Harbin Travel Guide

Basic information Telephone area code: 0451 Harbin Tourism Bureau: 0451-84664600 Harbin Tourism Complaints Tel: 0451-84664315 Policeman of Harbin City:110 Harbin Fire: 119 Harbin Emergency: 120 Traffic accidents in Harbin: 122 Travel information When traveling to Harbin in spring, you must […]

Basic information

Telephone area code: 0451
Harbin Tourism Bureau: 0451-84664600
Harbin Tourism Complaints Tel: 0451-84664315
Policeman of Harbin City:110
Harbin Fire: 119 Harbin Emergency: 120
Traffic accidents in Harbin: 122

Travel information

When traveling to Harbin in spring, you must wear more clothes.

The temperature in Harbin is very low in winter and the climate is dry. Keep warm and prevent frostbite and drink plenty of water.

Medical treatment

Harbin Medical University Affiliated Hospital
Address: 23 Post Street, Nangang District, Harbin
Tel: 0451-85556000

Harbin Medical University Second Affiliated Hospital
Address: 246 Xuefu Road, Nangang District, Harbin
Tel: 0451-86605222

Destination overview

 

Destination sketch

Harbin, the renowned ‘Ice City’, is located in the south of Heilongjiang Province, the most northeastern part of China with a shape of a swan when viewed on a map. Not only for the city’s special position, but also as the center of Heilongjiang’s political, economic, educational and cultural life, Harbin is described as the pearl beneath the swan’s neck, and plays a vital role in communications between South and North Asia as well the regions of Europe and the Pacific Ocean.

Local festival

International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival

Every year from January 5 to February 5
Throughout the city you will find small ice and snow sculptures during the festival, but there are three major sites with large ice and snow sculptures on display.

Harbin International Beer Festival

Every July
Held in late August of every year. The city takes a break and honors the local “Harbin Beer” for a week. A whole public square is cordoned off and there are stages that host music concerts and dance contests. Most of the beer drunk is The local Harbin brew, but there is a tent for international beers. In the summer of 2005 a number of the foreigners in the city assembled a “drinking team” and ended up getting into a drunken brawl with some locals and got hauled away by the Police.

Best Travel season

Harbin can be a great place to visit in the summer, with daytime temperatures normally in the upper 20s °C. Compared with most places in China, the weather is cool and it seems to be perpetually breezy, and most of the city’s streets are lined with trees. Because the city is so cold all winter, life almost explodes and people crowd the streets until late at night eating kabobs, playing poker, and drinking Harbin Beer. This is a great escape from the heat of Beijing. A trip up to the border regions this time of year would be nice as well.

Practical information

Harbin Tourism Information Service Center
Address: No. 48, West 14th Street, Daoli District, Harbin
Phone: 0451-87656661
Www.hrblyj.com.cn ta.harbin.gov.cn

Intercity traffic

 

Aircraft

Harbin Taiping International Airport, ZYHB
Address: Yingbin First Road, Harbin City
Tel: 0451-82894219
Arriving and leaving the airport
Taxi: It takes about 130 RMB to take a taxi from the airport to the city
Airport bus: The airport bus is the most convenient transportation between Harbin city and the airport. There are currently 5 routes. The bus is economical and the fare is only 20 yuan, and the safety factor is relatively high.
Airport Bus Information Hotline: 0451-82894220; 82894230; 82894219

Civil Aviation Harbin Ticket Office
Tel: 0451-82651188 (ticket)
China Civil Aviation Heilongjiang Provincial Bureau Ticket Office
Tel: 0451-82896874 (International); 0451-82661927 (domestic)
Wanrun Air Ticket Center (formerly provincial ticket office)
Tel: 0451-88897666; 53629922
Northern Airlines Heilongjiang General Airlines
Tel: 0451-82304888
Southern Airlines Harbin Base
Tel: 0451-82311888; 950333

Train

Harbin Station
Address: No. 1 Railway Street, Harbin
Tel: 0451-95105688

Harbin East Railway Station
Address: Locomotive Street, Harbin
Tel: 0451-57671629

Harbin West Railway Station
Address: Harbin West Station, Harbin New District, Harbin
Tel: 0451-86434597

Railway ticket office
Address: 120 Minyi Street
Tel: 0451-53635737; 53635727

Beihang Railway Ticket Office
Address: 1/F, Black Dragon Building, 307 Tongda Street
Tel: 0451-84535535

Overseas Chinese Ticket Office
Address: Overseas Chinese Hotel, Hongjun Street, Nangang District
Tel: 0451-53676981

Palace of Culture Ticket Office
Address: 248 Zhongshan Road, Nangang District
Tel: 0451-82606812

Long distance bus

There are five national highways passing through Harbin City. They are 102 National Road (Beijing to Heilongjiang Shuangcheng), 202 National Road (Heilongjiang Heihe to Liaoning Lushunkou District), 221 National Road (Harbin, Heilongjiang to Heilongjiang Tongjiang), and 222 National Highway (Harbin, Heilongjiang Province) (Spring) and 301 National Road (Heilongjiang, Inner Mongolia).

There are four highways, namely Tongsan Expressway (Tongjiang-Harbin-Sanya) and HaDa Expressway.(Harbin-Daqing), Hasui Expressway (Harbin-Suihua) and Binsui Expressway (Harbin-Suifenhe).

Traffic in the city

 

Bus

There are many buses in Harbin, and it is also very convenient. It is only in the winter that there are some lines with no heating and it will be very cold. The departure bus of the last train is earlier than that of the southern cities, and many lines will stop operating around 21:00. The fare is 1 yuan or 2 yuan.

Taxis

The starting price of the taxi is 8 yuan 3 kilometers, more than 3 kilometers 1.9 kilometers. Harbin taxis do not increase their prices when they are stuck in traffic and waiting for traffic lights.

Attractions

 

St. Sophia Cathedral

The St. Sophia Cathedral has a complex history. Shortly after the Boxer Rebellion (1899-1901), the Russian built the church of timber in March, 1907. Then, the Russian rebuilt it using masonry and timber four years later. The onset of a second reconstruction by Russian was marked on September 23rd, 1923, and a ceremony was held to celebrated laying the corner stone. It was completed on November 25th, 1932, after nine years, and was hailed as a monumental work of art.
Address: Corner of Zhaolin Street and Touorong Street, Daoli District
Arrival method: Bus No. 1, 2, 5, 13, 15, 16, 20, 23, 64, 66, 69, 113, 114, get off at Ha 100 or Fashion House
Opening hours: 8:30-17:30
Tickets: 20 yuan

Central Street (Zhongyang Dajie)

Known as the ‘Eastern Moscow’, Harbin has always been regarded as a unique and exotic city. The most exotic place in Harbin is Central Street. As a new comer to this city without any idea of ​​where to go, be sure to start your Journey at ‘Central Street’. This long corridor of European architectural art is the pride of every local peopel in this city. It provides an enthralling destination which abounds with history, attracting tourists from home and abroad.
Arrival method: Central South Street Jingwei Street is not far from Harbin Railway Station. It is only 1.7 kilometers walk and about 20 minutes.
Tel: 0451-84545796
Www.zhongyangstreet.com

Sun Island Scenic Area

Being famous both home and abroad, the Sun Island Scenic Area lies on the north bank of the Songhua River in Harbin City. This dainty area, surrounded by blue water, boasts crystal lakes, wooden rockeries, beautiful flowers and exotic buildings. In summer, The comfortable weather makes it the first choice to avoid summer heat, and in winter, the spot is a paradise for ice-snow travel. Every year, the Harbin International Snow Sculpture Art Expo heldmissing exhibits orthralling ice or snow sculptures and architectures, attracting Thousands of visitors.
Address: North Shore of Songhua River
Opening hours: 8:00-18:00
Tickets: Usually 30 yuan; Snow Fair 240 yuan Tel: 0451-88192966
Www.taiyangdao.com.cn

Unit 731 Museum

As a covert biological and chemical warfare research and development unit of the Imperial Japanese Army that undertook lethal human experimentation during the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945) of World War II. It was responsible for some of the most notorious war crimes carried Out by Imperial Japan. Unit 731 was based at the Pingfang district of Harbin, the largest city in the Japanese puppet state of Manchukuo (now Northeast China).
Address: 25 Xinjiang Street, Pingfang District
Opening hours: 9:00-16:00
Tickets: Free
Tel: 0451-86801556
Www.731yz.com

Gogol Street

Harbin’s second biggest shopping district after Zhongyang Dajie (bigger in size). The area around here is dotted with Russian buildings and HUGE shopping complexes. At night there are numerous night markets, a small scale Russian church where people dance, and a small and lively “bar lake.”
How to get there: If you come out from the train station, you can reach it on foot. It is only 1.6 kilometers and it takes about 20 minutes on foot.

LaoDaoWai

LaoDaoWai used to be the poorest part in Harbin. A century ago there were only two districts in Harbin, east (DaoLi, “Dao” means Avenue, and “Li” means inside.) and west (DaoWai, “Wai” means outside) The rich expats lived in the east part, and the poor locals lived in the west part. In the early 1920s, some Chinese businessmen started their business in the area. The constructions they built around that period were combined with Chinese elements, such as Crane and peony designs, and baroque styles, and form a unique “Chinese Baroque” architectural style. In 2014, the government renewed the area and now it is a tourist site.

Wen Miao Confucius Temple

This Confucius temple is the largest one of its kind in northeast China.
Address: No. 25, Wenmiao Street, Nangang District (Near Heihe Road)
Opening hours: 9:00-16:00, closed on Wednesdays
Tickets: Free
Tel: 0451-82540093

Jile Temple

The Jile Temple was built in 1923. It consists of the Mountain Gate, the Heavenly King Hall, the Hall of Mahavira, the Hall of Three Saints, Scriptures-storing Tower, Side Hall, Chanting Hall, Shifang Hall, Anyang Hall and the monks ‘ cells. A seven-story pagoda dominates the temple. Measuring over 30 meters (98 feet) tall, it has eight upturned eaves and elegant Buddhist pictures on the walls in each level. From the bottom to the top, it worships the bronze statues Of Sakyamuni Buddha, Amitabha, Medicine Guru Buddha, Bodhisattva Manjusri, Samantabhadra, Kwanyin and Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva.
Address: 9 Dongdazhi Street, Nangang District
Opening hours: 9:00-18:00
Tickets: 10 yuan
Tel: 0451-82534762
Www.hrbjls.net

Heilongjiang Provincial Museum

Built in 1922 and claims to have over 14,000 pieces of relics, but it’s not well kept
Address: No. 50, Hongjun Street, Nangang District (Near Hongbo Underground Shopping Plaza)
Opening hours: Summer 9:00-17:00 (no entry at 16:00); Winter 9:00-16:00 (closed at 15:00); Closed every Monday
Tickets: Free
Tel: 0451-53642447

Dragon TV Tower

Tallest steel structure in northeastern Asia. Only built for the Chinese need of having something as the first and views of the city. You can walk outside at the top and even strap on a harness for a thrill.
Address: No. 178 Changjiang Road, Nangang District (near Huashan Road)
Opening hours: 8:30-17:30
Tel: 0451-82368851
Tickets: 150 for adults and 75 for children

Siberian Tiger Park

This is without a doubt Harbin’s “must see”. Not for the faint hearted or obsessive animal lovers. There are literally hundreds of tigers in several huge pens. If you want to go by bus instead of taking a taxi, take the 88 line ( Facing the train station, walk into the small street on your left for 300 m before seeing the bus stop) to Shangye Daxue. It should take about 30 minutes, and it is the third stop after the long stretch of highway crossing the river. Then , take the 54 bus towards the same direction, and you will see the entrance to the Tiger Park on your right after 5 minutes or so. For just ¥100 (¥90 to get in and another ¥10 for the bus) you can ride In an open bus with metal caging around it. The ride is about an hour long and while on the bus you can purchase strips of meat (¥10) to hand feed the tigers.

Yabuli International Ski Resort

The Yabuli International Ski Resort, the biggest and best ski resort in China, is 200 kilometers (124 miles) east of Harbin and 120 kilometers (75 miles) west of Mudanjiang in Shangzhi City, Heilongjiang Province. During the Qing Dynasty (1644 – 1911 ), the resort was the hunting ground for feudal lords.
The resort is to provide the high elevation and the fact that Local skiers enjoy the high elevation and the fact that the snow is neither too hard nor too powdery. The lowest temperature is -47.2F. Because of the high elevation, snow falls for a Long period of about 170 days. The period from November to late March of the next year is the best time to ski at Yabuli Ski Resort.
Address: 20 kilometers southeast of Yabuli Town, Shangzhi City, Heilongjiang Province
Opening hours: 8:00-16:30, over 12:00 less than full day charge for all day
Reservation Tel: 0451-88888888
Www.yabuliski.cn

Itinerary

 

One day in Harbin

St. Sophia Cathedral – Central Street – Stalin Park

Harbin three-day tour

Day 1:St. Sophia Cathedral – Central Street – Stalin Park
Day 2: Sun Island – Polar Aquarium
Day 3: Heilongjiang Museum – Red Army Square – Qiulin Company -Wenmiao Temple – Jile Temple

Activity

Ice Lantern Garden Party
Address: Zhaolin Park, Harbin City
Tickets: night ticket (16:00-21:30) 100 yuan; ticket (9:00-16:00) 50 yuan; student ticket, child ticket half price

Snow Sculpture World
Address: North Songhua River, Sun Island
Tickets: 150 yuan; 70 years old and student tickets halved

Food

The local people in Harbin have created a very distinctive food culture which reflects the history and special geographical position of this city. However, under the influence of neighboring Russia, a number of authentic western food restaurants have been established already. And Western flavors will definitely fulfill your appetite.

Accommodation

Almost every bath house in the city has a large room with 50-100 plush beds where you can spend up to 24 hours. You can also lock your belongings in a locker and use their shower facilities, most of them have an ‘all you can eat’ buffet as well. Total around ¥50 which just can’t be beat. Look for signs that say Xiyuand make sure its fairly big as the smaller ones will not provide these types of services. When you come in pack light as to not look suspicious. This is not recommended for inexperienced travelers and it is highly unlikely any of the service staff will speak English.

Shopping

Panax, pilose antler and marten are regarded as the ‘Three Treasures’ of Northeast China by the Chinese. Panax (also more commonly know in the West as ginseng) and pilose antler of a young stag are the basis of rare Chinese traditional medicine and health care products, whereas the fur of the marten is used for clothing; these can all be bought in Harbin at very reasonable prices. A commodity that is not only a nourishing food but also a rare herbal medicine is the hedgehog fungus; another famous popular product. For those who enjoy fish as part of their diet, Harbin has an excellent supply of locally caught, salmon, sturgeon, mandarin fish, bream and crucian carp. You will find all these goods quite easily in the local supermarkets and department stores.

Share this tour