Airport
There is no direct plane from major cities in China to Wutaishan. However, to save time, you may try flying to Taiyuan, the provincial capital and then take a bus to Taihuai, the central village in this Buddhist Mountain.
Taiyuan Wusu International Airport
Initially built in 1939, Wusu International Airport has been expanded and reconstructed several times. Currently, it has two terminal buildings and an 85-acre (340,000 square meters) parking apron. There are 20 airlines operating 81 air routes to domestic cities, 8 to international cities and 5 to regional cities. The flights to Beijing are especially convenient. They are given special check-in counters, security check passages, waiting areas and boarding gates as well as priority in departing. The airport also provides regular flights to Hong Kong and chartered airplanes to Japan, South Korea, Thailand and Singapore. Besides, there are international flights to London, New York, San Francisco, Paris and Frankfurt via Beijing and flights to Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Penang via Guangzhou.
Distance to city center: 15 km
Transportation to city center:
Airport bus
The bus from airport to the East Bus Station services from 09:30 to 21:30 with the fare of CNY 25 and interval of 40 minutes.
Taxi
Passengers may take a taxi to East Long-distance Bus Station. It costs about CNY 25 to 30 and takes 15 minutes if one goes along East Highway. If not, it costs about CNY 40 to 50 and takes 40 minutes. Then change to a long-distance bus to Wutai Mountain Bus Station. The bus schedules are 07:00, 08:00, 09:40, 11:25, 11:40, 14:40 and 15:30. It costs CNY 70 to 80.
Railway Stations
Although lying mid-way between Taiyuan and Datong, it is not overly convenient to reach Wutaishan by train. Those from outside Shanxi Province had best first take a train to Taiyuan, from where you may take a direct train to Wutaishan. From the Wutaishan stop, you should take a bus straight to Taihuai, a leg of 40km that takes around one hour.
Taiyuan Railway Station
Taiyuan Railway Station is about 8.5 kilometersto South Railway Station, 20 kilometers to Wusu International Airport, 3 kilometers to Liuxiang Pedestrian Street (city center) and 5 kilometers to the Twin Pagoda Temple. Opening in 1907, the station is a principal station, which functions as the transportation hub for the railway lines of Datong-Puzhou, Shijiazhaung-Taiyuan, Taiyuan-Jiaozuo, Taiyuan-Zhongwei, Beijing-Yuanping, and Jiexiu-Xiaoyi.
Address: East end of Yingze Street in Yingze District
Taiyuan South Railway Station
Taiyuan South Railway Station is about 8.5 kilometers to Taiyuan Railway Station, 7 kilometers to Wusu International Airport, and 11 kilometers to Liuxiang Pedestrian Street in city center and 9 kilometers to Twin Pagoda Temple. As a major station along Datong-Pingyao-Xian High Speed Railway, it mainly operates high speed trains to/from Xian, Beijing, Zhengzhou, Wuhan, and Guangzhou and a few non-bullet trains to/from Shenyang, and Datong, etc.
Address: At the east end of Jinyang Street of Xiaodian District
Road
Most visitors arrive by bus from Taiyuan (7-8 hrs) to the south or Datong (5-6hrs) to the north, which saves you a lot of time and effort that would otherwise be wasted in changing trains. The main bus stations in Taihuai are all located along the main road through town, Shijuliangcheng road, near to the Qingshui River (Qingshui he).