Riding China's Bullet Train from Lijiang to Kunming Railway station - 11 Jan 2026

Lijiang Railway Station (丽江火车站) is a railway station in Yulong Naxi Autonomous County, Lijiang City, Yunnan Province, China. It serves as a major passenger rail hub in northwest Yunnan. The station is the northern terminus of the Dali–Lijiang railway and the southern terminus of the Lijiang–Shangri-La railway. It opened on 29 October 2011 and handles both high-speed and conventional trains.

📍 Location

City/Region: Lijiang, Yunnan Province, China.
County: Yulong Naxi Autonomous County.

The station is located about 10 km (6 miles) south of Lijiang Old Town.

🚄 Train Services from Lijiang Railway Station
🟢 High-Speed (Bullet) Trains

China’s high-speed trains (动车组, typically designated “C” and “D” trains) operate from Lijiang Railway Station to several major destinations. These trains run on electrified, dedicated passenger lines and are much faster than conventional trains.

1. Lijiang ↔ Kunming

Distance: ~520 km (~323 miles).

Service: Multiple high-speed trains per day (often 9–12 pairs).
Travel time: Approximately 3.5 – 5 hours on high-speed trains.
Top Speed: About 200 km/h (124 mph) on this route.

🚄 Lijiang ↔ Kunming Railway — Overview
Route identity

Route name (official, descriptive): Kunming–Dali–Lijiang Railway (昆明—大理—丽江铁路)
Northern terminal: Lijiang Railway Station
Southern hub: Kunming South Railway Station
Province: Yunnan (mountainous, high-altitude)
Distance & geography
Total distance: ~520 km
Average altitude: ~1,800–2,200 m above sea level
Terrain: mountains, river valleys, long tunnels, viaducts
Terrain is the primary reason speeds are capped at 200 km/h, not 300+ km/h.

⏱ Travel Time & Operating Speed
Metric Verified Range
Fastest trains ~3 h 30 min
Typical duration 3 h 45 min – 4 h 30 min
Slower services up to ~5 h
Maximum operating speed 200 km/h
Average end-to-end speed ~130–150 km/h

Despite being called “high-speed”, this is Class-1 fast EMU, not China’s 300–350 km/h network.

🚆 Train Models Used (Rolling Stock)
1️⃣ CR200J “Fuxing” Plateau EMU (Most Common)

This is the main workhorse on the route.

Attribute Details
Official class CR200J
Branding Fuxing (复兴号)
Max design speed 200 km/h
Propulsion Electric multiple unit (EMU)
Special adaptation High-altitude / low-oxygen optimized
Cab pressure & HVAC Tuned for plateau climate

Why CR200J is used

Stable on winding, mountainous alignments
Better energy efficiency at altitude
Lower axle load → safer on bridges & tunnels
More reliable braking on long downhill sections

2️⃣ CRH2A / CRH1A (Still in Limited Service)
Attribute Details
Branding Harmony (和谐号)
Max speed 200–250 km/h (limited to 200 here)
Role Supplementary / legacy EMU
Status Gradually replaced by CR200J
🪑 Seating & Passenger Experience
Seat classes

Second Class (2+3 seating) – most common
First Class (2+2 seating)
Some CR200J sets include Business Class (very limited availability)

Ride characteristics

Very smooth, low vibration
Noticeable pressure equalisation in tunnels
Quiet cabins compared to conventional trains
Scenic sections between Dali ↔ Lijiang

🗺 Key Intermediate Stations

Depending on service pattern:
Dali
Chuxiong
Nanhua
Guangtongbei

Not all trains stop at all stations — express services skip minor stops.

⚙ Engineering Constraints (Why Not Faster?)

The route is speed-limited due to hard physical constraints, not technology:
Mountain curvature radius
High viaduct density
Long tunnel sequences
Seismic design standards
Altitude-related traction limits
Upgrading to 300 km/h would require entirely new alignment, not incremental upgrades.

🚆 Comparison With Other Chinese High-Speed Lines
Route Max Speed Terrain
Beijing–Shanghai 350 km/h Flat plains
Guangzhou–Shenzhen 350 km/h Coastal
Kunming–Lijiang 200 km/h Mountain plateau
Lijiang–Shangri-La 120 km/h Extreme terrain
✅ Practical Takeaways

Fastest realistic option between Lijiang and Kunming
CR200J Fuxing EMUs dominate the route
Designed for comfort, safety, altitude reliability, not headline speed

Ideal balance between:

Travel time
Scenic value
Engineering safety