Changchun has a total of 6 districts, 3 other cities and 1 county. Five of the districts are close to the city centre:
* Chaoyang District (朝阳区)
* Nanguan District (南关区)
* Kuancheng District (宽城区)
* Erdao District (二道区)
* Luyuan District (绿园区)
Further afield are:
* Shuangyang District (双阳区)
* West New City Development District (西部新城开发区)
* Yushu City (榆树市)
* Dehui City (德惠市)
* Jiutai City (九台市)
* Nong'an County (农安县)
The city is home to the following special economic zones:
* Changchun Jingyuetan tourism Economic Development Zone (长春净月潭旅游经济开发区)
* Changchun High Technology Industry Development Zone (长春高新技术产业开发区)
* Changchun Technology Development Zone (长春经济技术开发区)
* Changchun Automotive Industry Development Zone (长春汽车产业开发区)
* Changjiang Lu Science and Technology Commercial Development Zone (长江路电脑科技商品开发区)
Changchun has a monsoon-influenced climate, with great seasonal temperature extremes. Winters are long, very cold, and windy, with a January high of −10 °C (14°F). However there is little snow and the air is dry. Summers are very warm and humid, with extended periods of 30°C (86°F) highs, though the average high in July is 28°C (82°F).
Changchun Longjia International Airport (长春龙家国际机场; IATA: CGQ) has been in operation since September 2005 and is around 30 km east of city center. It replaced a smaller military airport that had been adapted for commercial use. The airport is large and clean, and passengers can find standard amenities such as restaurants, cafes, shops, lounges, credit card acceptance, etc. For first class passengers there are two lounges available, but the standard is far below of the lounges of international airports.
Different local flight destinations are available, but the major routes throughout the day are to domestic destinations [wiki=5466ee572bcbc75830d044e66ab429bc]Shanghai[/wiki] (2:20 hours) and Beijing (1:40 hours). There are also some international flights to [wiki=7afedf25b7e78341ed8d9ebf401daf75]Incheon[/wiki] and [wiki=10b22625bf8918f4fd3ae2f185bd44c8]Nagoya[/wiki].
From the airport there are regular coach services (¥20-30 one way) available to the center (e.g. People's Square (人民广场)). Travel time is around 45 minutes. A taxi to/from the city costs around ¥80 including toll, but from the airport to the city most of the taxi drivers reject a drive if you are not willing to pay at least ¥100 (do not discuss it, do it or take the bus). The most convenient transport to the city is by train from Longjia station, which is directly connected to the airport by a walkway underneath the parking lot. The fare to Changchun main station (15 minutes away) is a very modest ¥8.50. Trains run approximately every hour, and you can [url=http://english.ctrip.com/trains/List/Index?DepartureCity=Longjia%28%E9%BE%99%E5%98%89%29&ArrivalCity=Changchun%28%E9%95%BF%E6%98%A5%29&TrainNo=&DepartureCityPinyin=&ArrivalCityPinyin=&DepartureStation=%E9%BE%99%E5%98%89&ArrivalStation=%E9%95%BF%E6%98%A5&TrainType=&DepartDate=01-06-2016&searchboxArg=]find a schedule online[/url]. Note that to reach the ticket office, you actually have to "exit" the train station (riding the escalator up to ground level), only to reenter the main doors of the train station. To purchase a train ticket, you will need to provide the ticket agent with your ID. Fares are UnionPay or cash only.
A small cluster of ATMs are available at the departures level and accept international cards.
Changchun has four passenger railway stations: Changchun Railway Station (长春站), Changchun West Railway Station (长春西站), Changchun East Railway Station (长春东站) and Changchun South Railway Station (长春南站). The latter two stations are very small and only local trains stop there.
Changchun Railway Station (长春站; Changchun Zhan) is situated at the north end of Renmin Avenue (人民大街). Although it is large and chaotic, providing you read Chinese and speak some Mandarin and are prepared to fight through the queues, you can buy a ticket to almost anywhere in China from here. Some of the staff at the ticket office may speak modest amounts of English.
Changchun West Railway Station (长春西站) started operating in December 2013. Fast trains to e.g. Beijing, Shenyang and Harbin leave from here.The station is located close to FAW-VW.
If you need to get between Changchun West Railway Station and Changchun Railway Station, you can take a taxi for about ¥30. The ride takes around 35 minutes, but budget for traffic.
Thanks to the railroad-building efforts of Japanese in the early- to mid-1900s, the rail network in Northeast China is extensive and no place is very far by rail.
Rail travel is by far the cheapest way to travel in and out of Changchun. If you do not want to go to the train station yourself, you can go to any good travel agent who will do this on your behalf, usually for ¥10-20 extra.
There are long distance coaches that regularly go from/to Beijing available from the coach station on Huanghe Road (黄河路), just off Renmin Avenue (人民大街). There is also a long distance bus station at the south end of Renmin Avenue (take bus Z306 from the train station).
You can also catch coaches and buses from pretty much anywhere in Jilin Province, though they have a reputation for being dangerous and are slightly more expensive, though faster, than the train.
The main Long-Distance Bus Station is at 226 Renmin Avenue.
* Beijing - takes about 8 hours
* Dalian - takes about 8 hours
* Harbin - takes about 4 hours
* Jilin - takes about 2 hours
* Shenyang - takes about 4 hours
Taxis are by far the best way to get around. They are cheap but you should have a piece of paper with the address in case you do not speak Mandarin.
Taxi fares start at ¥5 up to 2.5 km (plus a mandatory ¥1 fuel surtax), after that ¥1.30/.5 km. Several taxi companies are serving the city and they will not try to cheat you. It is common for drivers to pick up other passengers who might be going in the same direction if there are unused seats.
However, in case driver is taking you in circles - in this case complain for example at the hotel drop-off point. The staff there normally will support you in such cases. For other cases simply pay not more then shown on the meter. In general: Make sure you know the name of the places you are going to in Mandarin or have a paper with the Chinese address with you. It would not hurt either to travel during the day and have one of Shangri-La's English maps, or even one in Chinese from Xinhua bookstore.
From May to October, Changchun is a decent walking city, as the weather is fine and there are no hills. The city does tend to be spread out, so travelers should plan on using other forms of transportation. During the winter months temperatures are too cold to walk longer distances in Changchun, so other forms of transport should be considered.
The light rail (轻轨; qīngguǐ) currently goes from the west side of the train station (长春站) to Changying Movie Wonderland (长影世纪城). It travels past Changchun University (长春大学) approximately half-way along the route, and takes 63 minutes to complete the entire journey. A ticket, purchased at any light rail station, costs ¥1-4 each way, based on the distance traveled. Operates 6AM-9PM daily.
The new South-North line is fully open.
An extensive bus network and most of the buses cost ¥1; however, those who can not read Chinese will find it nearly impossible to use the network.
Most buses go to the bus station outside the train station, and other central areas such as Guilin Road (桂林路), Chongqing Road (重庆路) and Hongqi Street (红旗街). Be aware that the buses are often extremely crowded and especially uncomfortable during the hot summers as there is no air conditioning.
Important bus numbers include:
*362 - 6AM-8:30PM daily. From the train station to Hongqi Street (红旗街), Chongqing Road (重庆路) and Guilin Road (桂林路).
*306 - 5:50AM-11PM daily. Busy route that goes north/south along Renmin Avenue (人民大街) from the train station to Changchun University (长春大学).
*80 - 6AM-8PM daily. Circular route around Changchun that goes pretty much everywhere including Hongqi Street (红旗街), Chongqing Road (重庆路), Guilin Road (桂林路), the train station and the zoo.
*240 - 6AM-7:30PM. Satellite Square (卫星广场) to Culture Square (文化广场) via Guilin Road (桂林路).
Despite the city once having the most complex tram system in Northern China, there is now only one remaining route still open. The number 54 runs down Hongqi Street (红旗街) to the far west of the city (where there really is not much). Many of the trams still in use today are the original cars from 1940, so it is worth the ¥1 ride just for the experience of yesteryear.
If you are in need of an adrenaline rush, look no further than one of the minibuses that tear around the city streets. Some places out in the suburbs are only serviced by such buses, and the fare is usually ¥1-2, but the drivers seem to think that they are on a giant racetrack most of the time and you will get thrown around. Expect the front passenger to sit at the side-door, calling out to potential customers, and to be encouraged to hop on the bus while it is moving ever so slowly. If you were old, they would probably stop, or expect you to take a taxi for a little more. Very crowded at times.
Travelers should be cautious of bicycling in Changchun. For half the year it is generally too cold and during the summer months, too dangerous. Unlike other big cities in China, Changchun does not separate cycle lanes from the main traffic, which leads to buses, taxis, cars, and motorcycles sharing the same space as the cyclists. The whole situation is dangerous and this is perhaps the reason why by Chinese standards there are few people who regularly cycle here. The other problem is that because of the city's layout, there are plenty of large roundabouts where 4 or 5 busy roads converge on one another, making it extremely difficult to cycle without having to continually dismount.
If you want to bike around, it is recommended that you follow closely behind one of the local people on cargo-bike, merchant-bike, or donkey. There are off times during the day when biking would be less challenging. Drivers are not overly aggressive towards bikers.
There are brightly coloured three wheel plastic taxis, available from near Changchun University (长春大学), which only operate for short distances in the south of the city. If you are in the Jingyuetan (净月潭) part of town, this is the easiest mode of transport as there are few taxis operating there. It is fairly easy to find a taxi anywhere in Jingyuetan. They are cheaper and slower than regular taxis. There is no meter, so expect to negotiate with the driver. A typical ride should not exceed ¥5.
If you need to get somewhere fast then jump on one of these. They generally hang around in the south of the city and out in the suburbs. They are unlicensed to carry fare paying passengers, so bear in mind that if there is an accident, you might find yourself in trouble. However, they tend to drive in the cycle lanes at quite low speeds and so are safer than you might expect. Expect to pay as little as ¥1 for a short trip.
Ginseng - as the region around Changchun is a top producer of ginseng, it is available at most pharmacies in the city.
* Kites - attractive and cheap kites are sold by vendors around Culture Square.
Sanfo is the leading outdoor gear stores in China and local store is at 668 Xikang Hutong, Ziyou Dalu District.
* People's Square Here is the biggest selection of clothing shops and department stores in the whole city. Shopping runs along both Xi'an Da Lu and Changchun St. A well-visited mall, Charter Mall, (Zhuōzhǎn 卓展), on Xi'an Da Lu across from the Shangri-la Hotel. One can find luxury brands co-existing with the likes of Wal-Mart.
* Guilin Road (桂林路) area is about 1.5 km (2.5 mi) to the south of Chongqing Rd along Tongzhi Jie (同志街) and is the most cosmopolitan part of town. The area along Guilin Lu, Tongzhi St, and the surrounding side streets offer much to see, buy, and eat. There are many restaurants in this area especially if you are interested in Korean food. Be careful with Korean food in Changchun as many Korean restaurants specialize in "Dog pot." There is less overall choice than Chongqing Lu, but if you are looking for specifics - e.g. Korean fashions then is the best place in town - though the shops in this area are a little more expensive. This area can be extremely busy, and it is definitely a target area for younger shoppers. Many places will not haggle price.
* Hongqi Street (红旗街) is to the west of Guilin Lu and is the smallest of the three shopping areas. It is dominated by one of the better department stores in Changchun: Ouya (欧亚). The 6th-8th floors of Ouya contain the largest electronics market in the city. You can find anything electronic here, from mp3 players to laptops. Prices can be very high.
* The Underground Markets (Dìxià Shìchǎng 地下市场): These are now extensive underground shopping areas, originally dug out by POWs during the occupation, intended to be used as bomb shelters. There are three of these places in Changchun: Chongqing Lu (重庆路), the Train Station (长春站), and Hongqi Jie (红旗街). If you want anything cheap (and probably fake) then these are the places to come. There are hundreds of small shops selling relatively undifferentiated products, and the term buyer beware definitely applies. There are some good deals to be had, but some products are poor quality and have high ticket prices. Therefore, be prepared to haggle as the shopkeepers will try to get you to pay the sticker price, which the local shoppers will never pay. If you don't speak Chinese, bring a pen and paper to help negotiate your price. Start at 50% to 75% off the ticketed price. If the shopkeeper balks at your offer, go to another seller. More often than not, if the shopkeeper wants the sale, they will call after you. This can be a fun shopping experience, but you may get your best deal at a discount retailer at home.
* Beifang Market (Beǐfāng Shìchǎng 北方市场)
* Zhongdong Market (Zhōngdōng Dàshìchǎng 中东大市场)
Eruasia Shopping mall (ouya maichang) Southwest Changchun. Ask a taxi driver to drive you, as this is quite popular and he will know what you are talking about. Great for children, has everything from an indoor playground to a booth to catch fish. Great for buying jade jewelery,pearl jewelery, or other types of necklaces , earrings, bracelets, or watches. has 3 levels of food courts, and a supermarket. hundreds of clothing brands, and an indoor ice rink.
There are a number of western-style pubs in Changchun. There is a really big bar and club scene on Longli Lu (隆礼路) which are pretty hot during weekends. The beer there is cheap, about ¥6/cup. Occasionally there are some parties which are organized by "Changchun friends" or foreign teachers. Usually, they play the music themselves. The atmosphere is quite comfortable and people are very nice.
* This is the default meeting place for a lot of foreign teachers and other young and english - or russian - speaking people
* The interior, music collection, drinks menu and all other aspects of the pub were designed by British, Italian and American engineers. The music is all western and the drinks menu includes English ale and Irish stout. This is the only place in Changchun to have a beer and a game of pool in peace. A front terrace away from the main road to have a beer on a summers evening in pleasant surroundings.
* Serve Flensburger beer exclusively. Western fare available.
* It's been said this is the hottest club in town, and that the "old Mayflower" is simply the best. There are two rooms. In the outer room there is a live show daily from 9PM, and after that the DJ plays disco. The inner room is small but quite popular. It plays hip-hop and it gets out of control after 1AM.
* This bar is located on Changqing Jie and Guilin Hutong in the Guilin Lu section of Changchun. Small dark place with music in the evenings. Is popular with both locals and foreigners
*Wait till midnight for the floor to heat up.
Not many true budget options exist, number of hotels will not accept foreigners; for example Home Inn next to Train station. Good areas with lots of hotels are south of the train station (along Renmin Street) en the north part of Hongqi Street.
*
* Not a bad place, free LAN in the room, bathroom's a bit old. Nice staff but not a word of English.
* TV and a computer with free internet (LAN). The hotel is new and most of the rooms have been renovated recently (as of Jul 2011, yet already bit rundown Nov 2011), especially the bathrooms, which are quite nice. Rooms are dark. Some helpful staff and they even take their time trying to communicate with you via a dictionary.
Popular spot for government officials, being as it one block from provincial capital headquarters. Clean rooms and extensive breakfast (mainly Chinese style, but a few Japanese and western selections). Indoor shopping available. Many of the taxis are headed northbound and already with passengers so be prepared to wait a while for an available taxi or walk a few blocks.
*
A true 5-star hotel, the rooms are beautiful, and the service excellent. Western, Chinese, and Japanese breakfast buffet, as well as dinner buffet with an excellent selection of everything. A la carte and room service also top notch. Well-stocked health club, massages available. Everything you expect from the Shangri-La and worth the expense if you have the cash.