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Major city · China

Shuozhou朔州

Give Shuozhou one day: the Yingxian wooden pagoda is 70 km (43 mi) south, so go at opening and be back by evening.

Not yet checkedSourcesWhat these labels mean

Shuozhou is a coal city on the Sanggan River in northern Shanxi, and the reason to come sits outside it: the Pagoda of Fogong Temple at Yingxian, a 1056 wooden tower on China's UNESCO tentative list. The city itself is a half-day of streets and a museum. One night is enough, and most travellers pair it with Datong.

basic guide: no trip line yet
More
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
More ways in
Print / PDF guide
Local time, weather, currency, airports
Weather
see forecast
Currency
CNY
Best months
Apr–May, Sep–Oct
avoid Jul–Aug (rainy, humid), Dec–Feb (well below freezing)
Airport
DAT
Nights
1

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide for Shuozhou: no airport-to-bed path, walking clusters or day plans yet. Fares and schedules here are unverified. What this page does cover
Rules in force · 7
  • East Asia ↗Every border in East Asia is a full international border, Hong Kong and Macau included: an entry permission for one never covers the next.
  • East Asia ↗Ferries between Korea, Japan and China cancel in rough seas and typhoons; keep a flight or a spare day behind every sea leg.
  • China ↗Most nationalities need a visa, a unilateral visa-free entry (the list and end dates change) or the transit exemption below. Confirm your route on the official sites before you buy a ticket.
  • China ↗Transit stay without a visa: up to 240 hours (10 days) for citizens of about 55 listed countries who pass through China to a third country or region, with a confirmed onward ticket and a stay inside the permitted area (Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei count as one area). It replaced the 144-hour rule in December 2024, which some older pages still quote. Use the transit lane at immigration, show the onward ticket, and check the current nationality list. Hong Kong and Macau count as separate regions; check whether your ticket qualifies.
  • China ↗Foreign visitors must register their address with the police within 24 hours; hotels do it at check-in with your passport. Carry the original passport at all times: hotels, trains, museums, Tiananmen Square and police checks ask for it.
  • China ↗Set up Alipay or WeChat Pay with a foreign card before you fly. QR payment is the default in shops, taxis and many stalls, and some places refuse cash or a foreign card. Carry cash as a backup.
  • China ↗Google, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and many news sites are blocked. Use an eSIM with roaming (it routes through your home network) or install and test a VPN before you fly; VPN sites and app stores are hard to reach inside China, and only government-approved VPNs are officially permitted.

Entry rules depend on your passport. Full visa guide

Checking your follows…
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾

Not in this guide yet

  • Walking areas with bag rules
  • Day plans checked against opening hours
  • Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
  • Field-checked times and prices
Emergency numbers for Shuozhou110 ▾

Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.

EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Shuozhou, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Show all 12 answers

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • Coffee¥15–25 (≈ US$3–4)
  • Street or quick mealNoodle soup¥20–35 (≈ US$3–5)
  • BeerLocal beer¥10–20 (≈ US$2–3)
  • Taxi, about 5 km (3 mi)Taxi, first 3 km (1.9 mi)check¥30–45 (≈ US$5–7)
  • Museum or sight ticketPagoda entrycheck¥30–50 (≈ US$5–7)
  • Budget bedMid-range hotel, a night, per roomCN¥250 (≈ US$35)
  • Mid-range bedMid-range hotel, a night, per roomCN¥350 (≈ US$50)
  • High-end bedMid-range hotel, a night, per roomCN¥500 (≈ US$70)

A day, not counting the bed: Budget CN¥200 (≈ US$30) · Mid CN¥350 (≈ US$50) · High CN¥500 (≈ US$70)

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Pagoda of Fogong Temple, YingxianLiao-dynasty wooden architectureNorthern Shanxi coal country
Airports
DAT Datong Yungang Airport (About 120 km (75 mi) north; bus or taxi, roughly 2 h (check))

Best months at a glance

From the guide's best and avoid lists

  1. Jan

    Avoid

    0°C (32°F)

  2. Feb

    Avoid

    4°C (39°F)

  3. Mar

    not flagged

    11°C (52°F)

  4. Apr

    Best

    19°C (66°F)

  5. May

    Best

    25°C (77°F)

  6. Jun

    not flagged

    29°C (84°F)

  7. Jul

    Avoid

    30°C (86°F)

  8. Aug

    Avoid

    28°C (82°F)

  9. Sep

    Best

    23°C (73°F)

  10. Oct

    Best

    17°C (63°F)

  11. Nov

    not flagged

    8°C (46°F)

  12. Dec

    Avoid

    1°C (34°F)

Best: Apr–May, Sep–Oct. Avoid: Jul–Aug, Dec–Feb. Month by month →

Warmest Jul (30°C (86°F)), coolest Jan (−14°C (7°F) low), wettest Jul (12 rain days), driest Jan (2). Averages, not a forecast.

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Shuozhou: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

0°C (32°F)

−14°C (7°F)

2 rd

Feb

4°C (39°F)

−10°C (14°F)

3 rd

Mar

11°C (52°F)

−3°C (27°F)

4 rd

Apr

19°C (66°F)

4°C (39°F)

5 rd

May

25°C (77°F)

10°C (50°F)

6 rd

Jun

29°C (84°F)

15°C (59°F)

9 rd

Jul

30°C (86°F)

18°C (64°F)

12 rd

Aug

28°C (82°F)

16°C (61°F)

12 rd

Sep

23°C (73°F)

10°C (50°F)

8 rd

Oct

17°C (63°F)

3°C (37°F)

5 rd

Nov

8°C (46°F)

−5°C (23°F)

3 rd

Dec

1°C (34°F)

−12°C (10°F)

2 rd

High / low, both scales · rd = rain days

Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

City buses and taxis cover central Shuozhou. The pagoda stands in Yingxian county, about 70 km south, so reach it by county bus or taxi, not on foot. High-speed rail links Shuozhou with Taiyuan and Datong.

Nearest full guides

Straight-line distance, not travel time

See & doDay-trips, door to door

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Yingxian Pagoda of Fogong Temple

go

Door to door: 1.5–2 h each way

County bus or taxi from Shuozhou, about 70 km (43 mi) south

Go at opening; the wooden tower is the whole reason for the trip.

Datongovernight

Door to door: ≈2 h

Long-distance bus from Shuozhou South Bus Station, about 2 h

Yungang Grottoes and the old city need a night, not a return day.

Taiyuango

Door to door: 2–3 h

High-speed or conventional rail from Shuozhou, roughly 1.5–2.5 h

Provincial capital with museums and onward rail links.

Pingyaoovernight

Door to door: 4–5 h

Rail to Taiyuan, then high-speed rail to Pingyao, roughly 3.5–4.5 h total

Too far for a comfortable return day; sleep one night.

Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Shuozhou city centre

Business hotels near the bus and rail stations; the pagoda is a day trip from here, not a walk.

Yingxian county town

Basic guesthouses minutes from the pagoda; only worth it if you want the site at opening.

PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
¥200–350 (≈ US$30–50) excl. bed
Mid
¥350–600 (≈ US$50–85) excl. bed
High
¥600 (≈ US$85)+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Mid-range hotel1 × 1 night × CN¥250CN¥250
Food, local transport, entries1 × 1 day × CN¥200CN¥200
Round trip to Yingxian by bus or shared taxi1 × CN¥120CN¥120
Taxi within the city, 30 min1 × CN¥30CN¥30
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeCN¥60
Trip total≈ CN¥660 per person per day, bed includedCN¥660≈ US$95

2026 estimate in yuan; long-distance transport excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee¥15–25 (≈ US$3–4)
Noodle soup¥20–35 (≈ US$3–5)
Local beer¥10–20 (≈ US$2–3)
Taxi, first 3 kmcheck¥30–45 (≈ US$5–7)
Pagoda entrycheck¥30–50 (≈ US$5–7)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Shuozhou is generally safe and petty theft is rare. The real risks are road traffic, winter cold and summer downpours.
  • The pagoda is in Yingxian, not central Shuozhou: allow half a day for the trip out and back.
  • The pagoda's upper storeys have been closed to visitors at times: check the official site before you travel.
  • Winter lows sit near -14 °C (7 °F); summer is the rainy season.
  • English is rarely spoken outside hotels: keep your address in Chinese characters.

Emergency numbers

Police
110
Fire
119
Ambulance
120

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

Shuozhou朔州

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

请到这个地址To this address, please

Emergency

  • Police110
  • Fire119
  • Ambulance120

Embassy

No US consulate in Shanxi; the nearest is in Beijing. Check visa requirements before you fly.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Shuozhou → Yingxian, bus or shared taxi: about ¥120 (≈ US$17) round trip (check)
  • Taxi city centre → pagoda: ≈ ¥30 (check)

Say or show

  • 对不起 — Excuse me / Sorry (duìbuqǐ)
  • 谢谢 — Thank you (xièxiè)
  • 多少钱？ — How much is it? (duōshǎo qián?)
  • 厕所在哪里？ — Where is the bathroom? (cèsuǒ zài nǎlǐ?)
  • 可以刷卡吗？ — Can I pay by card? (kěyǐ shuākǎ ma?)

Alipay or WeChat Pay is near-universal; carry some cash for county buses.

Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Shuozhou. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Apr–May, Sep–Oct · avoid Jul–Aug (rainy, humid), Dec–Feb (well below freezing) · month by month →
  2. 1 airport and 2 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 4 day-trips, door to door
  6. 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Add a night in Datong for Yungang Grottoes and the Huayan Monastery.
  2. Run Shuozhou as a stop on a Taiyuan–Datong rail line rather than a base.

Meanwhile

Back to China

Sources

Ask about Shuozhou

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