the railway station along the southern edge of the peninsula toward the commercial district on Xianggang Zhong Lu; the fare is ¥1 (15¢/10p).
Visitor Information
A Tourism and Information Service Center (tel. 0532/8296-2000; open 8:30am-5:30pm) is located 200m (656 ft.) to the left when you exit the railway station. They can provide information and direct travelers to sights and accommodations.
Tours & Guides
If you haven't become frustrated enough by other CITS offices around the country, you can give this one a shot. It's is located at Xianggang Xi Lu 73 (tel. 0532/8389-3001; fax 0532/8389-3013). For the latest information on the city and the rest of the province, look for the monthly English-language Red Star magazine, available at most international hotels or on the Internet at www.myredstar.com.cn.
Fast Facts
Banks, Foreign Exchange and ATMs -- The Bank of China at Yunxiao Lu 1 (tel. 0532/8286-1234) has an ATM on premises and is open for foreign exchange Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 5:30pm, Saturday and Sunday from 9:30am to 4pm. Another branch at Zhongshan Lu 68 has similar hours. An HSBC ATM is also conveniently located inside the Crowne Plaza Hotel (Yizhong Huangguan Jiari Jiudian).
Internet Access -- If you're traveling with your own laptop, most hotels offer free in-room high-speed Internet connections. There is a small Internet cafe across from the post office on Anhui Lu. It's open from 9am to midnight.
Post Office -- Located at Anhui Lu 5 (open 8am-6pm) and another in the commercial district at Xianggang Zhong Lu 56 (open 8:30am-5:30pm).
Visa Extensions -- The PSB office for visa extensions (tel. 0532/8579-2555, ext. 2860; open Mon-Fri 8:30-11:30am and 1:30-5:30pm) is inconveniently located in the eastern part of town at Ningxia Lu 272. Bus no. 301 runs there from the railway station.
Planning a Trip
Getting There
Qingdao is well connected by air to many Chinese cities, including Beijing (1 1/4 hr.), Guangzhou (2 hr. 45 min.), and Shanghai (70 min.). Tickets can be purchased at the CAAC office (Minhang Dasha) at Xianggang Zhong Lu 30 (tel. 0532/8577-5555; open 24 hr.). International destinations served include Hong Kong, Seoul, Fukuoka, Tokyo, Pusan, and Bangkok. Dragonair (tel. 0532/8577-6159) has an office at the Hotel Equatorial, Xianggang Zhong Lu 28, as does Japan Airlines (Xianggang Zhong Lu 76; tel. 0532/571-0088). Qingdao's Liu Ting Airport (tel. 0532/8471-5777) is located 30km (19 miles) north of the city; the 40-minute taxi ride costs ¥80 to ¥100 ($10-$13/£5-£6.50). Airport shuttles charging¥15 ($1.95/£1) depart from the Haitian Fandian (Haitian Hotel), and make a stop at the Equatorial Hotel on the hour between 6am and 9pm. The bus also meets incoming flights.
The brand-new D series express trains from Beijing take 5 to 5 1/2 hours (1:05pm D54 and 7:53am D58, 5 hr.; 5:30pm D56, 5 1/2 hr.). The old overnight express train from Beijing (T26) takes 10 hours, and a slow overnight train from Shanghai (K29) takes 19 1/2 hours. Several trains a day connect to Weifang (2 hr.), Zibo (3-4 hr.), Ji'nan (4-5 1/2 hr.), Tai Shan (6 hr.), and Qufu/Yanzhou (7 hr.). Tickets can be bought at the railway station (tel. 0532/8297-5207) at Hai'an Lu 1, 5 days in advance.
The long-distance bus station is in the northern part of town, but the bus station (tel. 0532/8371-8060) just outside the railway station should serve most travelers' needs. Intra-province buses depart from the lot south of the railway station for Weifang (every 40 min. 6:40am-5:20pm; 2 hr. 40 min.; ¥37-¥44/$4.80-$5.70/£2.40-£2.85) and Ji'nan (every 30 min. 6:50am-4pm; 5 hr.; ¥95-¥99/$12-$13/£6-£6.50). Purchase your tickets at the little green kiosks. Long-distance sleeper buses depart from the front of the railway station for destinations farther afield such as Shanghai (noon, 5pm, 6pm, 7pm, 8pm; 11 hr.; ¥218/$28/£14) and Hangzhou (3:50pm; 14 hr.).
Ferries to Incheon, South Korea, run four times a week. Tickets can be bought at the Qingdao Port Passenger Terminal (Qingdao Gang Keyun Zhan) at Xinjiang Lu 6 (tel. 0532/8282-5001).
Getting Around
Downtown and the German Quarter can be toured on foot, but taxis and buses are more convenient ways to get to some of the beaches and attractions farther afield. Taxis charge ¥7 (85¢/40p) for 3km (2 miles), then ¥1.20 (15¢/10p) per kilometer until 6km (5 miles), when the price rises to ¥1.80 (25¢/10p) per kilometer; prices after 10pm rise to ¥1.80 (25¢/10p) per kilometer and ¥2.40 (30¢/15p) per kilometer respectively. Bus nos. 26 and 301 run from the railway station along the southern edge of the peninsula toward the commercial district on Xianggang Zhong Lu; the fare is ¥1 (15¢/10p).
Visitor Information
A Tourism and Information Service Center (tel. 0532/8296-2000; open 8:30am-5:30pm) is located 200m (656 ft.) to the left when you exit the railway station. They can provide information and direct travelers to sights and accommodations.
Tours & Guides
If you haven't become frustrated enough by other CITS offices around the country, you can give this one a shot. It's is located at Xianggang Xi Lu 73 (tel. 0532/8389-3001; fax 0532/8389-3013). For the latest information on the city and the rest of the province, look for the monthly English-language Red Star magazine, available at most international hotels or on the Internet at www.myredstar.com.cn.
Fast Facts
Banks, Foreign Exchange and ATMs -- The Bank of China at Yunxiao Lu 1 (tel. 0532/8286-1234) has an ATM on premises and is open for foreign exchange Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 5:30pm, Saturday and Sunday from 9:30am to 4pm. Another branch at Zhongshan Lu 68 has similar hours. An HSBC ATM is also conveniently located inside the Crowne Plaza Hotel (Yizhong Huangguan Jiari Jiudian).
Internet Access -- If you're traveling with your own laptop, most hotels offer free in-room high-speed Internet connections. There is a small Internet cafe across from the post office on Anhui Lu. It's open from 9am to midnight.
Post Office -- Located at Anhui Lu 5 (open 8am-6pm) and another in the commercial district at Xianggang Zhong Lu 56 (open 8:30am-5:30pm).
Visa Extensions -- The PSB office for visa extensions (tel. 0532/8579-2555, ext. 2860; open Mon-Fri 8:30-11:30am and 1:30-5:30pm) is inconveniently located in the eastern part of town at Ningxia Lu 272. Bus no. 301 runs there from the railway station.
