In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · China
Luoyang
洛阳
Give Luoyang 2 nights: Longmen Grottoes at 08:00 opening, White Horse Temple and the old town on day two. Skip if you have under 36 hours.
Luoyang was capital for nine dynasties and the eastern end of the Silk Road, but the modern city is a mid-sized Henan industrial centre and the sights sit 12 km apart. Two nights covers the Longmen Grottoes, White Horse Temple and the old town without rushing. Most travellers reach it by high-speed rail from Xi'an (1.5–2 h) or Zhengzhou (40 min).
- Country
- China
- Local name
- 洛阳
- Best months
- Apr–May, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (hot, wet), Jan–Feb (cold, dry)
- Stay
- 2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- CNY
- Money
- Alipay and WeChat Pay accept Visa, Mastercard, JCB and Amex cards; single payments over ¥200 carry a fee of about 3% on a foreign card (smaller ones are free), and per-payment and yearly caps apply — check the app. Keep a second way to pay.
- Daily spend
- Budget ¥250–450 excl. bed · Mid ¥450–900 excl. bed · High ¥900+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- A roaming eSIM from outside China routes traffic through its home network, so Google, WhatsApp and Instagram work without a VPN — the simplest setup.
- Emergency
- Police 110 · Fire 119 · Ambulance 120
- Plugs
- Types A, C, I · 220 V · 50 Hz · Many sockets take flat two-pin (A), round two-pin (C) and angled three-pin (I) plugs; UK plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Restaurants: No tip; upmarket hotels add 10–15% service.; Taxis and DiDi: No tip.; Tour guides and drivers: Expected on organised tours: about ¥100–200 a day for a guide, ¥50–100 for a driver.; Hotel porters: Not expected; ¥10–20 in luxury hotels.
- Water
- Not for drinking from the tap; bottled water ¥2–5, and kettles and free bottles in hotel rooms. Restaurants serve hot water or tea.
- Toilets
- Public toilets are frequent and free; squat toilets outside hotels and malls. Carry tissues — many have no paper.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Noodle bowl (Luoyang water banquet style) | ¥15–40 |
| Coffee | ¥20–40 |
| Beer: draught in a bar / can at a convenience store | ¥20–35 / ¥5–10 |
| 5 km taxi3.1 mi taxi | ¥15–20 |
| Metro ride | ¥2–5 |
| Museum entry (Luoyang Museum free; Dingding Gate ¥30) | ¥0–30 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- LYA · Luoyang Beijiao Airport
- About 10 km north of the centre; limited domestic routes. Zhengzhou Xinzheng (CGO) has far more flights and is on the high-speed line.About 6.2 mi north of the centre; limited domestic routes. Zhengzhou Xinzheng (CGO) has far more flights and is on the high-speed line.
Typical fares
- Luoyang Longmen → Xi'an North, high-speed
- about ¥175–260 second class, 1.5–2 h
- Luoyang Longmen → Zhengzhou East, high-speed
- about ¥60–90, 40 min
- Taxi centre → Longmen Grottoes
- ¥35–50, about 30 min
Get around
Metro Line 1 runs east–west through the old town and Line 2 links the station to the south. City buses cost ¥1–1.5. Taxis start at ¥8 with ¥1.70 per km (2022 tariff). Longmen Grottoes are 12 km south of the centre — a shuttle bus runs from Longmen high-speed station.Metro Line 1 runs east–west through the old town and Line 2 links the station to the south. City buses cost ¥1–1.5. Taxis start at ¥8 with ¥1.70 per km (2022 tariff). Longmen Grottoes are 7.5 mi south of the centre — a shuttle bus runs from Longmen high-speed station.
See and do
Known for
- Longmen Grottoes (UNESCO)
- White Horse Temple
- Guanlin Temple
- Peony Festival in April
- Luoyang Museum
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Longmen Grottoes | Bus 53/60/71 or taxi from the centre; shuttle from Longmen high-speed station | About 45–60 min |
| White Horse Temple | Bus 56, 58, 87 or 801 east | About 1 h |
| Guanlin Temple | Bus 81 from the station, or 15/39/55/58 | About 40 min |
| Zhengzhou | High-speed rail from Luoyang Longmen | About 1 h 15 min |
Sleep
- Luoyang Station area (Jinguyuan Road)
- Walk to the low-speed station and the main bus station; metro Line 2 nearby. Best for one night with bags.
- Old Town (Laocheng)
- Lijing Gate, snack streets and the canal museum; 15–20 min by taxi or metro from the station.
- Luolong / Longmen Station
- High-speed rail station and a short ride to the grottoes; quieter, fewer restaurants.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | 你好nǐ hǎo |
| Thank you | 谢谢xièxie |
| How much is it? | 多少钱？duōshao qián |
| I don't understand | 我听不懂wǒ tīng bu dǒng |
| Where is the toilet? | 洗手间在哪里？xǐshǒujiān zài nǎli |
| Can I pay by card? | 可以刷卡吗？kěyǐ shuākǎ ma |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and a nod; use surnames with a title; avoid: Hugs and cheek kisses
- Face: Disagree privately and indirectly; avoid: Correcting or embarrassing someone in front of others
- Gifts: Give with two hands; expect the gift to be refused once or twice and opened later; avoid: Clocks, umbrellas, white flowers, sets of four
- Business cards: Present and receive with both hands, read it, keep it on the table; avoid: Writing on it or pocketing it at once
- Queues and crowds: Hold your ground politely in scrums at buses and lifts; avoid: Taking pushing personally
- Temples: Walk clockwise around Tibetan stupas and prayer wheels; remove hats; avoid: Touching statues or photographing where signs forbid
- Politics: Listen; follow your host's lead; avoid: Raising Tibet, Taiwan, Xinjiang, 1989 or the party leadership
- Numbers and colour: Red and 8 are lucky; red envelopes carry money gifts; avoid: Writing names in red; the number 4
Scams and watch-outs
- Foreigners are barred from Yiyang, Luanchuan and Song counties in Luoyang prefecture — Laojun Mountain and Baiyun Mountain are off-limits. Carry your passport.
- Longmen Grottoes ticket is dated; buy on the official channel and keep the passport used to book.
- The Ancient Art (Tombs) Museum has been closed for renovation — check before going.
- Left-luggage touts at Luoyang Station may quote ¥15; the posted price is ¥10 per bag.
- Air quality dips in winter; check the AQI if you have respiratory issues.
Luoyang is a low-crime city and solo travel is routine. The real risks are traffic, summer heat at the grottoes, and the restricted counties — never book Laojun Mountain or Baiyun Mountain as a foreigner.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Luoyang yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Longmen Grottoes (UNESCO)
- White Horse Temple
- Guanlin Temple
- Peony Festival in April
- Luoyang Museum
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Luoyang, revision 5331634 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5331634
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Luoyang洛阳
请到这个地址
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No US or UK consulate in Luoyang; the nearest are in Zhengzhou (check the address) or the embassies in Beijing.
Carry your passport: hotels, museums and some tickets require it.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/luoyang). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.