How to Visit Longmen Grottoes (Travel Tips, Photos and Maps)

Plan your Luoyang Tour? Longmen Grottoes are a must see attraction for first time visitors. Longmen Grottoes are among top four sites of ancient grottoes in China. The other three are Maijishan Grottoes in Tuanshui, Yungang Grottoes in Datong and Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang.

Longmen Grottoes are located 12km in the south of Luoyang city center. They are dotted 1km along Longmen Hill (west hill) and Xianshan Hill (east hill) which are opposite to each other and cut through by Yi River running from south to north.

Most of the grottoes are on the Longmen Hill, hence Longmen Grottoes. “Longmen” literally means “Dragon Gate”, indicating the “gate” formed by the two hills standing by the both sides of Yi River.

How to get to Longmen Grottoes?

Starting from Luoyang Longmen Railway Station

Basically, visiting Longmen Grottoes takes about 3-4 hours. If you arrive at Longmen Railway Station from Xian or Zhengzhou before noon, you are highly advised to go directly from Longmen Railway Station to Longmen Grottoes. Longmen Grottoes are located 12km in the south of Luoyang city center and 5km south of Longmen Railway Station.

So it saves both time and money to visit Longmen Grottoes directly from Longmen Railway Station. The taxi ride from Longmen Railway Station to Longmen Grottoes costs between RMB20 and 30. Or you may take the public bus No. 67 or 71 within close proximity to Longmen Railway Station (bus fare RMB1).

Starting from Luoyang Railway Station

Luoyang has two main train stations: Longmen Railway Station ( mainly for high speed trains) and Luoyang Railway Station ( regular trains). If you arrive at Luoyang Railway Station and prefer going directly from Luoyang Railway Station to Longmen Grottoes, you may take a taxi to Longmen Grottoes at the rate of about RMB50. Or you may take a public bus no.81 direcly from Luoyang Railway Station to Longmen Grottoes (bus fare RMB1).

Starting from Luoyang City Center. 

There are several public bus lines running to Longmen grottoes – No.60, 67, 71 and 81. Or you may take a taxi from the city center to Longmen Grottoes at the rate of about RMB50.

Starting from Luoyang Airport. 

The taxi ride from Luoyang airport to Longmen Grottoes costs about RMB 150

Remark:
1)All the buses and taxis will take you to the west entrance to a 2km-long pedestrian commercial street leading to the north entrance to Longmen Grottoes (on the west hill).

2)Some of the shops on the walking street offer luggage deposit service with RMB 5 for each piece. Leave your big suitcases and take your valuables.

How to visit Longmen Grottoes?

The site of Longmen Grottoes is composed of 4 sub-attractions – Caves on the west hill, caves on the east hill, Xiangshan Temple (on the east hill) and Bai Juyi’Tomb (on the east hill).

The two hills are connected by two bridges, forming a loop line tour. A complete loop line visit of Longmen Grottoes takes about 3 or 4 hours. If you are pressed for time, you just forget the attractions on the east hill and focus your time on the west hill which takes you about 2 hours.

Visiting Longmen Grottoes on the west hill (Longmen Hill).
To reach the entrance to Longmen Grottoes on the west hill, you have to walk along a 2km commercial street teemed with shops and restaurants.

If you feel tired and don’t want to walk such a long distance, you may take a local electric bus for a small amount money directly to the entrance to Longmen Grottoes.

Buy the entrance tickets at the ticketing office by the northern gate to the Longmen Grottoes on the west hill. After visiting the caves dotted on the west hill, then backtrack to the northern gate.

A loop line visit of Grottoes
If you want to make a total visit to all the attractions in Longmen Grottoes, then after you have visited the caves on the west hill, you should continue to visit by crossing the bridge linking the east hill and the west hill in the south.

On the east hill from south to north are scattered with grottoes on the east hill, Xiangshan Temple and Bai Juyi’s Tomb. After visiting Bai Juyi’s Tomb, again you are required to cross the bridge connecting the east hill and the west hill in the north, then again walk along the 2km commercial street and back the bus stops.

Entrance ticket:
RMB 120 (covering 4 sub-attractions – Caves on the west hill, caves on the east hill, Xiangshan Temple (on the east hill) and Bai Juyi’Tomb (on the east hill)

Opening Hours:
07:00 – 19:50 (March 1 – October 31 ) 07:30 – 18:50 (November 1 – February 28 )

The 2km Pedestrian Street leading to the entrance to Longment Grottoes
Some of the convenience shops ( selling snacks, drinks, cigarettes ) along the pedestrian street leading the Longmen Grottoes have the Baggage deposit service.

But please don’t leave your valuables in your deposit bags, and always your valuable with you. Actually, these baggage services are offered by the local vendors, not by officially registered left luggage offices. deposit fee: about RMB 10 per unit.

The Entrance to Longmen Grottoes on the west hill.

The Grottoes on the west hill (Lomgmen Hill)

The Bridge over Yi River linking the west hill and the east hill

The Grottoes on the east hill (Xiangshan Hill)

Xiangshan Temple (on the east hill)

Bai Juyi’s Tomb

The Grottoes on the West Hill

So the major grottoes are carved on the West Hill. Now follow me to visit the caves on the West Hill.

Fengxian Temple (on the west hill), the largest of all caves viewed from the east hill

A close look at Fengxian Temple

 

Tip:  Hassle-free Luoyang Guided Tours

If you don’t want to go the do-it-yourself route and prefer the hassle-free escorted tours,  here are some options for Luoyang Guided Tours:

Luoyang Tour
Luoyang Car Rental
Luoyang One Day Private Tour
Luoyang- Shaolin One Day Private Tour
Beijing Luoyang 2 Day Round Trip Tour
Xian Luoyang Day Tour by Bullet Train

Further Readings

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Top 10 Attractions in Luoyang
How to Visit Shaolin Temple
Where to Stay in Luoyang
Luoyang Museum Guide
Museum of Luoyang Eastern Zhou Royal Horse and Chariot Pits
How to visit White Horse Temple
Longmen Grottoes Travel Tips
Kung Fu Show at Shaolin Temple
Longmen Railway Station
Luoyang Taxi