Pingxiang (凭祥; Píngxiáng) is in Central Guangxi, southern China. It is close to the border with Vietnam, with the Vietnamese town of Dong Dang just across the border, and is a transit town for entering or leaving China.
Understand
[edit]The vast majority of residents in Pingxiang (over 80%) are ethnically Zhuang, a minority group in China. Other minorities, including the Yao, Miao and Jing also live in the city while the Han Chinese are also present.
Like most of Guangxi, Pingxiang has a subtropical monsoon climate, with hot and humid summers, and mild winters.
Get in
[edit]By train
[edit]A new high-speed railway linking Nanning to Pingxiang was officially opened in December 2025. Trains from Nanning now generally take only around one and a half hours to reach Pingxiang. There is also one slow train departing Nanning daily at 18:05, which takes about four hours to reach Pingxiang. The slow train arrives at the old Pingxiang Railway Station whereas the high-speed trains arrive at the newly completed Pingxiang East Railway Station.
As of December 2025, there are no longer any direct trains from Guangzhou to Pingxiang.
Services from Nanning to Hanoi, Vietnam via Pingxiang finally resumed in May 2025 after a five-year suspension.
By bus
[edit]The new bus station in Nanning has frequent buses to Pingxiang. The trip takes around 3 hours and costs ¥62 including ¥2 insurance.
The overnight bus from Guangzhou to Pingxiang costs ¥200, with the trip taking around 12 hours. These buses will not have seats, rather they will provide beds for travelers. Do be careful with your articles while sleeping on the bus as there have been quite a few incidents involving travelers losing their valuables while sleeping on the bus.
To/from Vietnam
[edit]Many motorized wagons (like a cart pulled by an engine) will take travelers to the border.
From the bus station, the trip should cost ¥20, but hard bargainers may get the price down to ¥15.
From Pingxiang's train station take the bus,taxi or tuk-tuk to the border. The cheapest option is ¥2 while taxis cost ¥10-20. The trip takes around 15 minutes.
Get around
[edit]
You can take a taxi around the city. Or take a taxi to the border to Vietnam for only ¥30.
With a 3-Wheels custom bike (similar to a taxi) you can go anywhere in the city for ¥2.
See
[edit]Mother nature creation of the rocky mountains.
- 1 Friendship Pass (20 km (12 mi) from Pingxiang). A pass signifying the border between China and Vietnam. Note that the pass lies just within the Chinese side of the border.
- Liancheng Fortress Site (southeast of Pingxiang). A historical military site dating back to the Ming Dynasty (14th to 17th centuries) now partially in ruins.
Do
[edit]- Dance at the old market area. At night, you can visit the old market area where it got converted into the dancing square and dance with the locals. Light and music are provided along with several stages for different levels of dancers. The elders locals generally come out at night to dance as a form of daily exercise. A few blocks from the dancing square, there is the night market where you can pick up some food along the streets. During the day, you can drop by the market area to see what are available for purchase.
Buy
[edit]Eat
[edit]Depending on the time of the year, there are various kind of specialties you can try.
- 1 Juanjuan Restaurant, Beida Rd, ☏ +86 771 852 0304. Chinese restaurant commonly visited by Vietnamese tour groups crossing the border. Noted for its duck dishes.
- 2 Koufu Ecology Beef Restaurant, 25 Bei Huan Lu, ☏ +86 771 852 0901. Has both dine-in and takeaway.
Drink
[edit]Sleep
[edit]- Yinghe Hotel (opposite the railways station). Quite good. During warm weather, there will be plenty of mosquitoes. About ¥160.
- 1 Xiangcheng International Hotel, Beida Rd, ☏ +86 771 509 2345. Check-in: 2PM. Staff speak Vietnamese and Chinese though their English is minimal. Free Wi-Fi and bottled water. Spacious interior and lobby area. They have plastic slippers and don't have disposable ones. Breakfast options are limited.
Go next
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