Jilin · China
Where to stay in Changchun
Changchun is a city in Jilin, China, home to about 9,067,000 people.
- Best months
- May and September
- Nearest airport
- CGQ32 km · Changchun Longjia International Airport
- Currency
- CNYrenminbi
- Time zone
- Asia/Shanghai
- Language
- Chinese, Putonghua, Standard Chinese
About
About Changchun
Changchun is the capital and largest city of Jilin Province, China, on the Songliao Plain. Changchun is administered as a sub-provincial city, comprising seven districts, one county and three county-level cities.
Changchun (renamed at the time to Hsinking) was the capital of the Imperial Japanese puppet state of Manchukuo from 1932 to 1945. In 2007, the city hosted the Asian Winter Games. Changchun in its present form is a new city with only about 200 years of history. But there used to be a city thousands of years ago known by different names. The ancient city changed its name several times, 'Xidu', 'Helong', 'Tiangang' (Han Dynasty), 'Shushan' (Tang Dynasty), 'Longzhou' (Liao Dynasty), and 'Kuancheng' (Jin Dynasty).
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Changchun
See
- Museum of the Imperial Palace of Manchukuo
- The 8 Puppet Manchukuo Government Departments
- Puppet Manchukuo government's Agricultural Department
- Puppet Manchukuo government's Culture and Education Department
- Puppet Manchukuo government's Economics Department
- Puppet Manchukuo government's Foreign Affairs Department
- Puppet Manchukuo government's Justice Department
- Puppet Manchukuo government's Military Department
- Puppet Manchukuo government's State Department
- Puppet Manchukuo government's Transportation Department
- Puppet Manchukuo government's Welfare Department
- Museum of Former Changchun Film Studio Site
Do
- Changchun Film Century City
- Shengli Park
- Changchun Zoo and Botanical Garden
- Changchun World Sculpture Park
- Jingyuetan National Forest Park
- Northeast Tiger Park
- South Lake Park
- Longtou Mountain
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Which part of Changchun to stay in
Not many true budget options exist, and a number of hotels will not accept foreigners, for example Home Inn next to the Train Station. Good areas with lots of hotels are south of the train station (along Renmin Street) and the north part of Hongqi Street.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Hotels in Changchun
6 hotels within 25 km of the centre, as recorded in Wikidata. Each name links to its encyclopedia article where there is one.
| Hotel | Opened | From centre |
|---|---|---|
| Cherry Hotel | 6.8 km | |
| Friendship Convention Center | 5.2 km | |
| International Conference Exhibition Center | 7.4 km | |
| International Trade Hotel | 1.9 km | |
| Somerset Zhongmao Changchun | 8.3 km | |
| Yue Dao Hotel | 1.6 km |
When to go
The best time to visit Changchun
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Changchun are May and September. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 28 °C; July is the wettest, with about 155 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Changchun: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Changchun Longjia International Airport (CGQ), about 32 km from the city centre in a straight line; Songyuan Chaganhu Airport (YSQ, 132 km) is also within reach.
Getting around
Changchun is a very compact city planned by the Japanese with a layout of open avenues and public squares (guǎngchǎng). It is pretty easy to travel from one place to another; however, with the increase in private car ownership, traffic is getting worse by the day. The Changchun Subway&Light Rail consists of 6 lines (1,2,3,4,6,8), as of October 2024, which provide easy access to many parts of the city. Line 2 and 6 serve the Changchun West train station. Lines 1,3 and 4 serve the Changchun train station. T-Union Card is usable; it doesn’t matter where the card is issued.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
CGQ · Changchun Longjia International Airport
YSQ · Songyuan Chaganhu Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Changchun
Drink
Beer (啤酒) is probably the cheapest and safest thing to drink - and being Northeast China - comes in many varieties and is available almost anywhere. A big bottle (630 ml) should cost between ¥3-6. In the summer months good draft beer is available from most small restaurants, the black beer (黑啤) being particularly good. Huadan (华丹), Jinshibai (金士百) and Yinpu (银浦) beers are all brewed in Jilin Province. There are also various Harbin beers (哈尔滨啤酒) available, as well as Bing Chuan (冰川) from the Korean prefecture of Jilin Province. Like all cities in China, avoid drinking bottled water from street vendors and try instead at a supermarket or convenience store.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Changchun: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Changchun?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Changchun are May and September. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 28 °C; July is the wettest, with about 155 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Changchun?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Changchun Longjia International Airport (CGQ), about 32 km from the city centre in a straight line; Songyuan Chaganhu Airport (YSQ, 132 km) is also within reach.
What currency is used in Changchun?
renminbi (CNY).
Nearby
Destinations near Changchun
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.