Planning a Trip

Getting There

The airport is only 8km (5 miles) out of town, but it has a very limited number of flights only to Shanghai, Beijing, Xiamen, Chongqing, and Shenzhen. A shuttle bus runs to the Jichang Shoupiao Zhongxin (tel. 0798/822-3907; ticket office, 8am-5:30pm), in the center of town at Zhu Shan Lu 127. The shuttle fare is ¥5 (65¢/35p) and it leaves for the airport 1 1/2 hours before each flight. A taxi ride costs about ¥20 ($2.60/£1.30). For more choices, head to Nanchang's Changbei Airport, 6 hours north of Jingdezhen.

Rail services are less limited than you might expect for its remote central location: Guangzhou (K221), Kunming (K155), three trains daily from Beijing Xi (West) (K46), one from Beijing, two from ShanghaI (2181), two from Xiamen (2521), and two from Fuzhou (K60). However, none start at Jingde Zhen, so ticket availability is limited. Nanchang and Jiujiang, both best reached by express bus from Jingde Zhen, have far more trains. Ticket windows at the station are open from 7:45am to 8pm, with brief breaks.

The Main Bus Station (Keyun Zhongxin; tel. 0798/858-8787) is on the northwest side of town and is open from 6am to 7pm. Express buses using the highway to Jiujiang and beyond, arrive and depart from here. Destinations include Jiujiang (134km/84 miles; 12 departures 7:30am-6:30pm; ¥30/$3.90/£1.95), Nanchang (280km/175 miles; 14 departures 6:30am-7:10pm; ¥60/$9.10/£4.55 for the best bus), and Wuhan (430km/269 miles; four departures 7:30am-4:30pm; ¥100/$13/£6.50), as well as Wenzhou, Hangzhou, and Nanjing. Left luggage doubles as a small store outside the ticket office, charges ¥3 (40¢/20p) per piece, and closes at 6pm. Another bus station (tel. 0798/820-8156) opposite the railway station, open from 6:20am to 5:30pm, also serves Jiujiang and Nanchang.

Getting Around

Taxis are incredibly ugly locally made boxlike Suzukis. Flagfall of ¥5 (65¢/35p) includes 2km (1 1/4 miles), after which the fare is ¥1 (15¢/10p) per kilometer up to 6km (3 3/4 miles), then ¥1.50 (20¢/10p) per kilometer thereafter. From 11pm to 5am the fare is ¥1.80 (25¢/10p). Buses charge a ¥1 (15¢/10p) flat fare deposited in the slot. Bus no. K35 starts at the Keyun Zhongxin and goes south past the Jinye Dajiudian and then east along Zhu Shan Zhong Lu. On Zhongshan Nan Lu there are a few cycle shops such as the one owned by Mr. Deng at number 92 (tel. 0798/851-0687), who will rent out bikes by the day.

Fast Facts

Banks, Foreign Exchange and ATMs -- There's a useful Bank of China (open 8am-6pm, to 5:30pm winter) just outside Kaimenzi Hotel on Xing Feng Lu.

Internet Access -- Wangba, such as the one on the south side of Zhu Shan Lu near the junction of Cidu Da Dao, usually charge ¥2 (25¢/15p) per hour.

Post Office -- The main post office (open 8am-7pm summer, to 6:30pm winter) is on Zhu Shan Lu.

Visa Extensions -- The PSB (open Mon-Fri 8:30-11:30am and 2:50-5:30pm) is on the west side of Cidu Da Dao well south of the Zhu Shan Lu junction, in a tall white building with pink steps.