Every practical route from Guilin and Yangshuo — buses, private cars, self-drive and tours, with honest times and costs.
Bottom line: Longji is 95 km and about 2.5 hours from Guilin. The direct tourist bus is cheapest at around ¥50; a private car is fastest and least stressful at ¥300-400. From Yangshuo you usually route back via Guilin, so a car or tour is the practical choice.
Longji sits in the mountains north of Guilin. Most travellers start from Guilin city; Yangshuo is possible but adds hours. The three practical ways are bus, private car, and self-drive.
Take a bus from Guilin South Bus Station to Longsheng (about ¥40, 2 hours), then a local minibus or shared van up to the terraces (about ¥15-25, 45 minutes). Direct tourist buses also run from Guilin to the Longji entrance gates in peak season for roughly ¥50 and save the transfer.
A hired car costs about ¥300-500 per day from Guilin and is the least stressful option. The driver handles the mountain road and drops you near your village gate. Good for groups and anyone staying overnight.
The route is about 80 km from Guilin to the entrance gates, then a narrow mountain road the final 25-30 km. Allow 2 hours in good conditions. You need a valid Chinese licence. Park at the entrance and walk or take a shuttle into the villages.
| Option | Time | Approx. cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direct tourist bus | about 2.5 h | around ¥50 per person | Budget travellers, no car |
| Public bus via Longsheng | 3-3.5 h with transfer | ¥30-50 | Cheapest, more hassle |
| Private car & driver | about 2 h | ¥300-400 for the day | Small groups, door-to-door |
| Self-drive | about 2 h | rental from ¥150/day + fuel | Flexibility, sunrise starts |
Direct tourist bus is the standard budget choice. Departures are concentrated in the morning, so an early start matters if you are day-tripping. Buses drop you at the entrance gates, from where you still need the scenic-area shuttle or a walk to reach your village.
Public bus via Longsheng is cheaper but slower and involves a transfer in Longsheng town. It is a reasonable fallback if the direct tourist buses are full during the autumn harvest peak.
Private car and driver is often the best value for two or three people. You leave when you want, get dropped closer to your village, and skip the shuttle queue entirely — worth it in the harvest season when buses are packed.
Self-drive gives you sunrise and sunset, which is the whole point of staying overnight. Read the driving notes below before you commit.
There is no direct link between Yangshuo and Longji — the terraces are north of Guilin, and Yangshuo is south of it. Realistically you go back through Guilin.
| Option | Total time | Approx. cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private car via Guilin | 3-4 h each way | ¥500-700 for the day | Most practical; long day |
| Organised tour with pickup | full day | ¥300-600 per person | Hassle-free, fixed schedule |
| Bus + bus via Guilin | 4.5-5 h each way | ¥70-100 | Cheapest but not realistic in one day |
Our honest advice: do not attempt Longji as a day trip from Yangshuo. It is four-plus hours of driving for a few hours on the terraces. Either move to Guilin or Longji for a night, or save Longji for a trip where you can sleep near the viewpoints. See where to base your trip.
Once through the gate, the area is car-free. Three methods cover everything:
Full village and ticket detail is in our Longji Rice Terraces guide, and the bus-only version is in the day trip guide.
Ping'an is compact with easier paths and suits a short visit or families. Dazhai (Jinkeng) is larger and more dramatic with the cable car and the better sunrise, and rewards an overnight stay. Pick one unless you have a full day to hike between them.
The return journey is where day-trippers come unstuck. Direct tourist buses back to Guilin are concentrated in the morning and early afternoon; miss the last one and you are negotiating with a private driver or hunting a shared car.
Most hotels inside the terraces have no vehicle access, so your bag has to walk up stone paths with you. Two options: leave the main luggage at your Guilin hotel or in left-luggage at the station and carry an overnight bag, or arrange a porter through your guesthouse. Porters are common, inexpensive relative to the effort saved, and worth booking ahead in peak season.
If you are driving, the same applies from the car park — pack light for the night and leave the rest in the car.
Your ticket covers the scenic area, but the two village clusters sit at different gates. Tell your driver or bus operator which one you are going to — being dropped at the wrong gate costs an hour. If you are staying overnight, send your guesthouse name to the driver in advance; local drivers know the properties and will aim for the closest legal drop-off.
Almost always, yes. A day trip gives you the middle of the day, which is when the terraces are at their least interesting — flat light and the largest crowds. Staying overnight buys you sunset, sunrise, and the quiet hours either side of the tour buses.
It also removes the single biggest risk of a Longji day trip: the return leg. With a night booked, there is no last bus to catch and no scrambling for a driver in the dark. If your schedule can possibly stretch, sleep on the mountain.
Four main options: a direct tourist bus (about 2.5 hours, around ¥50), public bus via Longsheng, a private car and driver (about 2 hours, ¥300-400), or self-drive. There is no train.
Yes, but it is indirect — most travellers return to Guilin first. A private car or an organised tour is the practical choice; budget around 3-4 hours each way via Guilin.
The final 25-30 km are narrow mountain road with switchbacks, limited passing places and occasional fog. It is manageable in daylight if you drive slowly, but arrive before dark and avoid the return after sunset.
Yes. Cars stop at paid lots at the entrance gates; the villages inside are car-free. From Ping'an parking it is a 20-40 minute uphill walk, and Dazhai has a cable car option.
Most visitors pick one. Hiking between them takes most of a day on steep paths; otherwise return to the main road and use a shuttle or hired car.
Take a bus from Guilin South Bus Station to Longsheng (¥40, 2 hours), then a local minibus to the terraces. Or hire a car for ¥300-500/day.
It is possible but long — 3 hours each way via Guilin. Better to stay one night.
Our self-drive guide covers licences, rental costs and mountain-road safety.
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