Datong is a small city in Shanxi Province (山西省), which has a long history and is rich in tourism resources. It’s only 18 kilometers away from the World Cultural Heritage Site called the Yungang Grottoes and 88 kilometers away from Mount Heng.

The Yungang Grottoes in Datong

The Yungang Grottoes in Datong

Travelers often take a train to Datong, and Datong Railway Station is the most commonly used station, serving many trains that operate between famous tourist cities, such as Beijing, Pingyao, Taiyuan, and Hohhot.

  • Name in Chinese: 大同站 Dàtóng Zhàn
  • Address: Zhanqian Street, Chengqu District
  • Address in Chinese: 大同市平城区站前街
  • Station Size: six platforms, 12 lines
  • Nearby transportation: buses, taxis

Popular Trains to Datong Railway Station

Please note that Datong Railway Station only serves normal-speed trains. Here are some popular train routes:

  • Beijing–Datong: There are five pairs of normal-speed trains running daily between Beijing Railway Station and Datong. The journey takes about 6½ hours and costs 99.5 yuan per hard sleeper ticket.
  • Taiyuan–Datong: There are 10 normal-speed trains running daily between Taiyuan Railway Station and Datong. It takes 5½ hours and costs 97.5 yuan per hard sleeper ticket.
  • Pingyao–Datong: Four normal-speed trains per day run to Datong Railway Station from Pingyao Railway Station. The duration is about 7 hours and it costs about 115 yuan per hard sleeper ticket.
  • Hohhot–Datong: Fourteen normal-speed trains operate on this route daily. The journey takes about 4 hours and costs 89.5 yuan per hard sleeper ticket.
  • Datong–Zhangjiajie: There are no direct trains from Datong to Zhangjiajie, but you can transfer at Changsha Railway Station (长沙站).
    First, take a normal-speed train from Datong Railway Station to Changsha Railway Station. That takes about 21 hours and costs 370 yuan per hard sleeper ticket.
    Then take a normal-speed train from Changsha Railway Station to Zhangjiajie Railway Station. The duration is about 5 hours and it costs about 54.5 yuan per hard seat ticket.
  • Datong–Wutaishan: There are no direct trains from Datong to Wutaishan so transferring at Xinzhou Railway Station (忻州站) is recommended.
    First, take a normal-speed train from Datong Railway Station to Xinzhou Railway Station. That takes about 4 hours and costs 41.5 yuan per hard seat ticket.
    Then take a normal-speed train from Xinzhou Railway Station to Wutaishan. The journey takes about 3 hours and costs 23.5 yuan per hard seat ticket.

Check all the train schedules to Datong in our China Train Booking app.
Further reading: Overnight Trains in China: Experience Long Journeys the Good Old Way!

The Layout of Datong Railway Station

datong-railway

Datong Railway Station comprises a two-floor main hall with three waiting rooms, a station square, and an independent ticket building (on the right-hand side of the main hall).

Datong Railway Station

Datong Railway Station

Here are the specific functions for each floor:
  • F2 (main floor): waiting room 2, waiting room 3, toilets, water fountains
  • F1: waiting room 1, service desk, toilets, left luggage service (see the details below), water fountains, toilets
  • Station square: taxi stands and bus stops

Collecting Tickets and Boarding Trains at Datong Railway Station

  1. Go to the independent ticket building on the right-hand side of the main hall to collect your ticket(s) (How to Collect Train Tickets in China).
  2. Take your ticket(s) and passport(s) to enter the main hall and go through the security check.
  3. Find the correct waiting room and wait to board.

Find out how to locate the right waiting room, boarding gate, and platform to get on your train: How to Board Trains in China.

Left Baggage Service at Datong Railway Station

  • Location: the left-hand side of the ticket office on F1
  • Opening hours: It is open 24/7.
  • Price: 5–10 yuan (the actual charge is based on the size of the luggage)

Learn the detailed steps of how to consign your baggage at the railway station: Baggage Rules of China Rail.

Transportation from Datong Railway Station

Bus

Available buses: 4, 15, 30, 42, 70, 601, 603

There are bus stops in front of the station square. It usually costs 1–3 yuan for a bus ticket. Here are some popular routes:

  • Bus 4: Datong Railway Station – Datong Park (大同公园)
  • Bus 15: Datong Railway Station – Datong Coach Station (大同客运站)
  • Bus 42: Datong Railway Station – Datong Fantawild Adventure (大同方特欢乐世界)
  • Bus 603: Datong Railway Station – the Yungang Grottoes (云冈石窟)

Taxi

You can find the taxi stands in front of the station square and near the bus stops.

  • For journeys by day, the starting price is 7 yuan for the first 3 kilometers and 1.6 yuan for every additional kilometer.
  • For nighttime journeys, the starting price is 7 yuan for the first 3 kilometers and 2.1 yuan for every additional kilometer.

Getting to Other Places from Datong Railway Station

To Datong Coach Station, 9 Kilometers

Datong Coach Station is located in Yantong Road (雁同路) and it serves coaches to many major cities in North China, such as Beijing, Taiyuan, and Tianjin.

As it is sometimes difficult to purchase tickets for the trains operating in Datong, you can always choose to take a coach instead, if all the train tickets have been sold out.

Here are the detailed steps to reach Datong Coach Station from Datong Railway:

>>> By bus:
1. Take bus 15 at Datong Railway Station’s bus station.
2. Get off at Weidu Avenue (魏都大道).
This journey takes about 31 minutes and costs 1 yuan.

>>> By taxi (recommended): The duration takes 15 minutes and costs about 20 yuan.

To Datong Yungang Airport, 23 Kilometers

Datong Yungang Airport (大同云冈机场) is in Datong County. You can get there by bus or taxi. Here are the specific steps:

>>> By bus and airport express:
1. Take bus 601 at Datong Railway Station.
2. Get off at Third People’s Hospital (三医院) Bus Station
3. Walk along Yingbin Street (迎宾街) for 700 meters until you reach Datong Hotel (大同宾馆). You can buy a free airport express ticket at the hotel.
This journey takes about 5½ hours and costs 3 yuan.

>>> By taxi: The journey takes about 35 minutes and costs about 40 yuan.

Language Assistance

To a passerby:
“ 您好, 请问怎样去大同宾馆?”
“ Hello, could you please tell me how to get to Datong Hotel?”

To the ticketing assistant:
“ 您好,我要买去云冈机场的大巴票。”
“ Hello, I’d like to buy a bus ticket to Yungang Airport.”

To the Yungang Grottoes, 18 Kilometers

The Yungang Grottoes site is classed as one of China's four most famous "Buddhist Caves Art Treasure Houses".

The Yungang Grottoes

The Yungang Grottoes

You can take a bus or taxi from Datong Railway Station to the Yungang Grottoes. Here are the steps:

>>> By bus:
1. Take bus 603 at Datong Railway Station’s bus station (大同站).
2. Get off at Yungang Station (云冈站).
This journey takes about 1 hour and costs 3 yuan.

>>> By taxi: The duration takes half an hour and costs about 35 yuan.

To Mount Heng (恒山), 88 Kilometers

Mount Heng is one of the Five Great Mountains of China, and the famous Hanging Monastery (悬空寺) stands at the foot of it. It’s a famous attraction with its charming natural beauty and its Taoist culture.

The Hanging Monastery in Datong

The Hanging Monastery in Datong

>>> By bus and coach:
1. Take bus 15 at Datong Railway Station’s bus station.
2. Get off at Weidu Avenue (魏都大道).
3. Go to the station counter and buy a bus ticket to Hunyuan (浑源).

The duration takes 2 hours and costs about 35 yuan.

>>> By taxi: The duration takes 1½ hours and costs about 60 yuan.

Booking Train Tickets to Datong

Want to travel to Datong? You are welcome to book train tickets to this historical city using our China Train Booking app. We will secure your train ticket(s) within 3 minutes.

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August 20, 2018 Published by: Virginia Fu