# Zhengzhou travel guide (郑州) Henan Province · Central China, China · 10 places Canonical: https://cnatrip.com/en/destinations/henan/zhengzhou ## Quick itinerary - **Day 1:** Yellow River Scenic Area → Shang City Ruins → Zhengzhou Chenghuang Temple - **Day 2:** Henan Museum → Mount Song (accommodation) - **Day 3:** Shaolin Temple → Sanhuang Village Scenic Area ## The feel of the place - **Hometown of the Dragon:** Zhengzhou arguably has the strongest claim to being the “Hometown of the Dragon.” A number of sites of major importance in the history of Chinese culture, art and metallurgy confirm Zhengzhou's status as the earliest settlement of the Chinese people and the birthplace of Chinese civilization. - **Ancient Capital:** From the era of the legendary Five Emperors through the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, Zhengzhou, at the heart of the Central Plains, was consistently a capital or part of the royal domain. It is generally held that Zhengzhou served as the capital of five dynasties or states: the Yellow Emperor, Xia, Shang, Zheng and Han. Though history has grown hazy, the faded glory has left this former capital with many weathered sites worth exploring. ## The feel of the place ### Yan-Huang Culture Tourism Festival On the third day of the third lunar month, a worship ceremony is held at the Yellow Emperor's Great Paulownia at Mount Juci in Xinzheng, the Yellow Emperor's hometown. Visitors then pay homage at Xuanyuan Temple and Leizu Cave, visit the Huagai Child site and Fengho City, and enjoy folk performances. ### Buses and Taxis In Zhengzhou, bus routes beginning with “1” are electric trolleybuses, and those beginning with “2” are minibus express routes. Buses are unattended. Fare is ¥1, or ¥2 on air-conditioned buses. Taxis: flag fall ¥10, then ¥2 per kilometre after the first 3 kilometres. ### Preparation and Information ### Language The Zhengzhou dialect belongs to Northern Mandarin and is fairly close to Standard Mandarin, so there are no communication barriers. ### Climate and Travel Season Zhengzhou has distinct four seasons and a mild climate, with most of its rainfall concentrated between July and September. July is the hottest month, with an average temperature of 27.3°C; January is the coldest, with an average of 0.7°C. ## Getting there & around ### Getting In and Out Zhengzhou is one of China's comprehensive transport hubs, combining road, rail and air links. ### By Air Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport, located in Xinzheng City, is referred to as Xinzheng Airport and lies 30 kilometres from downtown Zhengzhou. It is a 4F-class international civil airport, with flights to more than 50 major and mid-sized cities across China. It also operates charter services to Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Russia and other destinations, and is one of China's eight regional hub airports. ### Shuttle buses to and from the airport ### By Rail Zhengzhou has long been known as the “heart” of China's railway network. The Beijing–Guangzhou and Longhai trunk lines intersect here, and the Jingjiu, Jiaoliu, Yueshi and Pingfu lines also pass through, forming a framework of three north–south and three east–west main lines. More than 600 train services running north and south stop here, and rail links to many cities are very convenient. Zhengzhou has three rail special-class stations, and Zhengzhou Railway Station is one of the largest passenger stations in China, with direct services to 25 provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities. ### By High-Speed Rail The Zhengzhou–Xi'an high-speed railway starts at Zhengzhou East Station and runs west through Luoyang, Sanmenxia, Weinan and Xi'an. Both Zhengzhou East Station and Zhengzhou Station are served by high-speed trains. The shortest journey from Zhengzhou to Xi'an takes just 1 hour 48 minutes, and the shortest from Zhengzhou to Beijing takes only 2 hours 25 minutes. ### By Road Zhengzhou is one of seven major highway hubs in China. The city has national highways 107 and 310 along with 18 highway trunk routes radiating to surrounding provinces and municipalities. During the Eighth Five-Year Plan period, expressways from Zhengzhou to Beijing, Kaifeng, Luoyang and Luohe were completed, along with key projects such as the West Ring Road and North Ring Road. ### Long-distance bus stations and destinations ### Getting Around the City Continuous construction and upgrades are making Zhengzhou's urban transport ever faster. Metro Lines 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, the suburban line and Line 14 are in operation. Bus fares are unified at ¥1. Taxis charge the same rate for all vehicle types: ¥10 for the first 3 kilometres, then ¥2 per kilometre beyond that. - **Zhengzhou Airport Ticket Office** — (1st floor, Civil Aviation Hotel, 0371-58518036) - **Zhengzhou Airport Information Desk** — (East Suburb Airport, 0371-96666) - **Airport shuttle to the Civil Aviation Hotel downtown** — Shuttle buses run from Zhengzhou Long-Distance Bus Station, the west square of Zhengzhou Railway Station and Longyuan Hotel, ¥20 per person. - **Zhengzhou Railway Station** — (82 Erma Road, Erqi District, Zhengzhou) - **Zhengzhou Long-Distance Bus Station** — (Opposite the railway station, 0371-66768364) - **Zhengzhou Passenger Transport Hub** — (50 Hanghai Middle Road, 0371-68728294/68731286) - **Zhengzhou East Bus Station** — (Intersection of Shangdu Road and Dongfeng East Road, 0371-65936629/5921705) - **South Long-Distance Passenger Station** — (Intersection of Jingguang Road and South Third Ring Road, Zhengzhou, 0371-66322269) ## Eat & drink As the capital of Henan Province, Zhengzhou naturally centres its cuisine on Henan dishes. Crispy Noodles with Carp, Barrel Chicken and the Four Treasures Combo are dishes with local character, and you can find them in most restaurants across the city. ### Henan Hui Noodles Noodles are the food where flavour truly comes through, and people who eat them regularly often have smooth skin. Henan hui noodles are not only chewy and refreshing but also have a certain nourishing effect, fitting well with today's dietary standards. When well made, a bowl of hui noodles is typically a single continuous strand. ### Specialty Restaurants ### Zhengzhou's Top Ten Local Specialties Zhengzhou lotus root, Xinzheng jujubes, Xingyang persimmons, Heyin pomegranates, Zhongmu watermelon, Zhengzhou cherries, Songshan mianzao, Yellow River carp, Zhongmu and Chaohua garlic, Xinmi honeysuckle. - **A Wu Yellow River Big Carp (Longhai West Road branch)** — Specialises in modernised Henan cuisine. Business is very brisk, and the setting and service match the style of contemporary Henan dining. Recommended dishes include crispy noodles with carp, A Wu tofu and milk fried rice. (Intersection of Longhai West Road and Yongqing Road, 0371-68630555) ## Shopping Zhengzhou's main shopping streets include Erqi Road, Taikang Road, Renmin Road and Jiefang Road, all clustered in the northeast of the railway station. For shopping, Zhenghong, Jinbeida and Danis are must-visit spots. In addition, thanks to the Zhengzhou Trade Fair, the city has many nationwide wholesale and trading markets where large-scale trading takes place every day. Spend some time there to buy famous local specialties with Henan character, such as Zhengzhou's Top Ten Local Specialties. ## Where to stay As the capital of Henan Province, Zhengzhou has many star-rated hotels and guesthouses, so accommodation standards are quite good. Near the railway station there are plenty of budget hotels and guesthouses at moderate prices. - **Henan Shengshi Civil Aviation Hotel** — The hotel alone houses an air ticket sales hall and is the only hotel in Zhengzhou with scheduled shuttle buses to the airport. (3 Jinshui Road, 0371-65781111) ## Things to see - **Erqi Square** (★★★★): Admission Erqi Square is open-air and Erqi Memorial Tower is free, but visitors must carry identification documents to enter; Time needed 1 hour — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/erqi-square - **Henan Museum** (★★★★): Admission Free; Time needed 2–4 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/henan-museum - **Century Joyland** (★★★): Admission ¥160; night session ¥40; free; Opening hours 8：00—18：00; Time needed 3–5 hours; 1–2 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/century-joyland ## Day trips & beyond - **Shaolin Temple on Mount Song** (★★★★): Admission Shaolin Temple ¥80; Mount Song (Taishi Mountain) ¥50; Zhongyue Temple ¥30; Songyang Academy ¥30; Songyue Temple Pagoda ¥40; Opening hours 8：00—17：00; Time needed 1–3 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/shaolin-temple-on-mount-song - **Shaolin Temple Pagoda Forest** (★★★★): Time needed 0.5 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/shaolin-temple-pagoda-forest - **Sanhuang Village Scenic Area** (★★★★): Admission Included in the Shaolin Temple scenic area ticket; Time needed 3–4 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/sanhuang-village-scenic-area - **Songyang Academy** (★★★★): Admission ¥30; Opening hours 8：00—17：00; Time needed 1–2 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/songyang-academy - **Kang Baiwan Manor** (★★★★★): Admission ¥50; Opening hours 8:30–18:00 (summer) 8:00–17:30 (winter); Time needed 2–4 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/kang-baiwan-manor - **Mount Shaoshi** (★★★★): Admission Included in the Shaolin Temple scenic area ticket; Opening hours 8：00—17：00; Time needed 1 day — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/mount-shaoshi - **Du Fu's Hometown** (★★★): Admission ¥65; Opening hours 8:00–18:30 (summer) 8:00–17:30 (winter); Time needed 2 hours — https://cnatrip.com/en/places/du-fu-s-hometown --- Source: China Self-Guided Travel 2025 (《中国自助游》, Tianjin Science & Technology Press, Aug 2024), pp. 2070–2084. Prices, hours and transport details are as printed in the August 2024 edition and may have changed. Always confirm with the venue before you travel.