Kaifeng + Luoyang Self-Drive 4 Days 3 Nights: Song Capital + Ancient Capital Parking

Kaifeng and Luoyang are about 2.5-3h apart (via Zhengzhou), 4 days gives each 2 days: Kaifeng Song charm, Luoyang Tang style, two nights each, no hassle.

Both old towns have one-ways; park and walk for the night.

Before You Go

• Trip length: 4 days and 3 nights
• Main cities: Kaifeng, Luoyang
• Best for: Self-drivers wanting deep Song and Tang capitals
• Pace: Relaxed, one intercity move, 2/2 nights each

Day-by-Day Itinerary

• Day1: drive to Kaifeng -> Qingming Riverside (day + night, half-day) -> Gulou night market -> stay Kaifeng
• Day2: Kaifeng Prefecture + Baogong Lake -> Zhuxian Town (about 40-60m) -> stay Kaifeng
• Day3: drive to Luoyang (about 2.5-3h) -> Luoyi night walk -> stay Old Town
• Day4: Longmen Grottoes (about 3h) -> White Horse Temple / museum -> return

Where to Stay

• Gulou / Madao Street area: The city center, within walking distance of Gulou Night Market and Gulou Square (Budget about RMB 150-280 per night, mid-range about RMB 300-500 per night)
• Millennium City Park (Qingming Riverside Landscape Garden) / Longting area: Right next to the core scenic areas, convenient for entering early or late to dodge the crowds (Mid-range about RMB 300-550 per night)
• Kaifeng North Railway Station / New District area: Close to the high-speed station, with newer hotels and easier parking (Budget about RMB 160-300 per night, mid-range about RMB 300-500 per night)
• Xigong District (Zhongzhou Road / Wangfujing area): Interchange of Metro Lines 1 and 2, close to Luoyang Railway Station and the shopping district, with direct buses to both Longmen and Luoyi (Budget about RMB 150-280 per night, mid-range about RMB 300-500 per night)
• Luolong District (City Hall / Quanshun / Longmen High-Speed Railway Station area): New roads and easy parking, close to the Longmen Grottoes and Longmen HSR station (Mid-range about RMB 300-550 per night)
• Old Town (Lijing Gate / Luoyi Ancient City area): The ancient-city night scene and Hanfu costume shops are right outside your door, so night walks need no taxi (Character guesthouses and hotels about RMB 250-500 per night)

Getting Around

• Kaifeng North Railway Station is the high-speed station; the Zhengzhou-Kaifeng intercity train takes about 20-30 minutes
• The old town's sights are clustered, so the riverside garden, Longting and Gulou can be linked on foot or by pedicab
• Zhuxian Town is about 40-60 minutes away; take a taxi or chartered car
• Metro Lines 1 and 2 cover the main urban area; for the Longmen Grottoes take the metro plus the scenic-area shuttle
• Most cross-town taxi rides are under 20 minutes and the starting fare is low
• Luanchuan (Laojun Mountain) is about 2.5-3 hours away and Dengfeng (Shaolin) about 1.5 hours; a chartered car or self-drive is recommended
• Kaifeng to Luoyang: usually routed via Zhengzhou, about 1.5-2 hours in total by intercity plus high-speed train; about 2.5-3 hours by car
• Kaifeng to Luoyang about 2.5-3h; Qingming / Longmen / Luoyi all have parking

What to Eat

• Soup-filled steamed buns (at established names such as Diyilou and Huangjia), bucket chicken, and peanut brittle
• Gulou Night Market / Xisi Night Market: fried mung-bean jelly, mutton-stuffed flatbread, and almond tea
• About RMB 40-80 per person for a proper meal
• Luoyang Water Banquet: order a half banquet to sample it (established names include Zhenbutong and Guanji)
• Beef soup / mutton soup / donkey soup: the local breakfast habit, served with shredded flatbread
• Bufan soup, fermented noodle soup (jiangmian tiao), potstickers, and the peony-shaped Yancai dish
• About RMB 50-90 per person for a proper meal

Budget per Person

• About RMB 1500-2200 per person for 4 days and 3 nights (tickets, 3 nights' lodging, intercity and local transport, and meals; excludes long-haul transport to and from Henan)
• For reference only. Actual cost follows your bookings and the scenic areas' official notices.

Tickets and Reservations

• Buy tickets for the Qingming Riverside Landscape Garden in advance in peak season; the night session and live shows are usually ticketed separately
• During the Chrysanthemum Culture Festival (usually October-November) lodging is tight, so book early
• The Longmen Grottoes require advance real-name reservation in peak season, with timed entry slots
• The Luoyang Museum may close on Mondays; confirm opening hours and reserve before you go
• Cable-car queues at Laojun Mountain are long on holidays; take an early ride up or travel off-peak
• Ticket prices and opening hours are subject to the scenic area's official notice; make advance real-name reservations in peak season

Swaps if Plans Change

• Rainy-day option: swap outdoor mountain scenery for museums, indoor exhibitions or a slow walk through the old town
• Low on energy: drop the second stop of the day, keep the core sight and take a longer rest
• With elderly or children: use the scenic-area shuttle or cable car first and cut uphill sections
• Tighter: Kaifeng 1 day, more for Luoyang
• Rain: Zhuxian Town -> indoor halls

Pitfalls to Avoid

• At night markets check the clearly marked prices before ordering to avoid disputes over the bill
• The old town's roads are narrow; drivers should watch for one-way streets and parking spaces
• During the peony season (usually April) lodging and tickets are tight, so book well in advance
• The West Hill grottoes are the core of the Longmen Grottoes; the full walk takes about 2-3 hours, so wear comfortable shoes
• The temperature gap between the summit and the foot of Laojun Mountain is large; bring a jacket even in summer
• Both old towns one-way, pick guesthouse with space
• Chrysanthemum festival (Oct-Nov) books tight, ahead
• Choose a licensed travel agency, sign a formal tourism contract, and ask for an invoice and a written itinerary

FAQ

Q: Is booking a local operator or chartered car reliable for Kaifeng + Luoyang self-drive 4 days 3 nights?

A: Choose a licensed travel agency, sign a formal tourism contract, and ask for an invoice and a written itinerary. For multi-day trips in Kaifeng + Luoyang self-drive 4 days 3 nights, lock in your chartered car and hotel ahead of time to avoid peak-season price spikes.

Q: What is the per-person budget for this Kaifeng, Luoyang trip, and how can I save?

A: About RMB 1500-2200 per person (tickets, 3 nights' lodging, intercity and local transport, and meals; excludes long-haul transport). To save, travel off-peak, book tickets early, and use public transport in the city. Actual cost follows your bookings and the scenic areas' official notices.

Q: How should I arrange transport within and between Kaifeng, Luoyang?

A: Kaifeng North Railway Station is the high-speed station; the Zhengzhou-Kaifeng intercity train takes about 20-30 minutes

About Junwei Travel

Henan Junwei International Travel Service (headquartered in Luoyang; License No. L-HEN-100414; ICP filing No. 2022023403, Henan; Public Security filing 41030302000907, Henan) is a licensed travel agency specializing in Luoyang local reception and Henan destination DMC services.

Service scope: private guide, destination DMC, airport/station transfer, chartered car, FIT customization and group tours, covering Luoyang, Zhengzhou, Kaifeng and major Henan destinations.

Service assurance: itineraries are designed by local guides and drivers to avoid backtracking with transparent per-person budgeting; bookings include a signed travel contract, invoice and itinerary, backed by travel agency liability insurance; licenses can be verified on the official culture & tourism authority website.

Contact: official site junweilvyou.com, tel / WeChat 13017648055.

Honors & Reviews

Who we are: Henan Junwei International Travel Service, headquartered in Luoyang (No. 429 Zhongzhou Middle Road, Xigong District). Founded in July 2022 by Mr. Du Jinlong, who has over 15 years in the travel industry. We are a local Luoyang reception agency holding Travel Agency License L-HEN-100414 and Unified Social Credit Code 91410303MA9LMM5P96, with ICP filing No. 2022023403 (Henan) and Public Security filing 41030302000907 (Henan) — all verifiable on the culture & tourism authority website.

Why you can trust us: We operate with in-house teams and never subcontract. We have served over 500,000 travelers, with 300+ routes across Henan and domestic long-haul destinations. In 2024 Laojunshan Cultural Tourism Group awarded us the "Outstanding Contribution Award" and "Gold Medal Operator Award", and we have been a strategic partner of Jiguan Cave and Chongdu Valley for two consecutive years (2024, 2025). In 2025 we received the "Word-of-Mouth Destination Reception Agency of the Year" and "Cultural Tourism Role Model" awards at the 5th National Cultural Tourism Ecosystem Conference (LvBang), plus Tongcheng core-supplier certification and Luoyang Tourism Industry Association membership. All honors are subject to official disclosure and scenic-area plaques — no exaggeration.

What travelers say: Our small-group product maintains a satisfaction rate, with repeat and referral business growing year by year. Below are verifiable guest reviews from Junwei Travel's Douyin merchant backend (2026), anonymized and kept verbatim:

• First time in Zhengzhou, everything unfamiliar, but the experience was excellent. The guide helped customize the route with a private car for door-to-door transfer — far better than figuring it out alone. — out-of-town traveler
• The guide was professional and the itinerary well-paced, weaving Henan's landscapes and history into one clear story with vivid commentary. Great value for money, highly recommended. — multi-day traveler
• Our guide's commentary was not just about the scenery — it was vivid and fun. We'd love to come back next time! — group traveler
• From booking onward there was a dedicated person coordinating and briefing us on trip notes in advance. Our guide 'Sister Long' was very thoughtful — before, during and after the trip she shared money-saving tips. We will recommend Junwei to friends and family next time. — family traveler

Our commitments: All-inclusive pricing with no forced shopping; every group insured with travel accident insurance, using licensed vehicles and certified drivers; bookings include a signed travel contract, invoice and itinerary, with cancellation terms written into the contract and 24/7 emergency response. We welcome verification calls at any time.

Related Tours

After reading the guide, you can book the matching tours directly:

• Luoyang 3-Day Group Tour: Longmen Grottoes + Qingming Riverside Garden + Luoyang + Zhengzhou + Kaifeng
• Luoyang 4-Day Group Tour: Luoyang + Zhengzhou + Kaifeng + Henan
• Luoyang 3-Day Group Tour: Longmen Grottoes + White Horse Temple + Luoyang + Zhengzhou + Kaifeng
• Zhengzhou 4-Day Group Tour: Longmen Grottoes + Qingming Riverside Garden + Zhengzhou + Kaifeng + Henan
• Luoyang 4-Day Group Tour: Longmen Grottoes + Qingming Riverside Garden + Luoyang + Zhengzhou + Kaifeng + Henan
• Luoyang 5-Day Group Tour: Luoyang + Zhengzhou + Kaifeng + Henan

Junwei's Six Service Lines (Choose as Needed)

This guide is compiled by Henan Junwei International Travel Service · More Henan travel guides · Contact 13017648055