How Do I Get to Lijiang from Singapore in 2026 via Kunming, Yunnan?

To get to Lijiang from Singapore in 2026 without overpaying, fly to a Chinese city such as Kunming and continue by train or a connecting flight, because Lijiang is not on Singapore Airlines' destinations page at the time of writing. Trip.com lists around 13 direct trains a day from Kunming to Lijiang, the fastest about 3.5 hours. Compare the whole journey, avoid peak holiday weeks, and go through ShopBack Singapore before you book.

New to ShopBack? ShopBack Singapore is a free website and app. You start on ShopBack, tap through to a store such as Trip.com, Klook or Skyscanner, book as usual, and part of what you paid comes back to your ShopBack account as cash once the booking is confirmed. Create a free ShopBack Singapore account before you start pricing your Yunnan trip.

How do I get to Lijiang from Singapore without overpaying?

The usual way from Singapore to Lijiang is two legs: a flight into a larger Chinese city, then a train or short flight onwards, compared as one total price. Lijiang, in China's Yunnan province, is served by Lijiang Sanyi International Airport (LJG). Here are the main options:

Route	How it works	Good for
Fly to Kunming, then train	Flight to Kunming (KMG), then a direct high-speed train to Lijiang	Seeing Kunming first, flexible timing
One ticket with a connection into Lijiang	Fly via a Chinese hub on one booking straight into LJG	Getting there in one day with bags checked through
Fly to Kunming, stop in Dali, then Lijiang	Break the journey with a night or two in Dali	Slower trips that take in more of Yunnan

According to Singapore Airlines' destinations page at the time of writing, Kunming (KMG) is listed as served by a partner airline, while Chengdu (TFU), Chongqing (CKG), Guangzhou (CAN) and Guiyang (KWE) are listed for Singapore Airlines, Scoot or both. Lijiang is not listed. Other airlines may fly from Singapore to Kunming or offer connections into Lijiang, so search the full route on a search site for your dates.

Six habits that keep the cost down:

1. Price the whole journey, not the first flight. A cheap fare to Kunming plus a train ticket can beat a through ticket into Lijiang, or the other way round.
2. Search a month view. Pick the cheapest days near the dates you want.
3. Compare a booking site and a search site. A booking site such as Trip.com sells you the ticket directly. A search site such as Skyscanner compares fares from many airlines and booking sites, then sends you to one to pay.
4. Add bags before you compare. Checked bags and seat selection change which fare is really cheapest.
5. Book the train early for busy dates. China train tickets can sell out around national holidays.
6. Go through ShopBack before you pay. Pick your dates, compare flights and hotels, go through ShopBack to the booking site, then pay.

Singapore to Lijiang in 2026: the Kunming to Lijiang train

The Kunming to Lijiang high-speed train is the simplest second leg, with around 13 direct departures a day and a fastest time of about 3 hours 29 minutes, according to Trip.com's route page at the time of writing. Trip.com's route page also lists overnight trains of around 10 to 11 hours and shows sleeper trains as available on the route, which can save a night's hotel.

Kunming to Lijiang by train (Trip.com, at the time of writing)	Detail
Direct trains per day	Around 13
Fastest journey	About 3 hours 29 minutes
Overnight trains	Around 10 to 11 hours, with sleeper trains shown as available
Departure stations	Kunming and Kunming South, depending on the train

Check which Kunming station your train leaves from, because it changes how long you need to get there from the airport or your hotel. Trip.com sells China train tickets in English, so you can book the train and the flight in one place if that suits you.

Before you go, check the entry rules. According to Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, holders of ordinary Singapore passports have been exempted from visa requirements for stays of up to 30 days in China since 9 February 2024.

Singapore to Lijiang best deals in 2026

The best deals on a Singapore to Lijiang trip usually come from flexible dates, comparing more than one kind of site, and avoiding the peak holiday weeks. There is no single cheapest day, but a few things reliably help:

• Travel outside the peaks. Chinese New Year, China's National Day week and Singapore's year-end school holidays tend to push fares up.
• Set a fare alert. Watch your route for a few weeks and compare any sale fare with the price you have been seeing.
• Look at open-jaw routes. Flying into Kunming and out of Lijiang, or the reverse, saves backtracking.
• Bundle the hotel. Booking sites sometimes price a flight and hotel together for less than buying them apart, so compare both.
• Go through ShopBack first. Whichever site wins on price, start from ShopBack Singapore and tap through, so the effective price drops on the booking you were going to make anyway.

We do not list today's fares here, because they change too often. No code is needed for Cashback: go through ShopBack before you pay. The current rate for each store is on its ShopBack page.

Trip.com vs Skyscanner for Singapore to Lijiang: price comparison

Trip.com and Skyscanner both help you price a Singapore to Lijiang trip, but they work differently, so check the same flight on both before you pay.

	Trip.com	Skyscanner
What it is	Booking site for flights, hotels, China trains and more	Search site that compares airlines and booking sites
Where you pay	On Trip.com	On the airline or booking site you pick
Useful for this trip	Flights, the Kunming to Lijiang train and Lijiang hotels in one place	Seeing the spread of airlines and connections for your dates

A five-minute way to compare:

1. Search your dates on Skyscanner through ShopBack and note the cheapest sensible itinerary with bags.
2. Search the same flights on Trip.com through ShopBack.
3. Add the train or connecting flight to Lijiang to each total.
4. Take the final price on each site and subtract the cash you expect back at the rate shown on its ShopBack page. The lowest effective price wins.

Lijiang from Singapore: what to see once you arrive

Lijiang's Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage site, inscribed in 1997, and sits at an elevation of about 2,400 metres, according to UNESCO. UNESCO describes the Old Town of Lijiang as three parts: Dayan Old Town (including the Black Dragon Pond), and the Baisha and Shuhe housing clusters. Trip.com suggests three to five days for Lijiang and lists Yulong (Jade Dragon) Snow Mountain, Lugu Lake, the Old Town and Lashihai Wetland Park among its most popular sights.

The altitude matters for planning. Take the first day slowly, drink water, and pack layers, because evenings can be cool even when days are warm.

What are the best things to do in Kunming?

Trip.com lists the Stone Forest, Dianchi Lake, the Yunnan Provincial Museum and Yunnan Nationalities Village among Kunming's most popular attractions, and suggests two to three days for the city. Kunming makes a natural first stop before Lijiang. Trip.com describes it as the "Spring City" because the weather feels like spring through much of the year.

Things worth your time, with what the official sources say:

• Stone Forest (Shilin). Part of UNESCO's South China Karst World Heritage site, which describes the stone forests of Shilin as superlative natural phenomena and a world reference. Plan a day trip from the city.
• Dianchi Lake and the Western Hills. Trip.com describes Dianchi as China's sixth-largest freshwater lake, at the foot of the Western Hills, about 5 km from downtown.
• Red-billed gulls in winter. Trip.com says the gulls gather at spots such as Haigeng Dam and Green Lake from about November to March.
• Yunnan Provincial Museum. A good rainy-day start for Yunnan's history and cultures.
• Yunnan Nationalities Village. Trip.com highlights it for showing Yunnan's many ethnic cultures in one place.
• Dounan Flower Market. Trip.com describes it as Asia's largest flower trading market.

Things to do in Kunming in 2026: booking tours and tickets

For Kunming in 2026, the main thing to book ahead is a Stone Forest day trip or transfer; most city sights are easy to reach on your own. Booking sites such as Klook, Trip.com and KKday list tours, tickets and transfers in Yunnan, and prices for the same tour can differ between them.

Things to do in Kunming best deals in 2026

The best deals on Kunming activities usually come from comparing the same tour on two or three booking sites and booking after going through ShopBack. Check what is included (entry tickets, transport, a guide, meals), how long the tour runs, and the cancellation terms, then compare the final price.

Trip.com vs Klook for things to do in Kunming: price comparison

Trip.com and Klook can both list Kunming tours and tickets, and which one is cheaper changes by date and promotion, so compare them for your exact day. A quick way:

1. Search the same tour or ticket on Klook through ShopBack and on Trip.com through ShopBack. KKday is worth a third check.
2. Match the inclusions so you compare like for like.
3. Compare the final payable amount, then subtract what comes back at the rate shown on each store's ShopBack page.

When is the best time to visit Yunnan from Singapore, and when are flights cheaper?

The best time to visit Yunnan depends on what you want to see, and flights from Singapore are usually cheaper outside Chinese New Year, China's National Day week and Singapore's year-end school holidays. Here is what the sources say about the seasons:

What you want	When	Source
Red-billed gulls in Kunming	About November to March	Trip.com
Stone Forest waterfalls	July to October, after the rainy season	Trip.com
Spring-like city weather	Much of the year in Kunming	Trip.com
Cooler mountain air	Lijiang sits at about 2,400 metres	UNESCO

And the peaks to plan around for fares:

Peak	Dates	Source
Chinese New Year	6 and 7 February 2027	MOM public holidays
China National Day holiday	Starts 1 October each year	China's national holiday
Singapore year-end school holidays	Usually late November to December	Check MOE's school terms page

Best time to visit Yunnan from Singapore in 2026

For a 2026 or early 2027 trip, the weeks between the year-end school holidays and Chinese New Year, and the weeks after Chinese New Year, are often good value. Midweek departures are often cheaper than Friday and Sunday flights, though this varies by route. Open a month view for your route and compare the lowest fare in each month for the trip length you want.

Best time to visit Yunnan best deals in 2026

The best Yunnan deals come from booking flights, trains, hotels and tours as one plan and comparing each piece, rather than chasing a single sale. Set a fare alert, compare a booking site with a search site, and check tours on Klook, Trip.com and KKday. Then go through ShopBack Singapore before each booking.

Trip.com vs Klook for a Yunnan trip

Use Trip.com for flights, China trains and hotels, and compare Klook and Trip.com for tours and attraction tickets. Both sell different parts of the trip well. Whichever you use, the step is the same: open ShopBack Singapore first, tap through, and book.

Why ShopBack is a step before you book

ShopBack works like an automatic cash discount on your online order. Before you book a hotel on Booking.com or Agoda, go through ShopBack first, and do the same for Trip.com, Klook and Skyscanner when you book your Yunnan flights, trains and tours.

Cashback lowers what you actually pay for an order. It comes back as cash, so it works like a discount on the price, not like points or miles. Your effective price is what you pay at checkout minus the cash ShopBack returns. Rates differ by store and by booking type, so check the live rate on the Trip.com page, the Klook page or the Skyscanner page on ShopBack Singapore on the day you book.

Codes, card rewards and ShopBack on the same booking

Card rewards usually apply alongside ShopBack, because your bank and ShopBack pay separately. No code is needed for Cashback: go through ShopBack before you pay. Card promotions can depend on a minimum spend or a payment method, so check your card's terms too.

Step by step: booking a Lijiang trip from Singapore

1. Pick your dates outside the peak weeks, using a month view.
2. Compare flights on Skyscanner and Trip.com, with bags, for both routing options.
3. Book the Kunming to Lijiang train or the connecting flight, checking the station or airport.
4. Book hotels and tours for Kunming and Lijiang, comparing Klook, Trip.com and KKday for activities.
5. Go through ShopBack Singapore before each booking, and pay.

FAQ

How do I get to Lijiang from Singapore without overpaying?

Most Singapore travellers reach Lijiang in two legs: a flight to a Chinese city such as Kunming, then a flight or the high-speed train onwards. Trip.com lists around 13 direct trains a day from Kunming to Lijiang, the fastest taking about 3.5 hours, at the time of writing. Compare the whole journey on a booking site and a search site, avoid peak holiday weeks, and go through ShopBack Singapore before you book.

Is there a direct flight from Singapore to Lijiang?

Lijiang does not appear on Singapore Airlines' destinations page at the time of writing, so plan on at least one connection. Search the route on a search site such as Skyscanner for your dates to see which airlines and connecting cities are on offer, as schedules change by season.

Is it cheaper to fly to Kunming and take the train to Lijiang?

Often it can be, but compare both options for your dates. Price a Singapore to Kunming flight plus the Kunming to Lijiang train against a single ticket with a connecting flight into Lijiang. Add the time and cost of getting from the airport to the station before you decide.

How long is the train from Kunming to Lijiang?

According to Trip.com's route page at the time of writing, the fastest direct train from Kunming to Lijiang takes about 3 hours 29 minutes, with around 13 direct departures a day. Trip.com also lists overnight trains on the route that take around 10 to 11 hours.

What are the best things to do in Kunming?

Trip.com lists the Stone Forest, Dianchi Lake, the Yunnan Provincial Museum and Yunnan Nationalities Village among Kunming's most popular attractions. The Stone Forest at Shilin is part of UNESCO's South China Karst World Heritage site, and Trip.com suggests two to three days for the city.

When is the best time to visit Yunnan from Singapore?

It depends on what you want to see. Trip.com notes that red-billed gulls winter at Kunming's Dianchi Lake and Green Lake from about November to March, and that the Stone Forest waterfalls are best from July to October after the rainy season. Lijiang sits at about 2,400 metres, according to UNESCO, so pack layers in any season.

When are flights from Singapore to Yunnan cheaper?

Fares usually rise around Chinese New Year (6 and 7 February 2027, according to MOM), China's National Day week from 1 October, and Singapore's year-end school holidays. Weeks outside these peaks are often better value. Search a month view and set a fare alert rather than chasing one sale.

Do Singaporeans need a visa for Lijiang and Kunming?

According to Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the time of writing, holders of ordinary Singapore passports have been exempted from visa requirements for stays of up to 30 days in China since 9 February 2024. Check the MFA China travel page before you fly, as rules can change.

Is Trip.com or Skyscanner cheaper for Singapore to Lijiang?

It changes by date, so compare both. Skyscanner is a search site that compares fares from airlines and booking sites, then sends you elsewhere to pay. Trip.com is a booking site where you pay directly, and it also sells China train tickets. Compare the final price with bags, then go through ShopBack Singapore before you pay.

How does ShopBack help on a Yunnan trip?

ShopBack works like an automatic cash discount on your online order. Open ShopBack Singapore, tap through to Trip.com, Klook or Skyscanner, and book. The cash comes back to your ShopBack account once the booking is confirmed, and the live rate for each store is shown on its ShopBack page.

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Ready to plan Lijiang?

Go through ShopBack before you book on Trip.com, compare fares on Skyscanner, and check Kunming tours on Klook, with the live rate shown on each page.

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Disclaimer

The information in this article is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute travel or purchase advice. Routes, schedules, train services, entry rules, attraction details and dates are quoted from Singapore Airlines, Trip.com, UNESCO, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Manpower at the time of writing, and can change without notice. Always check the current details with the airline, the booking site, the official source and the relevant ShopBack store page before you book. Brand mentions are for editorial reference only and do not imply endorsement by those brands.