Yiwu is famous for being the world’s capital of small commodities. Every year, 600,000 overseas buyers visit the Yiwu wholesale market. If it’s your first time traveling to Yiwu, this blog is just what you need!
How to buy tickets?
It’s very convenient to use your passport to buy tickets.
Flights—easy to book on Trip.com and other international OTA.
Just choose flights based on your schedule and budget through these international OTA (online travel agency) platforms:
Note that Yiwu is a county-level city with no nonstop international flights, so international visitors will need at least one transfer. The most common hub for transfers is Guangzhou.
Yiwu International Airport currently offers a visa-free policy for up to 240 hours, making it incredibly convenient for overseas buyers visiting Yiwu for sourcing. It not only eliminates the hassle of getting a visa but also helps frequent visitors save on costs.
BTW, Yiwu Airport is a small dual-use military and civil facility, with most signs in both Chinese and English, ensuring international travelers can navigate easily.
In addition, many people choose to take direct international flights to Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Shanghai, and Hangzhou. Then, it’s easy to reach Yiwu via daily direct flights, high-speed trains, or coaches (long-distance buses). I’ll use “coach” from now on.
How to buy high-speed train tickets?
For occasional travelers living abroad, the simplest way to book train tickets is through Trip.com or directly at the ticket windows in the Tickets Hall.
For foreigners based in China or frequent visitors, downloading Railway 12306 App (中国铁路 12306) is a convenient option for online booking. Register with your passport and verify through email, which takes 3-5 days. Note that a Chinese phone number is required for ticket buying, and tickets can only be purchased within 15 days of travel—tickets released too early won’t be available. Click images below to view detailed info.
Coach—buy at ticket windows in Tickets Hall.
Coaches are typically chosen when traveling to Yiwu from nearby cities like Shanghai or Hangzhou.
How to approach Yiwu from Shanghai/Hangzhou?
It’s very convenient to use your passport to buy tickets.
By coach or private car to Yiwu from Shanghai Pudong Airport (上海浦东国际机场).
Shanghai is about 300km from Yiwu. If your flight lands in Shanghai, taking a coach to Yiwu is convenient. About 4.5 hours from Shanghai Pudong Airport to Yiwu coach station.
- After passing through customs, follow the signs or ask staff to find the coach station.
- Use your passport to buy a ticket (CNY 200, around $30).
- Arrive at the Yiwu coach station.
Yiwu coach station, also known as the Yiwu International Business & Trade City Passenger Transport Center (义乌国际商贸城客运中心), located right across from the Yiwu Market District 3 (国际商贸城3区).
- No.365 Chengxin Avenue, Yiwu City (义乌市诚信大道365号).
Sometimes, there are private cars to Yiwu waiting for passengers at the coach station.
- The cost is around CNY 800/car ($115).
If you’re open to carpooling, you can team up with others going to Yiwu and split the cost—just agree on how to share the fee. These cars cannot be found every time, but you may encounter them by fortune. It’s fast and convenient, but don’t forget to bargain with the driver.
By high-speed train to Yiwu from Shanghai.
If you prefer taking the train to Yiwu, you can go to Hongqiao Railway Station (虹桥火车站) first. Then, buy a high-speed train ticket to Yiwu. The earliest train is around 9:30 AM, and the latest is close to 9:00 PM. The journey takes about 2 hours.
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Business class: CNY 500+ ($72)
First class: CNY 230+ ($33)
Second class: CNY 150+ ($22)
By coach or private car to Yiwu from Hangzhou Xiaoshan Airport (杭州萧山国际机场).
Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang province, is about 100km from Yiwu. If your flight lands at Hangzhou Xiaoshan Airport, you can take a direct bus to Yiwu. The coach station is conveniently located at Gate 14 of the airport Terminal 4.
- The ride takes about 1.5 hours and drops you off near the Yiwu Market District 3 (国际商贸城3区).
- The earliest coach is 9:00 AM, and the latest is 9:00 PM.
- The ticket costs CNY 72 ($10).
If you’d rather not wait around for coaches, you can take a private car to Yiwu from the coach station. And if arriving at Hangzhou Xiaoshan Airport after 9 PM, there are no coaches available, so private cars are your only option.
- The cost is around CNY 450/car ($65). Carpooling is only CNY 150 ($22)—budget-friendly.
By high-speed train to Yiwu from Hangzhou.
Due to partial construction work at Yiwu Railway Station (义乌站) which is expected to be completed by 2026, there are 3 daily high-speed trains from Hangzhou East Railway Station (杭州东站) to Yiwu.
Most high-speed trains (30 daily departures) currently leave from Hangzhou West Railway Station (杭州西站) to Yiwu, around 30-40 mins. Start as early as 6:30 AM and run until 10:00 PM.
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Business class: CNY 158+ ($23+)
First- class: CNY 80 ($12)
Second class: CNY 50 ($7)
How to reach Yiwu from Guangzhou/Shenzhen?
Airplane is the most convenient.
If your international flight lands in Guangzhou or Shenzhen, the easiest option is to take a connecting flight to Yiwu, which takes only about 2 hours. Flights from Guangzhou or Shenzhen to Yiwu often have a large number of international passengers.
High-speed train from Guangzhou to Yiwu with transfers.
Currently, no direct high-speed trains from Guangzhou to Yiwu, so transfers are required.
From Xintang Railway Station (新塘高铁站)
Transfer at Hangzhou West Railway Station (杭州西站) with a layover of about 30 minutes. The total journey takes around 7.5 hours to reach Yiwu Railway Station (义乌站).
From Guangzhou South/Guangzhou East (广州南/广州东站)
Transfer at Jinhua, Fuzhou, or Hangzhou. The total journey takes 8.5 to 10.5 hours.
- The total fare depends on your transfer point and ticket class. If you choose second class for the entire trip, the price ranges from CNY 600-800 ($86-$115).
High-speed train from Shenzhen North railway station (深圳北站) to Yiwu.
There is one direct high-speed train from Shenzhen North to Yiwu—D2284, which takes about 8.5 hours.
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Second class: CNY 516 ($75)
First-class: CNY 827 ($118)
Besides, you can take a train from Shenzhen North and transfer at Hangzhou West or other stations before heading to Yiwu. This takes 7-10 hours.
- The total for the second class ranges from CNY 515-800 ($75-$115).
How to get to the market and hotels within Yiwu?
Yiwu is a county-level city with limited public transport options. There’s no subway, buses stop early (few run after 6:00 pm), and there are none after 7:00 pm near the wholesale markets. Even locals are often unfamiliar with bus routes.
Taking a taxi is your best option to get to your hotel or the market, and taxi fees in Yiwu are quite affordable.
Taxi from Yiwu airport to wholesale markets and downtown hotels.
Yiwu Airport is about 5.5km from downtown. Taxi fees are:
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CNY 8 ($1.15) for the first 2 km
CNY 2.5/km ($0.36) for 2-6 km
CNY 3.5/km ($0.5) beyond 6 km
Note: Some taxi drivers at the airport may not use the meter and instead quote a fixed price. Make sure to negotiate!
Taxi from Yiwu railway station to wholesale markets and downtown hotels.
Yiwu Railway Station is about 9km northwest of downtown Yiwu.
- The taxi fee is around CNY 30+ ($4.5). Just make sure to ask the driver to use the meter before getting in.
If you have friends or suppliers in Yiwu, you can also ask them to pick you up!
Taxi from Yiwu coach station to downtown hotels.
As mentioned earlier, the Yiwu Coach Station (义乌国际商贸城客运中心) is located right across from Yiwu Market District 3 (国际商贸城3区), making it very convenient for visiting the market.
Taking a taxi to hotels is also easy. For instance, it’s just a 10-minute drive (3+ km) from Yiwu Coach Station to the Marriott Hotel, costing around CNY 10 ($1.5).
Back from Yiwu to Shanghai/Hangzhou/Shenzhen/Guangzhou?
As mentioned above, the methods to travel from Shanghai, Hangzhou, Shenzhen, or Guangzhou to Yiwu can also be used for your return journey. The prices remain the same as coming here.
The bottom line
Welcome to Yiwu! We hope this blog helps you plan your trip. If you found it useful, feel free to share it. Have questions? Leave a comment or contact us—we’re happy to help!
We’re JingSourcing, a leading sourcing company based in Yiwu, with our office located right in front of the Yiwu Market. We’re always here to support your sourcing in Yiwu and China smooth!
I need all product
Very useful information thank you
Thanks for your comment, Rawat!
Hello dear..well I need to get to yiwu lijin crafts & gift factory.. address is No.49, Hedian village, tiring Town, Yiwu, Jinhua, Zhejiang
FIRST I need to get a hotel near by this factory..
Can you please help and advise me how to get there..thank you
Hi Samy， I wonder which place do you start out to Yiwu, we can arrange the route for you. You can reach out to us by email [email protected].
Love your detailed informtion. Thank you :)
May be the most valuable post … thank you sir.