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ANHUI · FIRST-STAY CHOICE

Anhui: choose a mountain, Huizhou town, temple or city stay

For a first landscape-led Anhui stay, choose Mount Huangshan 黄山 from Tangkou 汤口 for three nights: an arrival, one South Gate mountain day, one held weather day and a separate return. This gives up guaranteed village, city and temple time. Choose two nights in Hongcun 宏村 or Xidi 西递 for one Huizhou village; Hefei 合肥 for an urban museum stay; Jiuhuashan 九华山 for a Buddhist mountain; Shexian 歙县 for a Huizhou old city; or Bozhou 亳州 for northern Anhui heritage. Pick one block before adding another.

Bozhou is a northern direction, Hefei a central city, Jiuhuashan a separate mountain in Chizhou, and Mount Huangshan, Shexian and the Yi County villages southern alternatives. These are representative first stays in different parts of Anhui. The East Coast route's three-night Huangshan block needs its own station, gate and return; a village flex is possible only after both village rides are secured.

Choose one Anhui direction

Each choice describes one first-stay allocation. The named stations, service centres, towns and gates are separate places; the inbound and return rides must fit the trains actually booked. Choose one direction for this stay.

SOUTHERN ANHUI · 2 OR 3 NIGHTS

Mount Huangshan 黄山 or one Yi County village 黟县古村

Who and why:

Choose Mount Huangshan for granite peaks and a visibility-dependent walking day; choose Hongcun's water lanes or Xidi's merchant houses instead when a village matters more than a summit.

Base and nights:

Three Tangkou 汤口 nights for the mountain and a held weather day, or two nights at Hongcun 宏村 or Xidi 西递. These are alternative bases.

Gateway and last leg:

For the South Gate mountain plan, Huangshan North Station 黄山北站 → travel-day operator-listed coach → its named Tangkou drop-off → booked hotel. The mountain-day shuttle has a separate boarding point printed in its own product or ticket. For one village, Yixian East Station 黟县东站 → the Hongcun Bus Station or Xidi scenic stop on its own line → hotel and actual visitor gate.

Exit to book:

Reverse the chosen ground ride to the exact station on the exit ticket; obtain the last scenic shuttle or village bus departure from its operator before booking the train.

Before you commit to this branch
Hard limit:

A Huangshan-named station still needs a separate transfer to the park gate, and mountain weather can consume the spare day.

What this choice cuts:

This block gives up Hefei's museums, Jiuhuashan's temple mountain, Shexian's old county seat and Bozhou's northern heritage. Compare its three separate stays →

PROVINCIAL CAPITAL · 2 NIGHTS

Hefei 合肥: an Anhui museum and city stay

Who and why:

Choose the provincial capital for a less weather-dependent urban stay and the Anhui Museum's provincial history, rather than treating Hefei as a nameless change of trains.

Base and nights:

Two nights at one Hefei hotel, with a museum day after arrival.

Gateway and last leg:

Book the exact train into Hefei South Station 合肥南站; take a prebooked taxi or hotel-arranged car to the hotel and Anhui Museum's Shushan campus 安徽博物院蜀山馆 at 87 Huaining Road 怀宁路87号.

Exit to book:

Reserve the hotel → Hefei South Station road ride with margin for the train actually booked. A ticket naming Hefei Station 合肥站 needs its own return plan.

Before you commit to this branch
Hard limit:

The Shushan and Luyang museum campuses have different addresses and closing days. Use the museum’s current calendar for the chosen campus and exhibition before making it the full visit.

What this choice cuts:

Two city nights give up the Huangshan summit, the Yi County villages and a Jiuhuashan pilgrimage in this block.

BUDDHIST MOUNTAIN · 2 NIGHTS

Jiuhuashan 九华山: a Jiuhua Street temple base

Who and why:

Choose the temple and pilgrimage landscape around Jiuhua Street 九华街; this is a different mountain decision from Huangshan's granite viewpoints.

Base and nights:

Two nights in one confirmed Jiuhua Street hotel, allowing arrival, a temple-focused day and a separate rail return.

Gateway and last leg:

Book Jiuhuashan Station 九华山站, then confirm the station direct bus to Jiuhuashan Visitor Service Center 九华山游客服务中心; change to the mountain bus and ask for the stop serving the booked Jiuhua Street hotel.

Exit to book:

Go back from the hotel's confirmed mountain-bus stop to the Visitor Service Center, then take a separately confirmed return ride to Jiuhuashan Station before the issued train.

Before you commit to this branch
Hard limit:

The scenic management's 2024 reply confirms the station-to-centre bus and onward mountain-bus transfer, not a current timetable. Ask the operator for today’s admission, road controls and last downhill and station rides.

What this choice cuts:

The temple mountain replaces a Huangshan view day and the Huizhou village or old-town block; leave them for another stay.

HUIZHOU COUNTY SEAT · 2 NIGHTS

Shexian 歙县: Huizhou Ancient City 徽州古城

Who and why:

Choose the old Huizhou prefectural city for Huizhou Prefectural Office 徽州府衙, Xu Guo Arch 许国石坊 and Anhui Huizhou History Museum 安徽徽州历史博物馆 rather than a single ticketed village.

Base and nights:

Two nights at one Shexian old-town-area hotel, leaving an arrival, old-city visit and protected station return.

Gateway and last leg:

Book Huangshan North Station 黄山北站, then seek the present tourist bus to the Huizhou Ancient City stop 徽州古城站; follow the signed local route to the actual hotel and current entrances. A prebooked taxi or hotel-arranged car is the fallback if the bus does not fit.

Exit to book:

Obtain a travel-day Ancient City stop → Huangshan North bus departure or prearrange the hotel → Huangshan North road ride before buying a timed exit train.

Before you commit to this branch
Hard limit:

The 2024 bus launch and 2026 city line directory establish the named corridor, while the travel-day departure, return, ticket and museum opening come from their operators.

What this choice cuts:

This is a county-seat heritage stay; it gives up Mount Huangshan's weather block and the Xidi/Hongcun village nights.

NORTHERN ANHUI · 2 NIGHTS

Bozhou 亳州: medicine and old-city heritage

Who and why:

Choose a northern Anhui city for Huaxilou 花戏楼, Huazu'an 华祖庵 and the Cao Cao underground passage 曹操地下运兵道 instead of assuming the province ends at Huangshan.

Base and nights:

Two nights at one hotel by the Huaxilou old-city area; allow a separate arrival, main heritage day and departure.

Gateway and last leg:

Book Bozhou South Station 亳州南站, then prearrange a taxi or hotel-arranged car to the named Huaxilou-area hotel and locate the chosen site’s current visitor entrance. Bozhou Station 亳州站 is a different rail ticket and needs a different pickup.

Exit to book:

Prearrange the hotel → Bozhou South Station road ride for the booked train; use the Bozhou Bus operator's current timetable only if a bus actually fits both directions.

Before you commit to this branch
Hard limit:

The operator lists scenic stops, but a December 2025 detour notice records a temporary diversion rather than a standing station-to-Huaxilou timetable.

What this choice cuts:

Northern heritage uses its own rail gateway and nights; it gives up the southern mountain, villages and Shexian in this stay.

Choose one southern Anhui branch

For the southern direction, decide between the mountain and one village. Each night count belongs to one base; adding another changes the trip.

MOUNTAIN · 3 NIGHTS

Mount Huangshan 黄山: Tangkou and the South Gate

Choose granite peaks and mountain views. Put all three nights in one confirmed Tangkou 汤口 hotel: arrival, one mountain day, a held weather day, then a separate departure. This sacrifices a guaranteed Hongcun or Xidi village day.

Hard stop: The mountain ticket's date, time and entry direction must match the gate actually reached. North Gate uses an Erlongqiao 二龙桥 transfer in Gengcheng 耿城, a separate transfer from the Tangkou South Gate shuttle. The East Gate opened in June 2026 and is another separate entrance. A Huangshan North rail ticket alone still leaves the park gate, cableway and down-mountain return to arrange.

See this stay's entry and return →

WATER VILLAGE · 2 NIGHTS

Hongcun 宏村: water lanes and a village evening

Choose Hongcun for its Moon Pond 月沼, South Lake 南湖 and built water system rather than a summit day. Two nights at one booked Hongcun-area hotel separate arrival, a full village visit and the rail return; Xidi needs separate nights and transport.

Hard stop: Ask the operator which village ticket, original document, gate and same-day re-entry rule apply before booking a hotel inside the paid area. The government line notice is dated; it is evidence of a route and its nodes, while departure and last bus come from the current operator timetable.

See this stay's entry and return →

MERCHANT VILLAGE · 2 NIGHTS

Xidi 西递: merchant-house lanes and streams

Choose Xidi for historic house fronts, clan halls and the three-stream village plan. Spend two nights at one booked Xidi-area hotel so a late arrival does not erase the visit and the return to the rail station remains a separate journey.

Hard stop: The operator's older English ticket page describes date-limited single entry. Ask the operator for the present product, passport handling and re-entry at the current visitor centre if your hotel sits within the paid village; an old fare or opening hour sets no future price or opening hour.

See this stay's entry and return →

Where the southern stations, towns and gates sit

These three outward-and-return chains are planning diagrams. Use 12306 for the dated rail ticket and each road operator for the outward and return departures before paying for the next leg.

Mountain via South Gate
Huangshan North railTangkou 3 nightsTicketed shuttle stop Yungu or CiguangNamed drop-off + station ride planned return
Hongcun water village
Yixian East railHongcun Bus Station local gate and 2 nightsYixian East planned return
Xidi merchant village
Yixian East railXidi scenic stop visitor gate and 2 nightsYixian East planned return
The South Gate chain applies only to a South Gate booking; its shuttle boarding point comes from the product or ticket. North Gate uses Erlongqiao; the East Gate is another entrance. Search the exact station pair on 12306 and the current ground rides with their operators.

Nights and transfers for the southern choices

These are editorial allocations for a usable arrival, one main visit and a protected exit, rather than published journey times. A late train or an early flight removes time from the visit.

MOUNTAIN · 3 NIGHTS

Mount Huangshan 黄山: Tangkou and the South Gate

Why this branch: Choose granite peaks and mountain views. Put all three nights in one confirmed Tangkou 汤口 hotel: arrival, one mountain day, a held weather day, then a separate departure. This sacrifices a guaranteed Hongcun or Xidi village day.

  1. Tangkou 汤口 · 3 nightsOne booked base. Arrive through its named gateway, make the main visit and keep the last night positioned for its actual return.

Entry, last leg and return: Search the dated train to Huangshan North Station (黄山北站), then confirm the travel-day coach with its operator and get off at the stop named for your Tangkou hotel, or arrange a taxi or hotel car. On the mountain day, follow the boarding point on the actual scenic-shuttle ticket to Yungu Temple (云谷寺) or Ciguang Pavilion (慈光阁). The linked Ciguang and Yungu product examples require Tangkou Zhaixi Xinguoxian Transfer Centre (汤口寨西新国线换乘中心) and explicitly reject the South Gate transfer point (南大门换乘点); other products need their own check. Their online forms request an ID-card number and show second-generation ID or QR boarding, so an ordinary foreign-passport holder must confirm the purchase and boarding method with the operator before relying on them. After descending, confirm the last shuttle's actual drop-off and the hotel leg. For the exit train, obtain a dated station-bound coach with its named boarding point, or prebook a taxi or hotel car to Huangshan North with margin; an early departure may need a station-side final night.

Before you commit to this branch

When to cut it: If visibility or severe weather spoils the first mountain day, use the held Tangkou day only with an operator-approved ticket change, safe opening and return shuttle. If both usable days fail, move the mountain dates or keep a separate lowland visit whose round trip is actually secured. A storm day calls for a secured lowland round trip or a changed mountain date, with the booked train protected.

WATER VILLAGE · 2 NIGHTS

Hongcun 宏村: water lanes and a village evening

Why this branch: Choose Hongcun for its Moon Pond 月沼, South Lake 南湖 and built water system rather than a summit day. Two nights at one booked Hongcun-area hotel separate arrival, a full village visit and the rail return; Xidi needs separate nights and transport.

  1. Hongcun 宏村 · 2 nightsOne booked base. Arrive through its named gateway, make the main visit and keep the last night positioned for its actual return.

Entry, last leg and return: Search the actual train to Yixian East Station (黟县东站). The city transport bureau documents a Yixian East–Hongcun village line; ask Huangshan Changyun for the current boarding point, seat availability and Hongcun Bus Station stop (宏村客运站) before travelling. From that bus station follow the current signed route or an arranged short local ride to your hotel and the operator's open visitor entrance; the West Gate visitor centre (西门游客中心) is a named service point, but use the operator’s current ticket entrance. Obtain the reverse Hongcun Bus Station → Yixian East Station departure before a rail journey, or prebook a taxi or hotel car. If the issued train instead leaves Huangshan North, arrange that different return rather than using a Yixian East plan for the wrong station.

Before you commit to this branch

When to cut it: If the village entry is unavailable or the return bus misses the train, use a prebooked taxi or hotel-car round trip, change dates or drop Hongcun. A one-way arrival to the bus station is insufficient for a timed return train. Adding the mountain or Xidi requires a new transport and overnight plan.

MERCHANT VILLAGE · 2 NIGHTS

Xidi 西递: merchant-house lanes and streams

Why this branch: Choose Xidi for historic house fronts, clan halls and the three-stream village plan. Spend two nights at one booked Xidi-area hotel so a late arrival does not erase the visit and the return to the rail station remains a separate journey.

  1. Xidi 西递 · 2 nightsOne booked base. Arrive through its named gateway, make the main visit and keep the last night positioned for its actual return.

Entry, last leg and return: Search the dated train to Yixian East Station (黟县东站), then look up Huangshan Changyun’s Yixian East–Xidi line, its actual station-side boarding point and the Xidi scenic-area stop (西递景区). Continue to the signed Xidi visitor centre and Paifang Square (西递游客中心 / 牌楼广场) before entering the ticketed village; the bus stop, hotel and visitor gate are separate points. Before committing to the train out, obtain the reverse Xidi scenic-area stop → Yixian East Station departure or prebook a taxi or hotel car. An old Huangshan North–Xidi listing provides no current reverse for a Huangshan North ticket.

Before you commit to this branch

When to cut it: If the Xidi bus, visitor gate or return is unavailable, change dates or use a verified road round trip. Keep a full village visit only when both rides and the booked rail exit fit. Hongcun's own bus station and visitor centre cannot serve as an assumed Xidi return.

Gateways and return legs that change the choice

South Gate entry needs the ticketed boarding stop

The scenic manager's general network page names several transfer points and station-bound coaches, but it does not make every point valid for every ticket. The official Ciguang and Yungu product examples specify Tangkou Zhaixi Xinguoxian Transfer Centre (汤口寨西新国线换乘中心) and state that the South Gate transfer point (南大门换乘点) cannot be used for those tickets. Their forms request an ID-card number and show second-generation ID or QR boarding; ordinary foreign-passport purchase and QR access require operator confirmation. Get the last downhill shuttle's drop-off and a separately dated station-bound coach with its boarding point, or arrange a car, before going up.

North and East Gates require new ground plans

The scenic manager places the North Gate transfer at Erlongqiao in Gengcheng; the East Gate opened in June 2026 near Tanjiqiao 谭家桥. Both require ground rides separate from a Tangkou South Gate plan. Match the admission direction, regional rail station, transfer point and return operator for the gate actually reserved; changing a ticket direction requires a new bus plan.

Each village has its own road return

The Huangshan transport bureau's April 2026 line notice lists Yixian East to Xidi and Hongcun, as well as a Hongcun bus station return network. Holiday extensions in that notice are date-specific. Find today's departure and return in Huangshan Changyun's current channel or at the station, then align the bus station or scenic stop with the booked hotel and the operator's gate. A ticket out of Huangshan North needs a distinct reverse.

Huangshan City is larger than a park entrance

A stay in urban Tunxi 屯溪 can be useful for its own city visit or airport/rail connection, but it adds a separate road journey to Tangkou or Yi County. Huangshan North, Huangshan West and Yixian East are different railway stations. Choose the exit printed on the actual 12306 ticket and reserve the hotel-to-station ride, especially before a timed connection beyond Anhui.

Hefei: station and museum campus

The Anhui Museum lists Shushan campus at 87 Huaining Road and Luyang campus at 268 Anqing Road, with different regular closure days and changes announced for holidays. Choose one campus on an open date. A Hefei South rail arrival still needs its own taxi or hotel-arranged car to the hotel and chosen museum; reserve the reverse to Hefei South or the different station printed on the exit ticket.

Jiuhuashan: two buses between rail and street

In a 2024 scenic-management reply, the Jiuhuashan Station direct bus ends at the Visitor Service Center, where passengers change to a mountain bus. That reply does not establish today's departure or return. Before choosing a Jiuhua Street hotel or timed train, ask the operator for the station bus in both directions, the mountain bus stop serving the hotel, its last downhill run, and current admission and road controls.

Shexian: the old city is beyond Huangshan North

The 2024 Huangshan transport bureau trial names a Huangshan North–Huizhou Ancient City tourist-bus stop; the 2026 city line directory still names the Shexian direction. Neither proves the last bus or reverse on your date. Obtain both bus legs from the operator or arrange a taxi or hotel-car return, and leave a local step from the stop to the booked old-town hotel.

Bozhou: a separate northern rail gateway

The Bozhou Bus scenic-stop directory names Huaxilou, Huazu'an and the Cao Cao underground passage but leaves a station-to-heritage transfer to arrange. A separate December 2025 detour notice changed lines for roadwork and applied only during those roadworks. Prebook a station–hotel taxi or hotel car in both directions and locate the current visitor gate; Bozhou South and Bozhou Station need different pickups.

What each named place changes

Choose the mountain, one Huizhou settlement, a temple landscape or a city first. This page gives the cross-place decision; inside-gate mountain, village and museum visits still need the current operator detail.

Scenic mountain, not the rail station

Mount Huangshan · 黄山风景区

Choose it for granite peaks and a visibility-dependent walking day. Select the booked South Gate route before arranging the park shuttle.

Boundary: The Tangkou shuttle points, North Gate's Erlongqiao point and the newer East Gate are distinct. Board at the stop on the purchased shuttle product, not a generic South Gate pin.

South Gate overnight base

Tangkou · 汤口

Use one hotel here to keep the mountain day, weather hold and return ride within reach of the ticketed shuttle stop.

Boundary: The hotel, Zhaixi transfer centre and South Gate transfer point are separate. A town bed still leaves the cableway ticket and last down-mountain shuttle to confirm.

Rail gateway

Huangshan North · 黄山北站

Use the coach centre beside this exact station for an operator-listed Tangkou-bound coach, noting its actual drop-off; plan a separately confirmed reverse if this station is on your exit ticket.

Boundary: Huangshan North, Huangshan City centre/Tunxi 屯溪, Huangshan West 黄山西站 and the park gates are separate points.

Village rail gateway

Yixian East · 黟县东站

Use its separate Xidi or Hongcun bus line after obtaining the travel-day boarding point and return to the exact station on the issued ticket.

Boundary: Yixian East and Huangshan North are separate stations, each beyond the village gate. A dated festival timetable provides no standing service timetable.

Water-system village

Hongcun · 宏村

Choose the village's South Lake, Moon Pond and lanes for an overnight village focus; start from Hongcun Bus Station and the operator-designated visitor entrance.

Boundary: Its bus station, West Gate visitor centre, hotel and paid-entry gate need separate local steps. Xidi's lane circuit is a different outing.

Merchant-house village

Xidi · 西递

Choose the preserved streets, decorated houses and streams; reach the visitor centre and Paifang Square from the Xidi scenic-area stop.

Boundary: The Yixian East–Xidi arrival and reverse must both exist on the chosen date. Village re-entry is an operator ticket condition, set by the operator rather than the hotel.

Central Anhui city

Hefei · 合肥

Choose an urban stay and Anhui Museum's provincial-history displays. Choose the Shushan campus at Huaining Road rather than assuming the Luyang campus has the same address or schedule.

Boundary: Hefei South Station and Hefei Station are distinct exit points. The museum's open day and temporary exhibition must be checked with the museum.

Temple mountain in Chizhou

Jiuhuashan · 九华山

Choose Jiuhua Street's temple landscape. Reach it via Jiuhuashan Station, the Visitor Service Center and the uphill scenic bus, then reverse each leg.

Boundary: The rail station, service centre and uphill hotel are three places; dated departure tables and mountain road controls need travel-day checks.

Huizhou prefectural old city

Shexian · 歙县

Choose Huizhou Ancient City's prefectural office, Xu Guo Arch and history museum over an Yi County village stay.

Boundary: The Huangshan North tourist-bus corridor is documented, but its present return and the old-town hotel's final access must be confirmed.

Northern Anhui heritage city

Bozhou · 亳州

Choose Huaxilou, Huazu'an and the Cao Cao underground passage for a northern-history stay with its own rail gateway.

Boundary: Bozhou South is not Bozhou Station. Prebook a station-to-old-city taxi or hotel car in both directions; the bus diversion was temporary.

Before booking, and when a branch breaks

Book in this order: choose one direction and the exact inbound/outbound rail station → find the current bus departures or arrange a taxi or hotel car for the ground ride and last local step in both directions → read that direction's opening, ticket or scenic-bus condition → then lock its paid overnight base. For Mount Huangshan, match the reserved date, time, entrance direction, boarding point and accepted document to the scenic shuttle. For a village, settle its gate, hotel and re-entry terms with the operator. A second direction needs its own nights and transfers.

Mountain weather consumes the hold

Granite viewpoints depend on visibility, while strong wind, lightning or rain can change exposed paths and cableway operation. The scenic manager's peak policy allows temporary closure in severe weather. Use the held Tangkou day only after securing a safe opening, ticket adjustment and down-mountain shuttle; keep the train return protected. A summit view is never guaranteed by three nights.

Ticket direction or scenic shuttle fails

The 2026 scenic notice requires a real-name, time and direction match; its holiday operating hours apply only to the notice’s dates. If the booked direction or shuttle is unavailable, use the official channel to change the booking or date and stay below. A North Gate visit needs a separate Erlongqiao transfer.

A village ride has no usable reverse

The Yixian East lines are documented, but an old line list provides no last departure on your date. Get the operator’s return-bus departure before entering Hongcun or Xidi; otherwise use a prebooked taxi or hotel-car round trip or change the village day. The Xidi operator's older ticket page warns of single-entry conditions; obtain today's passport and re-entry terms before choosing a room within the paid area.

Two villages look close on a map

Hongcun and Xidi are both UNESCO villages but have separate bus stops, visitor gates and returns. The documented Tunxi–Yi County–Hongcun corridor passes Xidi, yet that leaves a same-day connection and combined ticket to establish separately. Keep the selected village as the full visit unless both cross-village ride and final return fit the dated operator timetable or booked car for your date.

The selected museum, temple or old-city ride fails

If Anhui Museum's chosen campus is closed, change the Hefei day or campus only after reading that second campus’s opening notice and its road ride. If either Jiuhuashan scenic bus or station shuttle misses the train connection, change the rail date or the overnight base instead of being stranded uphill. If Shexian's tourist-bus reverse or the Bozhou road pickup cannot be secured, arrange a taxi or hotel-car round trip with margin or drop that branch.

These first stays offer a representative choice across Anhui's cities, Huizhou villages and mountain routes. Use another block only after its station pair, overnight base and actual return are secured. Compare the larger East Coast route →

Sources and date limits

Place identity and route nodes reviewed 27 September 2026. The three- and two-night allocations are editorial planning choices. Several Huangshan government pages and a separate 2026 Jiuhuashan route page timed out or resisted direct loading; the readable 2024 Jiuhuashan management reply establishes the two-bus transfer, with current timings still to obtain. The two readable Huangshan Tourism products establish only their own Zhaixi boarding restriction; ordinary foreign-passport online purchase remains unresolved. Ask each operator for the ticketed boarding point, accepted document, travel-day departures and last return before payment.

: Placed the existing official booking and transport references beside each affected branch’s arrival and return decision.

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