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Last update: Jan 2005
Satellite pictures from the area
You may also fly from Beijing or Huhehaote to Chifeng. Hainan Air is flying Beijing-Chifeng on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 16.00, arrival 16.50, from Chifeng 14.20. (2004). Flight ticket from Beijing about 500 RMB one way.
By bus from near Beijing Bei station to Chifeng. Overnight buses are available through Chengde to Chifeng. Price for a sleeping place about 65 RMB. This is a very rought ride. During the Chinese Spring festival it has happened there was absolutely no ticket available for the trains, thus we had to use the overnight bus.
Some trains from Beijing to Chifeng run further through to Tongliao. From there you may take the Jitong train towards Jining Nan and ride along the Jitong line.
From Chifeng there are many buses, oftentimes more than one per hour. Some of them are marked Daban, some Lindong, some Tianshan (which is the same as Chabuga). The road is newly built or repaired, thus the ride is quite smooth. Fares vary between 20 and 30 RMB depending on how spartanic or luxurious the bus is. About three hours bus drive.
To find the bus station, go out of Chifeng railway station, turn to the right into the first road outside the station, and 50 meters further on the left road side is the bus terminal.
About half way to Daban (and Linxi) you pass many brick works, and then a town called Wu Dan. Often you will have to change buses here, but the driver will ask you to do so.
10 km north of this town and 2 km east of the main road is a Mongolian style hotel, called Yu Long Sha Hu Lu You Qu, phone 0476 66328453. Musicians and dancers perform there in summer. A salt lake and sand dunes also belong to this complex.
About 50 km farther nord you come to the river called Xi La Muluen He, at a place called Balin qiao. Here, the road towards Linxi and Daban part. (To Daban 37 km, to Linxi 81 km). This river comes from west of Jingpeng and flows towards Kailu. East of the road bridge here, there are remainings after a Japanese road bridge project from World War II. The final stretch of the road becomes beter and better, and just before Daban we pass Nan Shan, now with stairs all the way up to the top, and the Chaga Muluen He River.
The other possibility to reach Daban is by train along the Jitong railway itself from either Jining or Tongliao.
The Daban bus terminal is in the middle of the town. Go by taxi from the railway station or depot area to the main crossing near a big warehouse, and about 100 meters further south, straight over the crossing. The bus station is on the left roadside then.
The other alternative is the train from either Daban or Tongliao.
To Tongliao you go by train or by air (there is an airport).
Lindong weather forecast. Tongliao weather forecast.
Jingpeng is the name of the railway station, whereas the town is called Keqi (or by the name of ther county: Ke Shi Ke Teng Qi).
Galadesitai is the mongolian name of the railway station of the place known
as Reshui.
The next larger town east of Reshui is Linxi.
From Chifeng there are many buses going to either Jingpeng (Keqi) or Linxi. (Linxi weather report). Take either of the two lines. After 150 km, the road from Chifeng to Daban and to Linxi part at Balin Qiao. The road from Linxi to Reshui and Jingpeng is reached after about 200 km, about 3 km west of Linxi at a sugar factory. From there to Reshui and Jingpeng there are many buses and minibuses. Bus price varies between 20 and 30 RMB. Some white Toyota Hiace minibuses, quite comfortable and fast) charge 40 RMB.Minibus from the crossing or from Linxi to Reshui 5 RMB (if you share with others). Taxi from Linxi to Reshui if you do not share about 50 RMB.
There is also a direct road from Chifeng to Keqi (Jingpeng) with some buses.
Alternatively travel by the trains along the Jitong line. Even the diesel express train stops at both Jingpeng and Galadesitai (Reshui). (Accommodation)
See this online searchable timetable (english). Input "Beijing" and "Chifeng" and click on every train to see the details.
Beijing Nan railway station can be reached by bus no. 20 from Beijing Main Station. Standing in front of Beijing Main Station, walk along the road eastwards (parallel to the railway). Take the southern sidewalk. The bus stop is some 600m east. There is a "No.20" bus stop sign. Do not be confused that the bus initially leaves eastwards. It immediately makes a 180 degree-U-Turn and passes Beijing Main Station square - but without stop, of course ... (provided by Florian Menius)
Bus No. 203 takes you from the city centre (Tian'anmen) to the south station. A taxi is a good idea if you have much luggage or like the more convenient way. A taxi should be below 30 Yuan from Beijing Main and below 40 Yuan from Beijing Xi station (west station).
Beijing Bei station is best reached by subway. Leave at the station called "Xi Zhi Men" on the ring line.
Train ticket prices as of autumn 2004: 156 Yuan 1st class sleeper, 53 Yuan hard seat.
Left luggage office: In Chifeng train station, there is a left luggage office, in the left corner after you step into the entrance. Nice to have if you want to go out and eat.
Be aware that during nighttime, there are few or no buses and taxis running along the roads, and few or no other cars. You should try to get into some town until darkness. In most places there is some cheap Lüdian (small hotel). You may bring a flashlight to help you moving in darkness, as the nights are very dark in China.
During daytime, things are a lot easier. Most of the time you have to wait less than 10 minutes until either a bus or a taxi (minibus) will pass. They all stop on signal. Just put your hand out. This page and the line description gives you an idea of what the greater towns and railway stations are. Ask the bus or taxi driver to bring you into one of these towns. They will gladly assist you in finding a connecting bus or taxi if they do not drive all the way. The minibuses (taxis) are crowded, but very, very cheap.
To phone somebody you know or your hotel, bring either a mobile phone (GSM system) or buy an IC Card for the public phones. Public phones are in most of the larger towns. Otherwise you find them in shops and at kiosks. If you have a standard subscription for your GSM phone from most European countries, it will work in China. Otherwise you may buy a China Telecom or Unicom prepaid subscription. (There is a shop in Beijing at Qian Men square, in the old railway station warehouse, but also a China Telecom shop in the center of Daban. Making calls with a Chinese subscription is definitely cheapest. Fares run from 0.3 yuan per minute, but you also have ot pay for receiving calls. Mobile phone coverage along Jitong line is at most larger towns, i.e. Chabuga, Lindong, Daban, Linxi, Reshui, Jingpeng, Baiqi, Huade, Shangdu, Xilinhaote. Along the Jingpeng pass most of the east side is covered by the antenna at Reshui. On the west side coverage is not total. Above Simingyi bridge there is not much (the relay station is in Jingpeng). Shangdian station has coverage in front of the station building on the platform. In many places, coverage gets better every year.
Thus, what do you do?
Go along the railway until you find a station or level crossing. If you see the main road, go to it and stop the next bus or taxi, otherwise
walk into the next village and find a shop to help you make a call.
If you go along the railway, go to the next station and ask them to
help you.
If anyone is giving you especially much help or good service, report
it to me, and I will include the information in these pages.