Kunming Airport to the City Centre: Metro Line 6 for CNY 6
Metro Line 6 runs from underneath the terminal to Tangzixiang in the city centre in about 33 minutes, for CNY 6, with no transfer and no traffic.
Riding Line 6
- Find the station. It is called Airport Center (机场中心) and sits on level B2 of the terminal. Follow the metro signs down from arrivals.
- Buy a ticket. Bilingual machines take notes and coins; Alipay and WeChat Pay transport QR codes work at the gates. A Kunming Transportation Card takes 10% off.
- Take any train. Airport Center is the end of the line, so every departure heads toward Tangzixiang. Eight stations, trains every 10 minutes. The fare is distance-banded, from CNY 2 to CNY 6.
- Get off at the terminus. Tangzixiang (塘子巷) is the interchange with Line 2 and is in the downtown street grid.
The first train leaves the airport at 06:20 and the last at 23:00. Land later than that and you are on the bus or a taxi.
Bus and taxi
Airport shuttle bus No. 2 (空港快线) goes to Kunming Railway Station via the Xinying residential area and Taili Hotel, CNY 25 a seat, first departure 08:00 and the last one timed to the final arrivals, around 02:00. Buy at the counter on B1 or through the Yunnan Airport Express mini-program.
Taxis pick up on B1 opposite Gate 3. The meter starts at CNY 8 for the first 3 km, then CNY 1.8 per km; between 22:00 and 06:00 it is CNY 9.6 and CNY 2.1 per km. Add the CNY 10 airport expressway toll. Downtown comes to CNY 80–120 and takes 35–45 minutes. The 7–9am and 5–7pm windows cost more, because the meter runs on time as well as distance. Didi is priced about the same and is easier if you have no cash.
Which one
| Option | Cost | Time | Runs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metro Line 6 | CNY 6 | ~33 min to Tangzixiang | 06:20–23:00 |
| Airport bus No. 2 | CNY 25 | ~50 min to Kunming Railway Station | 08:00–~02:00 |
| Taxi or Didi | CNY 80–120 | 35–45 min | 24 hours |
For high-speed trains onward, change at Juhua (菊华) to Line 4 for Kunming South Railway Station. Long-distance fares are worth comparing the main booking sites before you commit to a departure.
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Last checked: 2026-10-28
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