Linfen / itinerary

Linfen West First, Then a Tourist Coach: Reaching Xiaoxitian, Hukou and Guangsheng Without a Car

Q: How do the tourist coaches work?

Linfen has run tourist through-coaches (旅游直通车) since the Black Myth: Wukong surge in 2024, picking up at Linfen West and in the city. One operator's July 2026 timetable, from a travel site rather than an official page, lists: Hukou Waterfall. Morning coach leaving Linfen West around 9:00, reaching the falls around 11:00, about two hours on site, back at Linfen West around 16:30. Listed at 99 yuan return, with a package including the entry ticket and scenic bus. Xiaoxitian. Morning coach starting around 7:30, reaching the temple around 10:30, leaving at 13:00, back in the city mid-afternoon. Listed at 88 yuan return, ticket not included. Operators say to book a day ahead with your name, ID number and phone; they call to confirm the pickup point. The coach is a round trip in the same vehicle, and they do not promise to meet a particular train. In Golden Week traffic, expect hours of delay.

Q: What should you check before you go?

Checked October 2026 (Asia/Shanghai). 12306 for trains and each coach operator's own booking channel win over the times and prices above, which come from third-party listings. Keep your passport handy: scenic areas here sell real-name tickets, and Hukou asks for ID at the gate. If you are coming from the north, the logic is the same as Datong to Yingxian: rail to the hub, then one road day at a time. Cover photo: Rat2 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Take the high-speed train to Linfen West, then use the day-return tourist coaches that run to Xiaoxitian and Hukou Waterfall; Hongdong's sites are a taxi ride from Hongdong stations. Book coaches a day ahead.

Published October 20, 2026

The curved roof and forecourt of Linfen West high-speed railway station on an overcast day.

Ride the high-speed train to Linfen West (临汾西站), then use the day-return tourist coaches that run from the city to Little Western Heaven in Xi county and to Hukou Waterfall on the Yellow River. Guangsheng Temple and the Big Locust Tree sit near Hongdong, a short taxi from Hongdong stations. Book coaches a day ahead.

Why is Linfen hard without a car?

Linfen is a prefecture, not a compact city. Its best-known sights are spread across it: Xiaoxitian is far out in the western hills, Hukou is on the Yellow River gorge beyond Ji county, and Guangsheng Temple sits under Huo Mountain north-east of Hongdong. Public buses between them are slow and thin. The practical answer is a hub: sleep in Linfen, and go out and back each day.

How do you get to Linfen?

By high-speed rail from Taiyuan South to Linfen West, with the fastest trains taking about an hour and a quarter; ticketing sites list plenty of direct trains. From Xi'an and Beijing there are through trains too, though fewer and longer. Some trains also stop at Hongdong West (洪洞西站), useful if you are heading straight for the Hongdong sights. Check times on 12306 or a major ticket app, which win over any number here.

How do the tourist coaches work?

Linfen has run tourist through-coaches (旅游直通车) since the Black Myth: Wukong surge in 2024, picking up at Linfen West and in the city. One operator's July 2026 timetable, from a travel site rather than an official page, lists:

Hukou Waterfall. Morning coach leaving Linfen West around 9:00, reaching the falls around 11:00, about two hours on site, back at Linfen West around 16:30. Listed at 99 yuan return, with a package including the entry ticket and scenic bus.

Xiaoxitian. Morning coach starting around 7:30, reaching the temple around 10:30, leaving at 13:00, back in the city mid-afternoon. Listed at 88 yuan return, ticket not included.

Operators say to book a day ahead with your name, ID number and phone; they call to confirm the pickup point. The coach is a round trip in the same vehicle, and they do not promise to meet a particular train. In Golden Week traffic, expect hours of delay.

Can you go to Xiaoxitian straight from Taiyuan?

Yes. Since May 2026 a direct coach has linked Taiyuan and Xiaoxitian, according to Taiyuan Daily: departures from Taiyuan at 9:00, 10:30, 13:00 and 15:00 and six a day back, at 90 yuan from fixed stops (including Taiyuan South metro exit and the airport) or 100 yuan for door pickup. It suits a one-way move or an overnight in Xi county. As a same-day return from Taiyuan it is a very long day.

What about Hongdong?

The Big Locust Tree site is about 1.5 km from Hongdong station and about 8 km from Hongdong West, so a taxi or short bus ride. Guangsheng Temple is about 17 km north-east of Hongdong town. Hire a taxi for a half day, and agree the waiting time before you set off. The Hongdong half-day article explains how to pair the two.

What should you check before you go?

Checked October 2026 (Asia/Shanghai). 12306 for trains and each coach operator's own booking channel win over the times and prices above, which come from third-party listings. Keep your passport handy: scenic areas here sell real-name tickets, and Hukou asks for ID at the gate. If you are coming from the north, the logic is the same as Datong to Yingxian: rail to the hub, then one road day at a time.

Cover photo: Rat2 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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