How to Get to and around Qingdao & Qingdao Transportation 2023

Qingdao, literally means “green island” for its luxurious evergreen trees, is a vice provincial city in Shandong Province. It is an important coastal resort tourism city as well as an international port city. Every year, thousands of tourists travel here for its distinctive beer, beautiful scenery, and agreeable climate.

With international airports and high speed railway stations, it is convenient for travelers to come here from China and abroad. Here we have provided you with more specific information about Qingdao transportation including how to get to Qingdao from other cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Xian, Guangzhou, and Jinan, and how to get from Qingdao to mian attractions such as Laoshan Mountain and Qingdao Beer Museum.

Where is Qingdao

Qingdao, covering an area of 11282 km², is located in the southeast of Shandong Peninsula in northern China. It is adjacent to the Yellow Sea in the east and south, about 220 km from Yantai City in the northeast, 160 km from Weifang City in the west and 365 km from Jinan, the capital of Shandong Province.

Qingdao Transportation

Qingdao Location Map

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Get to Qingdao by Flight

In 2021, Qingdao has one airport, Qingdao Jiaodong Interantional Airport replaced Shandong Liuting International Airport and became the main portal to Qingdao.

Qingdao Jiaodong International Airport (IATA: TAO)

Location: Qiandiankou Village, Jiaodong Street, Jiaozhou City, Qingdao City (山东省青岛市胶州市胶东街道前店口村), about 60 km, 1.5 hour's drive to Qingdao downtown (May Fourth Square); 70 km, 1.5 hours' drive to Laoshan Mountain; and 55 km, 1 hour's drive to Qingdao Beer Museum.

Qingdao Jiaodong International Airport (青岛胶东国际机场) now operates 182 airlines connecting 107 cities in 8 countries and regions. It is available for the 144-Hour Visa Free Transit Policy, which makes it easier for foreign tourists to have a Qingdao tour. You can take direct flights from domestic cities such as Beijing (1.5h), Shanghai (1.5h), Xian (2h), Luoyang (1.5h), Zhengzhou (1h45min), Chengdu (2h40min), Guangzhou (3-3.5h), etc. and cities abroad like Seoul (1.5h), Tokyo (3.5h), and Osaka (3h). Read more about Qingdao Airport & Flights>>

Qingdao Transportation

Qingdao Jiaodong International Airport

Get to Qingdao by Train

There are a dozen of railway stations in Qingdao. But the most chosen two are Qingdao Railway Station and Qingdao North Railway Station. They both operate high speed trains and normal trains between most major cities in China.

Qingdao Railway Station (青岛站)

Location: No. 2 Taian Road, Shinan District, Qingdao City (青岛市市南区泰安路2号), about 8 km (30 minutes by car or subway) to Qingdao downtown (May Fourth Square), 30 km (70 minutes by car, at least 1.5h by bus or subway) to Laoshan Mountain, 7 km (30 minutes by car, 40 minutes by bus) to Qingdao Beer Museum.

Qingdao Railway Station was firstly built in 1900 and reconstructed in 1991. It operates trains to Beijing (4-5h), Shanghai (7h), Guangzhou (13h), Xian (9-23h), Tianjin (4-4.5h), Jinan (2-5.5h), Tai'an (3.5-6.5h), Yantai (1.5-2h), etc. Metro Line 3 and multiple bus routes can take you there. Read more about Qingdao Railway Station>>

Qingdao North Railway Station (青岛北站)

Location: No. 1 Jingle Road, Licang District, Qingdao City (青岛市李沧区静乐路1号), about 18 km (1 hour by car or subway) to Qingdao downtown (May Fourth Square), 28 km (70 minutes by car, at least 1.5h by bus or subway) to Laoshan Mountain, 16 km (30 minutes by car, 1 hour by subway) to Qingdao Beer Museum.

Qingdao North Railway Station was put into operation on January 10, 2014. It is the largest railway station in Shandong province. It now has trains to Shanghai (7h), Guangzhou (30h), Xian (8-21h), Tianjin (4.5-10h), Jinan (1.5-5.5h), Tai'an (2.5-7h), Yantai (1.5h), etc. Though located a little far from downtown, it can be conveniently reached by metro Line 3. Read more about Qingdao North Railway Station>>

Qingdao Transportation

Qingdao Railway Station

Qingdao Transportation

Qingdao North Railway Station

Get from Beijing to Qingdao

Beijing is the capital of China and frequently chosen as the first city to start a China tour. When you finish visiting the Forbidden City, Great Wall, Tian'anmen Square, Summer Palace and other attractions in Beijing, you can take a high speed train (3~8 hours) or non-stop flight (1.5 hours) to Qingdao.

They are about 660 km away and conveniently connected. There are around 10 high speed trains and 13 flights a day. Considering the time you need to transfer between the airports and the downtown area, as well as the time for security check, there will only be a slight difference on the time taken between the two transportation means. You can choose one that suits your itinerary best.

Useful Links: Travel from Beijing to Qingdao | Beijing to Qingdao Flight Schedule

Recommended Tour: 6 Days Beijing & Qingdao Tour by High Speed Train

Qingdao Transportation

Beijing Qingdao Transfer Map (click to enlarge)

Get from Shanghai to Qingdao

Shanghai is one of the most famous cities in China for its internationalization and modernization. It is in the southeastern coast while Qingdao is also a coastal city but is in northern China.

These two cities are about 730 km away. The most efficient way is to travel by flight, which is only 1.5 hours. There are over 25 daily nonstop flights flying from Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport or Shanghai Pudong International Airport to Qingdao Jiaodong International Airport. If you plan on take a train, there are about 5 high speed trains a day and it will take 6-7.5 hours.

Useful Links: Travel from Shanghai to Qingdao | Shanghai Qingdao Flights | Shanghai to Qingdao Trains

Qingdao Transportation

Shanghai to Qingdao Transfer Map (click to enlarge)

Get from Xian to Qingdao

Xian is the capital of Shaanxi Province and the home to the world-famous Terracotta Warriors. It is in northwest China, about 1200 km to Qingdao.

Both flights and trains are available. There are about 4 direct flights a day and it will only need 2 hours, which makes it the most recommended way. High speed trains run 4 times a day and it takes 8-9.5 hours. For normal trains, it will need 18.5-22.5 hours and you will spend a night on the train, so a soft sleeper ticket is more recommended.

Useful Links: Xian to Qingdao Flight Schedule | Xian to Qingdao Train Schedule

Qingdao Transportation

Xian to Qingdao Transfer Map (click to enlarge)

Get from Guangzhou to Qingdao

Guangzhou is in Guangdong Province, an international city serving as the southern gateway to China. To travel Guangzhou and Qingdao, a distance of 1910 km, you will experience the difference between the south and north of China.

The fastest way is traveling by flight. There are over 10 direct flights a day from Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport to Qingdao Jiaodong International Airport. The flight will only take about 3 hours. High speed train (13 hours) and normal train (30 hours) are also available but not recommended for the long traveling time.

Useful Links: Travel from Guangzhou to Qingdao | Guangzhou to Qingdao Flights | Guangzhou to Qingdao Trains

Qingdao Transportation

Guangzhou to Qingdao Transfer Map (click to enlarge)

Get Around Qingdao

By subway: As of October 2020, there are 4 metro lines in Qingdao that can take you to many landmarks such as May Fourth Square, Zhanqiao Pier, Qingdao Railway Station, and Qingdao North Railway Station. Six other lines are under construction and it will be a complete subway network in the future.

By taxi: Taking a taxi to tour around Qingdao city can save you much time. Generally speaking, the fare is CNY9 for the first 3 kilometers, then charging CNY2.1 for each additional kilometer. The taxi fare will be a little higher at night.

By bus: There are about 350 bus routes in Qingdao with more than 8000 buses in service, covering literally every corner of Qingdao.

By ferry: In coastal city Qingdao, you can take a ferry to Huangdao during the daytime. The travel distance is about 84 km and takes 20-30 minutes one way. Sightseeing boat (usually takes 30 minutes) is another kind of boat for visitors to enjoy Qingdao Bay, Zhanqiao Pier, Qingdao Naval Museum, and more. There are also international sea routes from Qingdao to South Korea & Japan.

How to Get to Laoshan Mountain

Laoshan Mountain is located at No. 29 Meiling Road, Laoshan District, Qingdao City (青岛市崂山区梅岭路29号), in the eastern part of Qingdao. It is a little far from Qingdao downtown near May Fourth Square, which is about 22 km, 1 hour by car and at least 1.5 hours by bus. So it is more recommended to get there by taxi if you want to save some time.

How to Get to Qingdao Beer Museum

Qingdao Beer Museum is located at No. 56 Dengzhou Road, Shibei District, Qingdao City (青岛市市北区登州路56号), about 7 km (30 minutes by car or subway, 45 minutes by bus) to Qingdao downtown (May Fourth Square), 25 km (1 hour by car, 7 km (30 minutes by car, 40 minutes by bus) to Qingdao Railway Station, and 16 km (0.5h by car, 1h by subway) to Qingdao North Railway Station. The specific bus route and metro line are changeable. You can check them after you arrive in Qingdao.

Qingdao Transportation

Qingdao Ferry

Qingdao Transportation

Laoshan Mountain Location Map

Qingdao Transportation

Qingdao Beer Museum Location Map

Get from Jinan to Qingdao

Jinan is the capital city of Shandong Province and is about 365 km (4.5 hours' drive) to the west of Qingdao. Within the same province, it is really quite easy to travel between these two places.

There are about 90 trains a day from the early morning to late night. So do not worry that you will not get a ticket. All you need to do is select one from the multiple choices. The high speed G-train needs 2-4 hours, D-train needs 2.5-3.5 hours and normal trains need 3.5-5.5 hours.

Useful Links: Travel from Jinan to Qingdao | Qingdao to Jinan Trains

Recommended Tours: 6 Days Jinan, Qufu, Mount Tai & Qingdao Tour | 10 Days Shandong Panorama Tour

Qingdao Transportation

Jinan to Qingdao Transfer Map (click to enlarge)

Get from Qingdao to Mount Tai

Mountain Tai, or Taishan Mountain, is a world cultural and natural heritage site which enjoys a high status in China's history as 13 reputed emperors, including Emperor Qinshihuang, has mounted the mountain. It is in Taian city, about 350 km (5 hours' drive) from Qingdao.

There are 6 high speed trains (3.5 hours) a day from Qingdao to Taian Railway Station (18 km, 50 minutes' drive to Mount Tai) and about 10 normal trains (5.5 hours) to Taishan Railway Station (5 km, 20 minutes' drive to Mount Tai). So you need to make sure which train station you are arriving at.

Useful Links: Qingdao to Taishan Trains | Taishan to Qingdao Trains

Recommended Tour: 4 Days Qingdao, Qufu & Mount Tai Essence Tour

Qingdao Transportation

Qingdao to Taishan Transfer Map (click to enlarge)

Get from Qingdao to Qufu (Confucius Temple)

Qufu is the hometown of the great thinker and educator, Confucius. Every year, many tourists come here to visit Confucius Temple and pay respect to this wise man.

Qufu is in Jining City, about 400 km (5 hours' drive) to the west of Qingdao. There are more than 20 high speed trains a day from Qingdao Railway Station or Qingdao North Railway Station to Qufu East Railway Station. The train journey will take 2.5-4 hours. After you arrive at the train Station, you can take a taxi or bus to Confucius Temple, which is 13 km, 30 minutes' drive away.

Useful Links: Qingdao to Qufu Trains | Qufu to Qingdao Trains

Recommended Tour: 8 Days Shandong History & Culture Tour

Qingdao Transportation

Qingdao to Qufu Transfer Map (click to enlarge)

How to Plan Qingdao Tour

Best time to visit Qingdao: March to November, especially mid-August to early September if you want to join Qingdao Beer Festival

How to get to Qingdao: High speed train from Beijing (1.5h), Jinan (2-2.5h), Tianjin (4~4.5), etc., and flights from Beijing (1.5h), Shanghai (1.5h), Xian (2h), Luoyang (1.5h), Guangzhou (3.5h), etc.

Where to Stay in Qingdao: Most recommended to stay in Qingdao downtown near May Fourth Square and along the coastline to Zhanqiao Pier for the convenient transportation and comfortable living environment.

Generally, a classic Qingdao tour takes 2~3 days, with the top attractions of Qingdao covered. It is recommended to spend 2 full days exploring the best highlights of Qingdao, including Qingdao Beer Museum which showcases the hundreds of years' history of Tsingtao Beer, Xiaoyushan Park which offers a valuable panoramic view of Qingdao City and nearby attractions, Zhanqiao Pier - the symbol of Qingdao and Badaguan Scenic Area with old villas of different architecture styles of over 20 countries. If you have more time, don’t miss Laoshan Mountain where you are able to appreciate the beautiful mountain view and seascape together.

√ 3 Days Qingdao Highlights Tour
√ 3 Days Qingdao Beer & Seaside Tour

Qingdao is just a small piece of charming Shandong. If you want to add cultural savory into your trip, we strongly suggest you visit Mount Tai and Qufu. Mount Tai is the first UNESCO World Natural & Cultural Heritage site while Qufu is the hometown of Confucius. Spending another 2~3 days visit these two destinations will deliver you an unforgettable experience of Chinese culture discovery.

√ 2 Days Most Classic Mount Tai Hiking Tour
√ 3 Days Taishan & Qufu Tour from Beijing by Bullet Train
√ 6 Days Jinan, Qufu, Mount Tai & Qingdao Tour

Of course, you may be extremely interested in the best beaches and coastlines of Shandong province. It is also worthwhile to visiting Yantai, Penglai and Weihai in 3 more days. Or you could enjoy a comprehensive tour throughout the whole province to taste the brilliant culture and fascinating nature of Shandong in the most aspects in one go. Feel free to browse our all Shandong Tour Packages>

√ 7 Days Golden Coast of Shandong Tour (Qingdao / Weihai / Yantai / Penglai / Yantai)
√ 8 Days Shandong History & Culture Tour (Qingdao / Weihai / Yantai / Penglai / Yantai)
√ 10 Days Shandong Panorama Tour (Qingdao / Weihai / Yantai / Weifang / Zibo / Qufu / Mount Tai / Jinan )

Zhanqiao Pier

Zhanqiao Pier in Qingdao

Confucius Temple

Confucian Temple Sacrifice in Qufu

Penglai Pavilion

Penglai Pavilion in Yantai

Recommended Qingdao Tours

Top 3 Qingdao tours chosen by most customers to explore Qingdao in the best way. Check the detailed itinerary, or tailor your own trip now with us.

Lao Mountain Scenic Area
3 Days Qingdao Highlights Tour with Laoshan Mountain

Qingdao

Tsingtao Beer
3 Days Qingdao Beer Festival Tour

Qingdao

A Taste of Qingdao Beer in Qingdao Beer Museum
5 Days Qingdao Weihai Yantai Coastal Tour

Qingdao / Weihai / Yantai / Penglai / Qingdao

Start planning your tailor-made holiday to China by contacting one of our specialists. Once inquired, you’ll get a response within 0.5~23.5 hours.

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