Transportation

The offshore city of Shantou in southern China is easily accessible. Its Waisha Airport is located northeast of the city and is served by more than forty airlines to cities foreign and domestic. The modern facilities at busy Waisha allow quick and efficient movement of goods and passengers. The 'Guangzhou-Meizhou-Shantou' Railway traverses Shantou and extends to the middle and eastern parts of Guangdong Province. It also links up with the 'Beijing-Kowloon' Railway that runs across nine provinces and numerous cities. This comprehensive rail network enables tourists to reach Shantou from most cities in China.

Another method of getting to Shantou is by long distance bus. There are several national highways emanating from Shantou to west, north and south. Shantou has six stations operating buses every day to neighboring cities and counties.

Shantou has long played an essential role in transporting goods to other ports in China. Recently, its passenger transport business has experienced rapid growth. Shantou International Passengers Port has ships to many cities in Hainan Province as well as other cities including Guangzhou and Hong Kong. Other ports have shorter cruises to nearby counties and cities.

There's a variety of ways to explore Shantou. City buses are the most economical choice ranging from CNY1 to CNY6 for a whole journey. Of course, taxis are available. While more comfortable and convenient than the buses, Shantou taxi rates are relatively higher than those of most Chinese cities. Another interesting way is to go by boat. There are several cruise boats that will take you to tourist destinations such as Que Shi Scenic Spot and Nan Ao Ecological Tourist Area. Cruises around the harbor featuring the ship named 'Golden Phoenix' are worth trying, although they are only available in the summer.

The following pages will present more detailed information about getting to and around the city.

Getting There

By Air

Shantou Waisha Airport (SWA) is located about 13 kilometers (eight miles) northeast of the urban city. With modern and advanced facilities, it serves as one of the busiest and important airports in China. The Airport has airlines to many cities of China such as Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Wuhan, Changsha and other cities abroad like Bangkok, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. From the airport to the city center, you can take the airport shuttle buses that cost you only about CNY10.
Ticket Selling Address:
2nd floor, Bank of Communications, West Mansion, No.83, East Jin Sha Road
Enquiries Phone:
0754-8604031 (International Airlines)
0754-8251915 (National Airlines)

By Train

Shantou Railway Station is one of the most important transport centers of Guangdong Province. You can get there from many cities, including Guangzhou, Jiujiang, Maoming, Shenzhen, Wuchang and Nanchang. For the detailed information about the schedules, you can check our China trains. The station is in the east of the city where you can take city-buses like No.2, No.4, No.6, No.8, No.11 and No.12 to go to the urban city.
Enquiries Phone: 0754-6338172

By Long-distance Bus

Many highways of the nation pass through Shantou, making it quite easy to get to the city by long distance buses. There are six long distance bus stations, of which the most important is the Shantou Central Long Distance Bus Station; that is near the railway station on the Taishan Road. Buses in the station can reach many cities both in Guangdong Province and in other provinces like Fujian, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Guangxi, Hunan, Hubei, Henan, Anhui, Hainan, Jiangsu, Shandong and Sichuan. Also, there are buses directly to Shanghai and Macao. After you arrive at the station, many city buses are at your service to carry you around the city, such as No.2, No.4, No.6, No.8, No.11, No.12, No.31 and No.103.
Enquiries Phone: 0754-6330988, 0754-6330986
Complaints Phone: 0754-6330989