Take a ride-hailing car or a metered taxi. It is 20 to 30 minutes and about ¥30 to ¥40 to the old town. Public transport saves very little money and involves a shuttle bus, because no metro line reaches the terminals.
Where you land
Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport (XMN) sits on the northern shore of Xiamen Island, about 1 km from the centre. There are two terminals in use. International flights, and flights from Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, arrive at Terminal 3, along with some domestic airlines. Terminal 4 is domestic. A free shuttle bus runs between them.
If you are entering on the 240-hour visa-free transit, immigration is in Terminal 3.
By car: the sensible choice
For two people with bags, nothing else comes close. The fare to the Zhongshan Road and ferry area runs about ¥30 to ¥40. One traveller on a seven-hour stopover in April 2026 paid twenty-something yuan to Zhongshan Park and was there in half an hour.
Ride-hailing
DiDi works in English and takes foreign cards, and it also runs inside Alipay. The thing to know is where to stand, because drivers cannot stop at the arrivals kerb.
- Terminal 3: follow the signs for online car-hailing down to level B1.
- Terminal 4: the pickup is in the open car park at ground level. From arrivals door 7, walk towards door 13, cross at the zebra crossing and continue straight.
The app shows a photo guide to the pickup point once you book. Use it.
Taxi
Metered taxis queue outside both terminals. They are fine for the run into town. Where visitors run into trouble is on very short hops: there are regular complaints of drivers refusing a ride to the nearby metro station, or asking for an extra ¥10 on top of the meter. If your trip is short, use the app.
Have your hotel's name and address in Chinese characters on your phone. Few drivers read pinyin addresses.
By public transport
| Option | Cost | How it works |
|---|---|---|
| Airport express bus | ¥10 | Runs to the ferry area in about 30 to 35 minutes. A separate line goes to Xiamen North station for ¥15 |
| Shuttle + Metro Line 1 | ¥10 + fare | Shuttle bus to Gaoqi station, then Line 1 south to Zhenhai Road for the old town |
| BRT from Terminal 4 | A few yuan | Elevated bus line into town. Expect stairs with your luggage |
| City buses | A few yuan | From the stop outside Terminal 3. Slow, and you need the transit code set up |
A word on the metro, because many guides get this wrong. No line stops at either terminal. Line 1 has a station called Gaoqi, which is close but not walkable with bags, and a dedicated shuttle links it to T3 and T4. Travellers who followed a map app expecting to walk onto a train ended up at the shuttle ticket desk instead.
City buses and the metro do not take an ordinary Alipay payment code. You need the transit code, which is a separate thing inside the app. Set it up before you land. Our guide to getting around Xiamen explains how.
Straight to the Gulangyu ferry
If your first stop is the island, the daytime tourist terminal at Dongdu is about 1 km and 20 minutes from the airport by car. The evening terminal at Lundu is a little further, around 25 minutes. Read our ferry ticket guide first, because you cannot simply turn up and board on a busy day.
To the railway stations
Xiamen North, the high-speed hub, is about 1 km from the airport on the mainland side. Allow 30 to 40 minutes by car, or take the ¥15 airport express. The older Xiamen station on the island is closer to the centre and reached most easily by taxi.
Luggage storage
There is a staffed left-luggage counter on the arrivals level of Terminal 3, near door 7 beside the convenience store. People passing through on long connections reported paying about ¥10 for a small bag for up to ten hours at the end of 2025, with two backpacks counted as one item. Prices for large cases are higher. If you have six hours or more between flights, see our layover guide.
Late arrivals
Shuttles and buses thin out in the evening, and published hours differ from source to source. If you land late, plan on a car. Ride-hailing runs all night.
The airport is about to move
If you would rather not think about any of this
A private transfer costs more than a taxi and buys you one thing: someone waiting at arrivals who speaks English and already has your hotel address. After a long-haul flight, with children or with older travellers, that is often worth it.
Quick answers
How far is Xiamen airport from the city centre?
About 10 km. A car to the Zhongshan Road area takes 20 to 30 minutes outside rush hour.
How much is a taxi from Xiamen airport to downtown?
Roughly ¥30 to ¥40 to the centre by meter or ride-hailing app. Travellers report paying a little over ¥20 to the Zhongshan Park area.
Is there a metro station at Xiamen Gaoqi airport?
No. The nearest station is Gaoqi on Line 1, reached by a ¥10 shuttle bus from the terminals. Several online guides say a metro line stops at Terminal 4; it does not.
Where is the ride-hailing pickup at Xiamen airport?
At Terminal 3 it is on level B1, signposted from arrivals. At Terminal 4 it is in the ground-level car park outside the arrivals doors.
Can I store luggage at Xiamen airport?
Yes. There is a left-luggage counter on the Terminal 3 arrivals level near door 7. Travellers reported paying about ¥10 for a small bag for up to ten hours in late 2025.
Will I arrive at Gaoqi or the new Xiang'an airport?
Gaoqi, as of October 2026. The new Xiang'an airport is officially due around the end of 2026, with no opening date announced when we checked. Look at your ticket if you fly near the turn of the year.
Keep planning
Sources we checked
- Ministry of Transport: Xiamen Xiang'an airport progress, April 2026 (Chinese)
- Fujian Provincial Government: Fujian ports under the 240-hour transit policy (Chinese)
- Xiamen Ferry Co.: official operator site (Chinese)
Last checked: October 2026. Tickets, ferries, opening hours and entry rules change; we confirm the current arrangement for your dates before you travel.
Prefer to be met at arrivals?
Send us your flight number. We can arrange a private car and an English-speaking guide for the transfer, and plan the days after it.