Kassa Hotel (Kangding Station Branch)

The general service was okay, but some uniformed staff were no help at all. They ignored us and wouldn't answer a simple question about where the platform was.

From Kangding, buses to other counties leave from this long-distance station. I came here by bus from Chengdu in September 2024, and our bus stopped at this location. Buy your onward ticket ahead of time, ideally at least a day in advance. If you leave it until just before departure, it may be sold out and you'll have to wait for the next bus, even though staff may say to buy it the day before. If you're a foreigner, people may watch where you're headed and ask about your plans. For a small commission, they can arrange transport, including a place on a tour with other groups. There are also lots of vans for hire, but they can be expensive, and the price depends on what you're willing to pay. This is part of the usual daily income here. The station is about a kilometer from the city center, where there are plenty of places to stay and shops.

There are lots of charter vans at Kandy Bus Station, the first gateway to Eastern Tibet from Qingdao, and foreigners can easily get overcharged. Work out your destination and check the price before setting off. People say the internet is good these days, but prices in China change so often that it's still essential to check beforehand. If enough people are traveling, the bus fare can be reduced accordingly, so you may be able to bring the price down quite a bit. You don't need to worry about that if you only speak Chinese. Solicitation happens at tourist spots everywhere. Still, it's sad to see that the old Kandy has disappeared and the place has become so modernized.

If you arrive late, there are small Tibetan and Chinese restaurants across from the bus station. The city is friendly, so be open-minded. For Batang, there's just one bus a day, at 6:00 AM, and you need to buy the ticket the day before. Staff aren't very friendly if you don't speak Chinese, though the ticket machines work well. Don't trust the platform number, ask where your bus is. If you miss the morning departure, you can find minibuses in a lot farther along the road on the right, behind some sort of corrugated iron structure. Their prices are reasonable. Drivers call out loudly and come up to you because public transport is limited here, and locals ride the minivans too. The bus trip is less dangerous, though.