When planning a trip to mainland China, the sheer scale of the country can be intimidating. However, thanks to the world’s most advanced and expansive high-speed rail (HSR) network, navigating between majestic ancient wonders, futuristic megacities, and breathtaking natural parks has never been easier.
For international tourists, using the bullet train system is not only incredibly affordable and punctual, but it also allows you to step off the train and find yourself just minutes away from world-class landmarks. To help you design the ultimate seamless itinerary, here is a comprehensive guide to 20 incredible attractions in China located directly adjacent or highly accessible from major railway stations.
Considering dozens of tourist attractions near train stations, we have broken our ultimate architectural guide into two parts. In Part 2, we explore the rest 10 Attractions Located Near Major Railway Stations.
Part 4: Chengdu & Sichuan Experiences
11. Jinli Ancient Street & Wuhou Shrine (Chengdu East Railway Station)
Nearest Station: Chengdu East Railway Station (成都东站)
How to Get There: Take Subway Line 2 to People's Park Station and enjoy a short walk, or take Line 7 and transfer to Line 3 to Gaoshengqiao Station.
Why Visit: Jinli Street offers a lively taste of traditional Sichuan culture, filled with wooden architectures, folk artisan stalls, and incredible street snacks like spicy Dan Dan noodles and sweet rice cakes.
Travel Tip: Use Dazhong Dianping to search for highly-rated local tea houses along the street to experience Chengdu's famous slow-paced lifestyle.
12. Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding (Chengdu East Railway Station)
Nearest Station: Chengdu East Railway Station (成都东站)
How to Get There: Take Subway Line 7 to Simaqiao Station and transfer to Line 3 heading to Panda Avenue Station. Dedicated "Panda Shuttle Buses" run directly from the subway exit to the park entrance.
Why Visit: This world-famous sanctuary lets you see hundreds of giant pandas and rare red pandas roaming in natural bamboo forests. It is the best place on Earth to observe adorable panda cubs in their specialized nursery centers.
Travel Tip: Pandas are only active in the early morning during feeding hours (7:30 AM to 9:30 AM). If you visit in the afternoon, they will most likely be fast asleep!
13. The Leshan Giant Buddha (Leshan Railway Station)
Nearest Station: Leshan Railway Station (乐山站)
How to Get There: Take a direct intercity bullet train from Chengdu East to Leshan Station (about 50 minutes). From Leshan station, hop on local City Bus No. 3 or take a 15-minute ride-hailing vehicle.
Why Visit: Carved directly into the stone cliff faces of Minjiang River during the Tang Dynasty, this 71-meter-tall sitting Buddha is the largest stone Buddha statue in the world. Its toes alone are long enough for several people to sit on!
Travel Tip: You can view the Buddha by climbing down the steep pedestrian stairs alongside its head, or take a scenic river boat cruise to capture the perfect panoramic photo from the water.
Part 5: Central & Southern China Marvels
14. Hongyadong & Jiefangbei (Chongqing North / West Railway Station)
Nearest Station: Chongqing North Railway Station (重庆北站)
How to Get There: Take Chongqing Subway Line 10 or Line 3 directly into downtown, dropping off at Xiaoshizi Station or Linjiangmen Station.
Why Visit: Built along the steep cliffs overlooking the Jialing River, Hongyadong is a multi-level complex of traditional stilt houses. When illuminated at night, it looks exactly like the magical bathhouse from Studio Ghibli’s famous film Spirited Away.
Travel Tip: Chongqing is a "3D city" where the 1st floor and the 11th floor can both lead to open city streets. Trust your Gaode Map app completely for navigating these multi-layered walking routes.
15. The Canton Tower (Guangzhou South Railway Station)
Nearest Station: Guangzhou South Railway Station (广州南站)
How to Get There: Take Subway Line 7 from Guangzhou South to Hanxi Changlong Station, then transfer to Line 3 straight to Canton Tower Station.
Why Visit: Piercing the sky at 600 meters, the Canton Tower is an architectural masterpiece featuring a distinct twisting "slender waist" silhouette. The observation decks offer incredible views over the Pearl River Delta.
Travel Tip: Book a night ticket to enjoy the world's highest horizontal Ferris wheel (Bubble Tram) rotating along the top edge of the tower structure.
16. Window of the World & OCT Loft (Shenzhen North Railway Station)
Nearest Station: Shenzhen North Railway Station (深圳北站)
How to Get There: Take Subway Line 4 directly from Shenzhen North to Civic Center Station, then transfer to Line 1 straight to Window of the World Station.
Why Visit: Shenzhen is China's premier high-tech hub. Window of the World is a massive theme park containing over 130 highly accurate reproductions of the world's most famous landmarks, from the Eiffel Tower to the Egyptian Pyramids.
Travel Tip: Shenzhen operates almost entirely on cashless mobile payments. Make sure your international credit card is fully linked to your Alipay or WeChat Pay profiles before entering theme park food courts.
17. Guilin Li River Cruise & Elephant Trunk Hill (Guilin Railway Station)
Nearest Station: Guilin Railway Station (桂林站)
How to Get There: Guilin Railway Station is located directly within the city center. Elephant Trunk Hill park is just a 15-minute walk or a 5-minute DiDi ride away.
Why Visit: Guilin features some of the most beautiful karst mountain landscapes on earth. Elephant Trunk Hill is the iconic symbol of the city, resembling a massive elephant dipping its trunk into the Li River.
Travel Tip: You can book an early morning luxury cruise boat from the nearby piers down to the ancient town of Yangshuo directly inside your WeChat mini-programs.
Part 6: Historic Capitals & Cultural Treasures
18. Pingyao Ancient City (Pingyao Ancient Town Railway Station)
Nearest Station: Pingyao Ancient Town Railway Station (平遥古城站)
How to Get There: Take a high-speed train to Pingyao Ancient Town Station, then hop on a local eco-shuttle bus or a quick 10-minute taxi ride to the historic city gates.
Why Visit: Pingyao is China's best-preserved Han Chinese ancient city, entirely enclosed by intact Ming and Qing Dynasty defensive walls. It was the financial center of China during the 19th century, housing the nation's earliest banks.
Travel Tip: Vehicles are completely banned inside the ancient walls, meaning you can stroll through the historic cobblestone streets completely free of modern traffic noise.
19. Longmen Grottoes (Luoyang Longmen Railway Station)
Nearest Station: Luoyang Longmen Railway Station (洛阳龙门站)
How to Get There: Luoyang Longmen HSR station is exceptionally close to the site. You can take City Bus No. 67/71 or standard ride-hailing options directly to the park gates in less than 12 minutes.
Why Visit: A UNESCO World Heritage masterpiece, the Longmen Grottoes contain over 100,000 Buddhist statues carved into limestone cliffs along the Yi River, dating back to the Northern Wei and Tang Dynasties.
Travel Tip: Do not miss the Fengxian Temple section, which features a breathtaking, 17-meter-tall statue of the Vairocana Buddha.
20. Shaolin Temple (Zhengzhou East Railway Station)
Nearest Station: Zhengzhou East Railway Station (郑州东站)
How to Get There: From Zhengzhou East, take an express tourist long-distance bus directly out of the integrated bus terminal straight to Dengfeng (Shaolin Temple), taking roughly 1.5 hours.
Why Visit: Nestled in the sacred Songshan mountain range, the Shaolin Temple is the world-renowned birthplace of Chan (Zen) Buddhism and Shaolin Kung Fu. Visitors can tour the historic Pagoda Forest and watch mesmerizing, live martial arts demonstrations by resident monks.
Travel Tip: Wear comfortable walking shoes, as exploring the vast temple grounds and the surrounding mountain paths requires a significant amount of walking.
Conclusion: Master Your China Rail Adventure!
Navigating mainland China’s high-speed railway system transforms your vacation into a highly efficient, eye-opening journey. By strategic planning around major transit hubs, you minimize travel fatigue and maximize your exploration time.
Before you purchase your tickets, make sure to set up your digital toolkits:
- Download the official 12306 China Railway App to track timetables and book your seats directly with your passport.
- Link your international cards to Alipay and WeChat Pay for frictionless transactions. (Why You Must Install BOTH Alipay & WeChat – Click to Find Out)
- Install Gaode Map for perfect navigation right outside the station exits.
- Purchase a reliable travel eSIM to maintain constant network connectivity.
Are you planning an epic train journey across China? Leave a comment below with which station route you are most excited to take!
