Route
Beijing to LuoyangLuoyang to Beijing: take the train or fly?
Luoyang — the city for the Longmen Grottoes — is about three hours south of Beijing on the fastest trains, and three to five in practice. It's a stop on the main line down to Zhengzhou and Guangzhou.
Beijing 北京
Beijing West
Luoyang 洛阳
Luoyang Longmen
- 2nd class
- from ¥337 ≈ $47
- business to ¥1,351
- Departures
- ~18/day
- 06:38–17:55
- Train types
- G
- Flight
- slower door-to-door
- Few flights, and Luoyang's airport is small; Beijing's airports are delay-prone
The fastest G-trains do it in about three hours for roughly ¥337–430, with 15 to 20 a day. Flights are about 1h45 in the air but few in number, from a small airport, so door to door the plane rarely comes out ahead. The train also drops you at Luoyang Longmen, a few minutes from the grottoes themselves.
Compare
Train vs flight, side by side
| High-speed train | Flight | |
|---|---|---|
| Fastest journey | ~3h, station to station | ~1h 45m in the air |
| Realistic door to door | ~4h – 5h with city transport at both ends | ~4h – 5h once you add both airports and security |
| Standard fare, one way | 2nd class from ¥337 ≈ $47 | Economy from ¥600 ≈ $83, usually more |
| Top class, one way | Business seat ~¥1,351 ≈ $188 | — |
| Departures per day | 18+ | ~8 |
| First / last departure | ~06:38 / ~17:55 | roughly 07:00 / 22:00 |
| On-time record | Runs to time far more reliably than the few Beijing–Luoyang flights | Few flights, and Luoyang's airport is small; Beijing's airports are delay-prone |
Fares are indicative second-class / economy, one way, checked September 2026 at about ¥7.2 to US$1. Both move with the date and how far ahead you book.
Should you take the train or fly?
Take the train. The fastest G-trains cover the roughly 810 km from Beijing West to Luoyang Longmen in about 3 hours; most take 3.5 to 5. Around 15 to 20 run each way per day, but note the last one out of Beijing is early — around 18:00. Second class is about ¥337–430, first class ¥539–687.
There are flights — about 1h 45m in the air — but only a handful a day, into Luoyang’s small Beijiao airport. Once you add Beijing’s airports, security and the transfers, the door-to-door time is no better than the train, and less reliable. The train also finishes at Luoyang Longmen, a few minutes from the grottoes.
Stations, tickets and what to expect
Which stations. Trains leave from Beijing West (Beijingxi), on metro lines 7 and 9, and arrive at Luoyang Longmen (Luoyanglongmen), on Luoyang metro line 2. A few services use Beijing Fengtai instead — check your ticket.
Right by the grottoes. Luoyang Longmen station is named for the Longmen Grottoes and sits about 3 km away — a 10-minute taxi or a short bus. If the grottoes are your main reason to come, you can see them straight off the train and carry on the same day. Downtown Luoyang and the White Horse Temple are about 20 km northwest.
Breaking the journey. The line runs through Shijiazhuang and Zhengzhou; Zhengzhou is 30–40 minutes short of Luoyang. The Shaolin Temple at Dengfeng lies between Luoyang and Zhengzhou, usually done as a day trip by bus. Carrying on to Xi’an is about another 1.5 hours.
Booking. Trip.com or the 12306 app, passport as the ID type, electronic ticket scanned at the gate. Confirm fares and times on 12306 or Trip.com when you book.
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FAQ
Common questions
How long is the high-speed train from Beijing to Luoyang?
About 3 hours on the fastest G-trains (G361 and G375), and 3.5 to 5 hours on services with more stops. Around 15 to 20 high-speed trains run each way daily.
How much does it cost?
Second class is about ¥337–430 (≈ $47–60). First class is around ¥539–687 and a business seat about ¥1,150–1,350.
Which stations do the trains use?
Beijing West (Beijingxi), on metro lines 7 and 9, to Luoyang Longmen (Luoyanglongmen), on Luoyang metro line 2. A few trains also use Beijing Fengtai.
Is the station near the Longmen Grottoes?
Yes — that's what it's named for. Luoyang Longmen station is about 3 km from the grottoes, roughly a 10-minute taxi or a short bus ride. Downtown Luoyang is about 20 km northwest.
Should I fly instead?
Usually not. The flight is about 1h45 in the air, but there are only a handful a day into Luoyang's small airport, and once you add Beijing's airports and transfers the train's three hours is competitive and more reliable. Fly only if a convenient fare comes up.
Can I stop at Zhengzhou or the Shaolin Temple?
Yes. The line runs through Zhengzhou, about 30–40 minutes before Luoyang. The Shaolin Temple at Dengfeng sits between the two cities and is usually visited as a day trip from Luoyang or Zhengzhou by bus.
Can I carry on to Xi'an?
Easily. Luoyang to Xi'an is about 1.5 hours by high-speed train — many people do Beijing–Luoyang–Xi'an as one southbound run, buying each leg separately.
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