Yichang

Yichang (宜昌 Yíchāng) is a city in Hubei Province.

Understand
The population of the Yichang area is around 4 million, with about one and a half million within the city itself and the remainder in the outside areas. The city is located just below the Three Gorges and around 30 km downstream from the dam. It used to be the gateway to the upper Yangze and an important post in the Sino-Japanese war, though not much of those times is visible anymore. Nowadays the city is known as the ending point of the Three Gorges river cruising trip and is less often used for a trip upstream.

Yiling District of Yichang City, known as Yiling in ancient times, is located at the gateway of the Three Gorges.

By bus
Yichang can easily be reached by bus. There is a main bus station, where there are buses from/to main cities in China. There are further bus stations at the docks where the river cruises end/start.

By train
Train is also a very easy way to get to Yichang. The old Yichang Station, located in the city centre, has been closed. The city is now served by the new You can take bus 1 further into the town and then change to bus 23 (these routes should parallel for a while) and then ride to its terminus (Yemingzhu) from which a non-city bus (number 8) goes to the Three Gorges Dam.

Situated on one of China's main east-west high-speed mainlines, Yichang has frequent rail service to the cities along this line (Shanghai, Nanjing, Wuhan, Chongqing, Chengdu); there are also high-speed and conventional trains to a number of other key destinations around the country, from Beijing to Guangzhou.

By boat/cruise
Many people get in by boat. Most boats arrive around 1-1.30pm at the docks from where it is possible to catch a bus to Wuhan the same night which for most people might be the most interesting option of getting out. There are also many Yangtze Cruises sailing on the Yangtze River between Chongqing and Yichang (see Do Section).

By bus
The locally run buses only cost ¥2 and are regular enough to be relied upon. The bus rapid transit (BRT) lines ride in dedicated lanes at least a part of the time.

By bike
Floating blue Hello bikes can be found around the city. They can be rented by scanning the QR code with the Alipay app. A dedicated cycle lane follows the park on the east bank of the river.

By taxi
Taxi fares begin at ¥8 and then increase in small amounts over time and distance. Taxis may or may not use the meter, if you stay in the downtown limits, rides should not exceed ¥10.

Riverfront
The east bank of the river consists of very long park stretching from the southern new Yangtze bridge up to the smaller dam in the north. It has separate zones for walking and cycling. In the late afternoon and evening people go there to work out, dance or play sports. It also has good views of the hills on the other side of the river which light up after dark.

River Cruises
There are many luxury Yangtze cruises sailing between Yichang and Chongqing lasting three nights downstream and four nights upstream. The cruise fare usually includes shore excursions (Fengdu, Shennong Stream/Lesser Three Gorges, Three Gorges Dam) and all meals on-board the ship except the dinner of the check-in day.



Drink




Connect

 * Yichang consulting service Tel: 0717-6212301
 * Yidu consulting service Tel: 0717-4823601
 * Zhijiang consulting service Tel: 0717-4515960
 * Dangyang consulting service Tel: 0717-3222896
 * Yuan 'an County consulting service Tel: 0717-3821552
 * Xingshan County advisory service Tel: 0717-2584811
 * Zigui County consulting service Tel: 0717-2881208
 * Changyang Tujia County consulting service Tel: 0717-5322464
 * Wufeng Tujia Autonomous County consulting service Tel: 0717-5821620
 * Yiling District consulting service Tel: 0717-7821215
 * Xiling District consulting service Tel: 0717-6927500
 * Wujiagang District consulting service Tel: 0717-6557632


 * Dianjun District consulting service Tel: 0717-6226560


 * Xiaoting District consulting service Tel: 0717-6515859


 * Commodity (service) price, product quality and market order supervision: 0717-12315
 * Environmental Protection Report: 0717-12369
 * Property Service Supervision: 0717-6445920
 * Work safety supervision: 0717-6212350
 * Transportation service Supervision: 0717-12328
 * Petition appeal: 0717-6256784

Go next

 * Shennongjia Forest District, a national park in the mountains, where middle-class urbanites flock in the summer to escape the stifling heat of the Yangtze Valley
 * Chongqing - it's a long trip by boat through the Three Gorges, but a scenic one; or you can get there in 4.5 hours by a high-speed train