Trip Scam

DestinationsChinaGuilinGetting around

Guilin, China

Getting around Guilin

How to travel around Guilin — 5 options, what they cost, and which booking apps fix the fare before you go.

Last updated 2026-08-09

1. Li River boat

Li River boat
Photo: olly301 · CC BY SA 2.0 · source

The main event, and the transport to Yangshuo.

2. Bus to Yangshuo

Bus to Yangshuo
Photo: Dimitry B · CC BY 2.0 · source

Ninety minutes by road if you would rather not cruise both ways.

3. Cycling in Yangshuo

Cycling in Yangshuo
Photo: Kyle Taylor, Dream It. Do It. · CC BY 2.0 · source

Flat lanes between karsts and rice fields, and the best way to see the countryside.

4. Bus to Longji terraces

Bus to Longji terraces
Photo: shankar s. · CC BY 2.0 · source

Two hours to Longsheng, then a village shuttle up.

5. High-speed rail

High-speed rail
Photo: Luxury Train Club · CC BY SA 2.0 · source

Guilin North to Guangzhou in under three hours.

Booking apps in China

Agreeing the fare in an app before you travel removes the argument at the end of the journey, which is where most transport scams happen. Links go to each app's official page — lookalike apps are themselves a scam.

DiDi

The dominant Chinese ride-hailing platform, with an English interface in the international app.

Alipay

Handles metro and bus fares, taxi payment and most everyday transactions; supports foreign cards.

Trip.com

Books high-speed rail and domestic flights with an English interface and passport support.

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