Yiwu is famous for being the world’s capital of small commodities. Every year, more than 680,000 overseas buyers visit the Yiwu wholesale market. If it’s your first time traveling to Yiwu, this blog is just what you need!
How to buy tickets?
It’s very convenient to use your passport to buy tickets.
Flights—easy to book on Trip.com and other international OTA.
Just choose flights based on your schedule and budget through these international OTA (online travel agency) platforms:
Note that Yiwu is a county-level city, so most international visitors arrive with at least one connection. The most common hubs for transfers are Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Shanghai and Hangzhou. Yiwu Airport itself operates a small number of international and regional routes, mostly to Southeast Asia, so it is worth checking the direct options first.
Good news for sourcing trips: China’s unilateral visa-free policy covers holders of ordinary passports from 45 countries—including most EU member states, the UK, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand and Brazil—for business and tourism stays of up to 30 days without a visa. The current extension runs to 31 December 2026, and you can enter through any open port, so Yiwu is reachable via Hangzhou, Shanghai and Guangzhou international airports.
If your nationality is not covered, the standard transit visa exemption still applies: you can stay in China for up to 240 hours (10 days) without a visa as long as you hold a confirmed onward ticket to a third country or region. Transit exemption is meant for passing through, not for a sourcing trip, so it rarely covers a realistic Yiwu buying trip.
Yiwu Airport is also listed as a transit visa exemption port, and since May 2026 it has been authorised to issue port visas on the spot—the first county-level city in Zhejiang to do so. Visitors who genuinely need a visa can therefore sign it on arrival at the airport rather than travelling to another port first.
BTW, Yiwu Airport is a small but expanding international airport, with most signs in both Chinese and English, ensuring international travelers can navigate easily.
In addition, many people choose to take direct international flights to Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Shanghai, and Hangzhou. Then, it’s easy to reach Yiwu via daily direct flights, high-speed trains, or coaches (long-distance buses). I’ll use “coach” from now on.
How to buy high-speed train tickets?
For occasional travelers living abroad, the simplest way to book train tickets is through Trip.com or directly at the ticket windows in the Tickets Hall.
For foreigners based in China or frequent visitors, downloading Railway 12306 App (中国铁路 12306) is a convenient option for online booking. Register with your passport and verify through email, which takes 3-5 days. Registration can be completed with an email address, so a Chinese mobile number is no longer a prerequisite, and both domestic and international cards are accepted for payment. Tickets go on sale 15 days before departure and can only be purchased within that window—tickets released too early won’t be available. Click images below to view detailed info.
Coach—buy at ticket windows in Tickets Hall.
Coaches are typically chosen when traveling to Yiwu from nearby cities like Shanghai or Hangzhou.
How to approach Yiwu from Shanghai/Hangzhou?
It’s very convenient to use your passport to buy tickets.
By coach or private car to Yiwu from Shanghai Pudong Airport (上海浦东国际机场).
Shanghai is about 300km from Yiwu. If your flight lands in Shanghai, taking a coach to Yiwu is convenient. About 4.5 hours from Shanghai Pudong Airport to Yiwu coach station. Please note that the direct Pudong–Yiwu service currently runs only twice a day, at 17:40 and 18:50 — if you land later than that, take the airport train or metro into the city and connect from Hongqiao or Shanghai South instead.
- After passing through customs, follow the signs or ask staff to find the coach station.
- Use your passport to buy a ticket (CNY 200, around $30).
- Arrive at the Yiwu coach station.
Yiwu coach station, also known as the Yiwu International Business & Trade City Passenger Transport Center (义乌国际商贸城客运中心), located right across from the Yiwu Market District 3 (国际商贸城3区).
- No.365 Chengxin Avenue, Yiwu City (义乌市诚信大道365号).
Sometimes, there are private cars to Yiwu waiting for passengers at the coach station.
- The cost is around CNY 800/car ($115).
If you’re open to carpooling, you can team up with others going to Yiwu and split the cost—just agree on how to share the fee. These cars cannot be found every time, but you may encounter them by fortune. It’s fast and convenient, but don’t forget to bargain with the driver.
By high-speed train to Yiwu from Shanghai.
If you prefer taking the train to Yiwu, you can go to Hongqiao Railway Station (虹桥火车站) first. Then, buy a high-speed train ticket to Yiwu. There are roughly 87 direct trains a day. The earliest leaves around 6:07 AM and arrives around 7:40 AM, while the last one departs around 9:20 PM and reaches Yiwu at about 11:00 PM. The journey takes roughly 1.5–2.5 hours.
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Business class: CNY 500+ ($72)
First class: CNY 230+ ($33)
Second class: CNY 150+ ($22)
By coach or private car to Yiwu from Hangzhou Xiaoshan Airport (杭州萧山国际机场).
Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang province, is about 100km from Yiwu. If your flight lands at Hangzhou Xiaoshan Airport, you can take a direct bus to Yiwu. The coach counter is on Level 1 of the airport’s Transportation Center (交通中心1F), next to the bus ticket hall.
- The ride takes about 100 minutes and drops you off near the Yiwu Market District 3 (国际商贸城3区).
- Coaches run from around 8:45 AM with departures roughly every 40 minutes, and the last ones leave at about 9:00–9:40 PM.
- The ticket costs CNY 72 ($10).
If you’d rather not wait around for coaches, you can take a private car to Yiwu from the coach station. If you arrive at Hangzhou Xiaoshan Airport after the last coach has departed, book a private car or ride-hailing in advance, as taxis are not always available at the airport at that hour.
- The cost is around CNY 450/car ($65). Carpooling is only CNY 150 ($22)—budget-friendly.
By high-speed train to Yiwu from Hangzhou.
High-speed trains from Hangzhou to Yiwu Railway Station (义乌站) are convenient, with frequent daily departures from both Hangzhou East Railway Station (杭州东站) and Hangzhou West Railway Station (杭州西站).
The ride usually takes around 30–40 minutes, though some trains may take a little longer. Trains often start around 6:00–7:00 AM and run until around 10:00–10:30 PM. Check the latest schedule on 12306 before you travel.
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Business class: CNY 158+ ($23+)
First- class: CNY 80 ($12)
Second class: CNY 50 ($7)
How to reach Yiwu from Guangzhou/Shenzhen?
Airplane is the most convenient.
If your international flight lands in Guangzhou or Shenzhen, the easiest option is to take a connecting flight to Yiwu, which takes only about 2 hours. Flights from Guangzhou or Shenzhen to Yiwu often have a large number of international passengers.
High-speed train from Guangzhou to Yiwu.
Since 1 July 2026, direct high-speed trains run between Guangzhou South and Yiwu, so no transfer is required. Several services run every day, taking roughly 5 to 8.5 hours depending on the departure you choose. Buy your ticket on 12306 or at any major ticket office; the schedule and fares change with each national railway timetable adjustment, so check the current details before you travel.
- Fares on the direct trains from Guangzhou South are roughly CNY 633-765 ($92-$110) for second class and CNY 994-1,224 ($144-$177) for first class. The exact price depends on the departure and the timetable in force when you book.
High-speed train from Shenzhen North railway station (深圳北站) to Yiwu.
There are several direct trains a day from Shenzhen North to Yiwu, taking roughly 8 to 9 hours. Check 12306 for the current train numbers and departure times, since they change with each timetable adjustment.
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Second class: CNY 532–568 ($77–82)
First-class: CNY 852–909 ($123–131)
How to get to the market and hotels within Yiwu?
Yiwu is a county-level city with a compact urban rail network rather than a full metro system. The Jinyi East Line (金义东市域轨道交通) has been running since December 2022 and includes International Trade City Station (国际商贸城站), right next to the market, as well as Yiwu High-Speed Rail Station (义乌高铁站), Chunhan, Qintang, Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University and Jiangdong. Regular buses cover the rest of the city, but most hubs such as Southern Union (南方联) close around 6:00 pm, so plan your journey accordingly. Even locals are often unfamiliar with bus routes.
Taking a taxi is your best option to get to your hotel or the market, and taxi fees in Yiwu are quite affordable. Ride-hailing apps such as DiDi are also widely used in Yiwu and are often easier—and cheaper for late-night trips—than hailing a taxi on the street.
Taxi from Yiwu airport to wholesale markets and downtown hotels.
Yiwu Airport is about 5.5km from downtown. Taxi fees are:
- CNY 8 ($1.15) for the first 2 km
CNY 2.5/km ($0.36) beyond 2 km
Plus 40% of the fare for the part of the trip beyond 6 km. Night surcharge: 10% of the total between 23:00 and 05:00
Note: Some taxi drivers at the airport may not use the meter and instead quote a fixed price. Make sure to negotiate!
Taxi from Yiwu railway station to wholesale markets and downtown hotels.
Yiwu Railway Station is about 9km northwest of downtown Yiwu.
- The taxi fee is around CNY 30+ ($4.5). Just make sure to ask the driver to use the meter before getting in.
If you have friends or suppliers in Yiwu, you can also ask them to pick you up!
Taxi from Yiwu coach station to downtown hotels.
As mentioned earlier, the Yiwu Coach Station (义乌国际商贸城客运中心) is located right across from Yiwu Market District 3 (国际商贸城3区), making it very convenient for visiting the market.
Taking a taxi to hotels is also easy. For instance, it’s only about 0.4 km from Yiwu Coach Station to the Marriott Hotel, so it’s roughly a 5-minute walk or a 2-minute taxi ride costing around CNY 10 ($1.5).
Back from Yiwu to Shanghai/Hangzhou/Shenzhen/Guangzhou?
As mentioned above, the methods to travel from Shanghai, Hangzhou, Shenzhen, or Guangzhou to Yiwu can also be used for your return journey. The prices remain the same as coming here.
The bottom line
Welcome to Yiwu! We hope this blog helps you plan your trip. If you found it useful, feel free to share it. Have questions? Leave a comment or contact us—we’re happy to help!
We’re DoSourcing, a leading sourcing company based in Yiwu, with our office located right in front of the Yiwu Market. We’re always here to support your sourcing in Yiwu and China smooth!