Huanglongjiuzhai – Jiuzhaigou: by Bus, Didi Taxi or Shared Van

You’ve made it to Huanglongjiuzhai Station — now you need to get to Jiuzhaigou Valley. Here’s exactly how, based on my firsthand experience. The station sits at 2,977 meters (9,767 ft) in Chuanzhusi Town, and Jiuzhaigou Valley entrance is still ~90 km away. You have several options: official shuttle bus (cheapest), shared van (fastest), ride-hailing (hit or miss), private transfer (most comfortable), or hotel pickup (free if your hotel offers it). Here’s the full breakdown for 2025–2026.

Jack’s Travel Vlog: Chengdu to Jiuzhaigou by Train & Bus

Jack says: “I filmed the whole thing — stepping off the train at Huanglongjiuzhai, finding the bus, the ride through the mountains, and arriving at Jiuzhaigou. Watch this to see exactly what to expect.”
https://youtu.be/IqS6_eRF7fw
Bus from Huanglongjiuzhai Station to Jiuzhaigou or Huanglong (Through bus & Book online). Chengdu to Huanglongjiuzhai train. Shuangliu Airport to Huanglongjiuzhai train. Leshan / Emeishan to Huanglongjiuzhai train
Hotels in Jiuzhaigou for foreign tourists, Hotels near Chengdu East Station
Huanglong National Park (entrance ticket, cableway), Jiuzhaigou Park (entrance ticket, sightseeing bus, shuttle bus), Chengdu Panda Base

All Transport Options at a Glance

OptionDurationPriceReliabilityBest For
Official Shuttle Bus~2 hrs¥51/person⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Very reliable — timed to trainsMost travelers. Cheapest, most predictable.
Shared Van~1.5–2 hrs¥60–70/person⭐⭐⭐⭐ Good — on demandWhen the official bus is sold out or you want to leave immediately.
Ride-hailing (Didi/Amap)~1.5–2 hrs~¥116–250 (reported range)⭐⭐⭐ Spotty — driver availability variesGroups of 2–3; when you want door-to-door without negotiating.
Private Transfer (Pre-booked)~1.5–2 hrs¥600–850/car⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reliable — pre-arrangedGroups of 4+, late arrivals, or if you want the driver to wait.
Hotel Pickup~1.5–2 hrsFree or ¥50–100⭐⭐⭐⭐ Depends on hotelIf your Jiuzhaigou hotel offers it — ask when booking!

Option 1: Official Shuttle Bus (Recommended) — But Two Different Booking Platforms!

This is what most travelers use. The official shuttle buses are parked directly outside the station square, timed to meet arriving trains, run by the Jiuzhaigou Tourism Group — and the ride costs ¥51 per person either way. ⚠️ Critical for foreign travelers: There are TWO different ways to book this bus, and they are NOT the same service. They use different stop points, different booking systems, and are accessible to foreigners in different ways. Here’s the breakdown:
九旅悦行 (Jiulv Yuexing) ⭐Trip.com (携程 / Ctrip)
What it isThe official Jiuzhaigou Tourism Group direct bus — the actual operating companyA third-party platform reselling bus tickets from various operators
How to bookWeChat Mini-Program “九旅悦行” (Chinese-only, requires Chinese phone number)Trip.com website/app — English interface, international credit cards accepted, no Chinese phone needed
Price¥51/person (standard coach)¥51+ (varies by vehicle type — regular coach, VIP coach, business van, or sedan)
Vehicle typesStandard tourist coach (39–50 seats) — one vehicle type, no upgradesRegular coach, VIP coach (2+1 seating), business van (7–9 seats), sedan (5 seats) — multiple tiers
Stops — Station → Jiuzhaigou10 specific stops (see table below) — hits major resort hotels like InterContinental, Howard Johnson, Hualuxe, plus park-entrance parking lots
Stops — Jiuzhaigou → Station7 specific stops (see return table below)Similar generic stops in reverse
Best forTravelers with a Chinese phone number who want the most stops and most hotel-convenient drop-offsForeign travelers without a Chinese phone number — the easiest way to pre-book in English before arriving
Station ticket boothYes — buy on-site at the station square booth (cash/WeChat/Alipay). Same buses.
Jack’s take: “If you have a Chinese phone number and can use WeChat Mini-Programs, 九旅悦行 is the real deal — it’s the actual bus operator, and their stops are more useful (right at major hotels). Trip.com pre-booking is the practical choice — English interface, international payment, done. The ride itself is the same road, same ~2 hours. The difference is where you get dropped off. Before booking, check which platform’s stop is closest to your hotel.”

九旅悦行 (Jiulv Yuexing) — Official Direct Bus: Full Stop List

This is the official Jiuzhaigou Tourism Group bus. Book via WeChat Mini-Program “九旅悦行” or buy at the station booth. All stops are listed in the actual driving order — the bus follows this route from the station through the hotel/resort zone to the park entrance area.

🚌 Station → Jiuzhaigou Valley (去程 bound for Jiuzhaigou)

#Stop (English)Stop (Chinese)Notes
1Huanglongjiuzhai Railway Station黄龙九寨高铁站Pick-up only — the station square parking lot
2InterContinental Jiuzhai Paradise九寨天堂洲际大饭店Luxury resort — first drop-off in the Jiuzhaigou area, ~15 km before the park entrance
3Jiuzhai Hualuxe Resort East Square九寨华美胜地旅游度假区东广场Large resort complex with multiple hotels (Hualuxe, Holiday Inn, etc.)
4Howard Johnson Tianyuan Resort九寨沟天源豪生度假酒店Major international hotel — convenient stop if staying here
5Jiuzhai Cloud Street (Zangcangcang / Dolanda S Hotel)九寨云街(藏客仓,朵兰达 S酒店)Commercial street + boutique hotel area
6Shuangliudi双柳地站Residential/local area stop
7Hanting Hotel Jiuzhaigou九寨沟汉庭酒店Budget chain hotel — practical stop for budget travelers
8Moon Bay Parking Lot月亮湾停车场Large parking area ~10 min walk to park entrance
9 ⭐Zangwang Yanwu Parking Lot (Pengfeng Village)藏王宴舞停车场(彭丰村)~600 meters from Jiuzhaigou Valley entrance — closest stop to the park gate!
10 ⭐Guoda Parking Lot国大停车场Also near park entrance — alternate main drop-off

🔁 Jiuzhaigou Valley → Station (返程 Bound for Huanglongjiuzhai Station)

#Stop (English)Stop (Chinese)Notes
1Guoda Parking Lot国大停车场Main pick-up point near park entrance
2Zangwang Yanwu Parking Lot (Pengfeng Village)藏王宴舞停车场(彭丰村)~600m from park entrance — second main pick-up
3Moon Bay Parking Lot月亮湾停车场
4Jiuzhai Cloud Street (Zangcangcang / Dolanda S Hotel)九寨云街(藏客仓,朵兰达 S酒店)
5Jiuzhai Hualuxe Resort East Square九寨华美胜地旅游度假区东广场
6Huanglongjiuzhai Railway Station黄龙九寨高铁站Drop-off only — station square
How to book 九旅悦行:WeChat Mini-Program: Search “九旅悦行” in WeChat → select route → pay via WeChat Pay. Requires a Chinese phone number for verification. – Station ticket booth: Buy on arrival at the booth in the station square. ¥51, cash or WeChat/Alipay. No Chinese number needed for on-site purchase. – Tip: Stops and schedules may adjust — always check the mini-program for real-time departure times and stop availability before heading to your pick-up point.

Trip.com (携程) — Third-Party Bus Booking: Full Stop List

Trip.com resells bus tickets from multiple operators serving the Huanglongjiuzhai–Jiuzhaigou route. The stops listed on Trip.com are typically:
  • Luneng Town Bridge (鲁能小镇桥头) — near the Luneng commercial complex, ~3 km from park entrance
  • Qianguqing Parking Lot (千古情停车场) — near the Jiuzhaigou Qianguqing Theater, a major landmark
  • Opposite Tiantangkou Moon Bay Parking Lot (天堂口月亮湾停车场对面)
  • Orange Hotel (橘子酒店) — convenient if staying at this specific hotel
  • Xingyu Hotel (星宇酒店) — convenient if staying at this specific hotel
Vehicle types available on Trip.com:Regular coach (39–50 seats) — standard tourist bus, ~¥51 – VIP coach (34–37 seats, 2+1 seating) — more legroom – Business van (7–9 seats) — faster, more flexible – Sedan (5 seats) — private car equivalent, most expensive How to book on Trip.com: www.trip.com/bus/huanglongjiuzhai-jiuzhaigou-ticket — English interface, international cards accepted, instant confirmation. You’ll get an SMS or app notification with the exact pick-up details the night before. Good to know: Trip.com (owned by China’s Ctrip Group) offers online booking for through bus tickets from Huanglongjiuzhai Station to Jiuzhaigou and back. Check availability: www.trip.com/travel-guide/attraction/jiuzhaigou/jiuzhai-valley/.

Option 2: Shared Van

If the official bus is sold out, you’ve just missed one and don’t want to wait, shared vans are your next best bet.
  • Price: ¥60–70 per person (negotiate before getting in — they’ll start higher)
  • Duration: ~1.5–2 hours (slightly faster than the big bus on the winding road)
  • Vehicle: Usually a 6–7 seater business van (别克GL8 or similar)
  • Where to find them: Drivers hang around the station exit, the parking lot, and sometimes inside the square. They’ll call out “Jiuzhaigou!” as you walk out.
  • How it works: They wait until the van is reasonably full (5–6 passengers), then depart. This can take 10–30 minutes depending on passenger flow.
  • Drop-off: They’ll take you to your hotel or the park entrance area — more flexible than the official bus. Show them your hotel address in Chinese.

Option 3: Ride-Hailing (Didi / Amap)

Yes, you can theoretically hail a ride from Huanglongjiuzhai Station to Jiuzhaigou. In practice, it’s hit or miss.
  • Price: Reported anywhere from ¥116 to ¥250 — depends on demand, time of day, and sheer luck
  • Availability: Spotty. The station is in a remote mountain town. Few Didi drivers hang around here waiting for fares — most are dropping off passengers from Jiuzhaigou or Songpan.
  • Best time to try: Midday (11:00–15:00) when there’s more traffic. Early morning and evening — very unlikely to get a match.
  • Apps: Didi (滴滴出行) has an English interface. Amap (高德地图) has better coverage in Sichuan but is Chinese-only.
Bottom line: Don’t count on ride-hailing as your primary plan. It’s a nice backup if you open the app and happen to get a match. But assume you’ll be taking the bus or a shared van.

Option 4: Private Transfer (Pre-Booked)

For groups, families with luggage, late arrivals, or if you just want zero stress — a pre-booked private car is worth the money.
  • Price: ¥600–850 for the full journey (station → Jiuzhaigou). Some drivers offer station → Huanglong → Jiuzhaigou combos for ¥700–900.
  • Duration: ~1.5–2 hours
  • Booking channels: Trip.com private transfers, your hotel (most can arrange one), or local travel agencies on Ctrip/Fliggy
  • Perk: The driver waits with a sign with your name, helps with luggage, and takes you directly to your hotel. No waiting, no negotiating, no shared van roulette.
  • Worth it if: You’re 3+ people (per-person cost approaches the bus), arriving after 19:00, or have lots of luggage.

Option 5: Hotel Pickup (Ask First!)

Many Jiuzhaigou hotels offer free or discounted pickup from Huanglongjiuzhai Station — but you need to ask. This isn’t always advertised on English booking sites. When you book your hotel, message them (Trip.com has a chat feature) and ask: “Do you offer pickup from Huanglongjiuzhai Railway Station?” (你们提供黄龙九寨站接站服务吗?). – Free pickup: More common at mid-range and higher-end hotels (¥400+/night). Often included if you book 2+ nights. – Discounted pickup: ¥50–100 per car — cheaper than a private transfer. – Shared hotel shuttle: Some larger hotels run a minibus that meets specific train arrivals. Ask for the schedule.

Return Trip: Jiuzhaigou Valley → Huanglongjiuzhai Station

Going back to the station after your visit works the same way in reverse:
OptionDurationPriceNotes
Official Shuttle Bus~2 hrs¥51/person九旅悦行: Pick up from Guoda Parking Lot (国大停车场) or Zangwang Yanwu (藏王宴舞停车场, ~600m from park gate) — see the full return stop list above. Trip.com: Pick up from the same drop-off points (Orange Hotel, Xingyu Hotel, Moon Bay area). Book the night before.
Shared Van~1.5–2 hrs¥60–70/personYour hotel can usually arrange one. Or find them near the park entrance bus parking area.
Hotel-arranged Transfer~1.5–2 hrsFree – ¥100Ask at reception the night before — they’ll book you a seat on a shared shuttle or arrange a private car.
jiuzhaigou tourist map

Alternative: Bus from Songpan Station

If you’re arriving at Songpan Station (松潘站) — either because Huanglongjiuzhai tickets were sold out, you took the direct C5786 from Emeishan/Leshan (which terminates at Songpan), or you deliberately chose Songpan to avoid the Huanglongjiuzhai construction chaos — bus connections to Jiuzhaigou are also available. 九旅悦行 operates direct buses from Songpan Station as well.
From HuanglongjiuzhaiFrom Songpan
Distance to Jiuzhaigou~90 km~110–126 km
Bus duration~2 hrs~2.5 hrs
Bus fare¥51¥56
Bus to Huanglong~40–50 min, ¥28~1 hr, ¥33
Station size2 platforms, 4 tracks4 platforms, 10 tracks (larger, less crowded)
NearbyChuanzhusi TownSongzhou Ancient Town (松州古城) — 1,300-year-old Tang Dynasty walled city, ~15 min away
Bottom line: Songpan adds ~30 extra minutes and ¥5 to your bus ride. The trade-off: a bigger, less chaotic station + you can visit Songzhou Ancient Town while you’re there. During the Huanglongjiuzhai construction period (through mid-2026), Songpan is genuinely worth considering. See also: Huanglongjiuzhai Station Guide — Songpan Alternative.

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