What Can You Do in Hefei in 3 Days as a Huangshan Transit Base? (2026)
Published 2026-09-24 · Updated 2026-09-24 · Itineraries
TL;DR
A: Hefei itself needs only 1-1.5 days; this 3-day plan gives Day 1 the old town (Li Hongzhang's residence, Xiaoyaojin, Baogong Park) and Lei Street night market, Day 2 Anhui Museum and Dashu Mountain or Chaohu Lake, Day 3 Sanhe ancient town or a Chaohu half-day before the HSR to Huangshan (about 1.5 h). Metro Lines 1-8 cover the city; the S1 airport line is reported to open by late 2026.
What’s the short answer?
Hefei is the capital of Anhui and a transit hub most foreign visitors use as the “enter Hefei, exit Huangshan” loop start — but it has a real old town, a strong museum and a famous night market. Three days lets you do the old-town sights and Lei Street properly, add Chaohu Lake or Dashu Mountain, and still roll on to Huangshan (about 1.5 hours by high-speed rail) without rushing. Treat Hefei as 1-1.5 relaxed days plus a launch pad, not a destination you rush.
Why does this Hefei route work?
The old-town sights (Li Hongzhang’s residence, Xiaoyaojin, Baogong Park) sit on Line 1 and Line 2 near Sipailou; the museum and lake are on Lines 3-4; Huangshan is a short HSR west. So:
- Day 1 walks the old town and ends at Lei Street.
- Day 2 does Anhui Museum plus a nature choice (Dashu Mountain or Chaohu Lake).
- Day 3 takes Sanhe ancient town or a Chaohu half-day, then the HSR to Huangshan.
Day 1 — What is the old-town walk? (Sipailou on Line 2)
| # | Stop | Cost | Getting there |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Li Hongzhang’s former residence | Free, book ahead | Sipailou Stn (L2) |
| 2 | Xiaoyaojin Park | Free | Walk from Sipailou |
| 3 | Baogong Park (free gardens) | Free garden; ¥50 (about $7) combo for halls | Baogong Park Stn (L1) |
| 4 | Lei Street night market | Free to walk | Metro or taxi, ~20 min |
How the day flows: Start at Li Hongzhang’s residence at the opening (free, book on the official account), then stroll Xiaoyaojin Park and the Huaihe Road pedestrian street for lunch — Luzhou roast duck or Liu Hongsheng snacks. Afternoon at Baogong Park (the gardens are free; the hall combo is ¥50). Finish at Lei Street: stinky mandarin fish, Sanhe rice dumplings and crayfish, with English-friendly scanning menus.
Three local shortcuts most visitors miss:
- Sipailou Station is the old-town hub — Line 2 puts you at Li Hongzhang’s residence, Xiaoyaojin and the Huaihe Road strip on foot; skip the taxi in the center.
- Anhui Museum needs no booking — the new hall dropped reservations in July 2025; walk in free (closed Mondays). It sits near Anhui Museum Station (Line 3).
- Lei Street gets packed after 19:30 — arrive by 18:30 on weekends, or the crayfish queues run long; most stalls take Alipay, a little cash helps.
Day 2 — Where is the museum and the lake? (nature choice)
| # | Stop | Cost | Getting there |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anhui Museum (new hall) | Free | Anhui Museum Stn (L3) |
| 2 | Dashu Mountain + Kaifu Temple | Free mountain; ~¥20 (about $3) temple | Dashu Mountain Stn (L2) |
| 3 | Swan Lake (sunset) | Free | Line 3 / 4, Swan Lake area |
How the day flows: Morning at Anhui Museum (Huizhou architecture and bronze highlights), then choose Dashu Mountain for a forest walk and Kaifu Temple, or head to Swan Lake for the civic sunset. If you prefer water, swap the mountain for Chaohu Lake (below) on Day 3. Keep the evening free for Lei Street or Ningguo Road eats.
Three local shortcuts most visitors miss:
- Chaohu Lake is a Day 3 item, not a metro ride — it needs a taxi or charter (~50 min); boats to Laoshan Island (about ¥60, about $8) stop in bad weather, so check the sailing notice first.
- Metro Lines 1-8 all run — Line 6 opened Dec 2025, Line 7 in July 2026; use the Alipay “Hefei Metro” code, which accepts foreign cards.
- Hefei South is the main hub — high-speed to Nanjing (~52 min), Shanghai (~2.5 h) and Wuhan (~2 h) leaves here; don’t confuse it with Hefei Station or the new Hefei West.
Day 3 — Can you add Sanhe or Chaohu before Huangshan? (HSR west)
| # | Stop | Cost | Getting there |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sanhe ancient town OR Chaohu Laoshan Island | Free town; ¥45/110 (about $6/15) combo | Taxi / charter, ~50 min |
| 2 | Hefei South to Huangshan North | HSR ~1.5 h | Hefei South Stn (L1/L4/L5) |
| 3 | Onward to Huangshan | — | Train west |
How the day flows: Spend the morning at Sanhe ancient town (free entry; the four-site combo is ¥45/110) or a Chaohu Lake boat to Laoshan Island, lunch, then return to the city to collect bags and take the HSR from Hefei South to Huangshan North (reported about 1.5 hours). It is the clean hand-off from city to mountain.
Three local shortcuts most visitors miss:
- The S1 airport line is reported, not confirmed — Hefei’s first airport metro (47.5 km, to the new Hefei West) finished trial runs and is reported to open by late 2026; until the official notice drops, use the ¥25 (about $3.50) airport bus or the free rail-shuttle to Lines 2/4.
- Three stations, three names — Hefei / Hefei South / Hefei West sit in different corners; match the station on your 12306 ticket to your hotel side.
- Huangshan is the next stop, not a Hefei sight — keep Day 3 light so the mountain train is relaxed; book Huangshan North tickets early in peak season.
What to eat in Hefei (and where)
Hefei cooks Luzhou-style Lu cuisine and gathers Anhui snacks. Five stops:
- Li Hongzhang hotchpotch — the city’s signature stew he served foreign guests; Tongqing Lou, about ¥80-150 (about $11-21) per person.
- Stinky mandarin fish — Huizhou’s famous fermented fish; ask for a small portion if it’s your first time, about ¥60-120 (about $8-17).
- Luzhou roast duck — crisp-skinned local duck; Luzhou Roast Duck on Huaihe Road, about ¥60-100 (about $8-14).
- Wu Shan tribute goose — salty braised goose from Changfeng; vacuum-packed for souvenirs, about ¥50-80 (about $7-11).
- Lei Street snacks — stinky tofu, Huainan beef soup, crayfish in summer; about ¥30-60 (about $4-8) per person grazing.
Souvenirs: Zhan Ji walnut cookies, the “four famous pastries” (sesame cake, sponge cake, crunchy bar, white-cut), and Ninghua Fu-style vinegar from nearby. Most places take Alipay; night markets prefer a little cash. Tap water is not for drinking — buy bottled.
Practical notes
Hefei is a hub first: do the old town and Lei Street, then ride the HSR west to Huangshan. Watch the station name and the reported S1 airport line. The rest:
- Payments: Alipay and WeChat Pay both accept foreign cards after in-app setup; Lei Street stalls prefer cash. See our payments guide.
- Metro: Lines 1-8 run; use the Alipay transit code set to “Hefei.” Hefei South (L1/L4/L5) is the high-speed hub; Sipailou (L2) serves the old town.
- Airport: Xin Qiao (HFE) — ¥25 (about $3.50) bus, or the free rail-shuttle to Lines 2/4; the S1 airport metro is reported to open by late 2026 — confirm on the Hefei Metro official notice before you rely on it.
- Reservations: Anhui Museum is walk-in free; Li Hongzhang’s residence and the Yangtze-crossing memorial need official-account bookings (passport number). Free sites can still cap entry, so check the day before.
- Best season: March-May and Sept-Nov; summer is hot (35°C+) with afternoon storms, winter damp and unheated.
More on the city: the Hefei destination page. Pair it with our Nanjing 3-day itinerary — under an hour by rail — if you are building a Yangtze Delta loop. For the rail onward to Huangshan, see the 12306 train guide; for payments, the payments guide. If you need a hotel that accepts foreign passports, see hotels that accept foreign passports, and land with data using the eSIM guide.
Common questions
How many days does Hefei itself need?
About 1-1.5 days for the old town, Anhui Museum and Lei Street. Most foreign visitors use it as a transit base before Huangshan (about 1.5 h by rail) — this 3-day plan adds Chaohu or Sanhe without rushing.
Is the S1 airport metro open?
It is reported to open by late 2026 but not confirmed as of Sept 2026. Until the official notice, use the ¥25 (about $3.50) airport bus or the free rail-shuttle to metro Lines 2/4.
Is Baogong Park free?
The gardens are free to walk; the hall combo (Baogong Temple, Qingfeng Pavilion, tomb, villa) is about ¥50 (about $7). Baogong Park Station is on Line 1.
Is Anhui Museum free and does it need booking?
The new hall is free and dropped reservations in July 2025 — walk in (closed Mondays). It is near Anhui Museum Station (Line 3).
How do I get from Hefei to Huangshan?
High-speed from Hefei South to Huangshan North takes a reported about 1.5 hours. Keep Day 3 light and book Huangshan North tickets early in peak season.
What is Lei Street and what do I eat there?
Hefei's biggest night-market street — stinky mandarin fish, Sanhe rice dumplings and summer crayfish, with scan-to-order English menus. Arrive by 18:30 on weekends to beat the crowds.