Planning a Trip

Getting There

Hefei has daily flights to Beijing (1 hr. 10 min.), Guangzhou (1 hr. 45 min.), Shanghai (1 hr.), and Qingdao (1 1/2 hr.), and several flights a week to Xi'an (Mon, Thurs-Sun; 2 hr. 10 min), Hangzhou (Thurs and Sun; 50 min.), Guilin (Tues and Thurs; 90 min.), Huangshan (Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun; 50 min.), Hong Kong (Mon and Fri; 2 hr.), Ji'nan (1 hr.), and Zhengzhou (1 hr.). Tickets may be purchased at the 24-hour CAAC Booking Center (Minghang Shoupiao Zhongxin) at Meiling Dadao 368 (tel. 0551/467-9999). Taxis (20 min.; ¥20/$2.60/£1.30) are your best option for getting to Hefei's airport, which is about 10km (6 miles) south of town. There are no airport buses, but public bus no. 11 runs there from the railway station.

From Hefei's railway station (tel. 0551/267-6822) in the northeast part of town, daily trains run to Beijing (10 hr.), Zhengzhou (11 hr.), Shanghai (8 1/2 hr .), Huang Shan (7 hr.), Xi'an (16 hr.), and Hangzhou (7 hr.). Tickets can be purchased at the railway station or, more conveniently, at ticket outlets in town at Changjiang Zhong Lu 376 (tel. 0551/264-0000).

Hefei has several bus stations, but the long-distance bus station (changtu qichezhan; tel. 0551/429-9111 or 0551/429-9161) at the corner of Shengli Lu and Mingguang Lu should serve most travelers' needs. Buses run to Shanghai (every 1 hr. 6:40am-5pm; 6 hr.; ¥150/$20/£9.75), Zhengzhou (10am, noon, and 4pm; 8 hr.; ¥150/$20/£9.75), Huang Shan (2:40pm; 5 1/2 hr.; ¥85/$11/£5.55), and Nanjing (every 25 min. 6am-10pm; 2 1/2 hr.; ¥44/$5.70/£2.85).

Fast Facts

Banks, Foreign Exchange and ATMs -- The Bank of China (tel. 0551/264-1756) is at Changjiang Zhong Lu 313. Foreign exchange is available at all counters Monday through Friday from 8am to noon and 3 to 6pm (2-5:30pm Nov-Apr). An ATM is located here.

Internet Access -- Dial-up is tel. 163.

Post Office -- The post office (tel. 0551/267-5427; 8am-6pm) is at Changjiang Zhong Lu 110.

Visa Extensions -- The Hefei Municipal Administration Service Center (Shi Xingzheng Fuwu Zhongxin) is at Jiu Shiqiao Jie 45 (tel. 0551/262-4550). Open year-round Monday through Friday from 8am to noon; May to October, 3 to 6pm and November to April 2:30 to 5:30pm. Allow 5 business days for processing.