Longmen Grottoes: A Practical Guide to Luoyang’s Cave Art
Visit the Longmen Grottoes in Luoyang: West Hill highlights, 4 open areas, summer and winter entry times, bus 71 and the electric cart.
Photo: Yan Zhang / Pexels
Contents
On both banks of the Yi River south of Luoyang, the Longmen Grottoes hold more than 2,300 caves and niches carved into limestone cliffs along a stretch of about 1 kilometre. They contain nearly 110,000 Buddhist stone statues, more than 60 stupas and 2,800 inscriptions. The most intensive carving ran from the end of the 5th century to the middle of the 8th century, when Luoyang was a capital.[1]
Choose what to see
Start on the West Hill. Guyangdong and the Three Binyang Caves are among the earliest caves there, carved in the late 5th and early 6th centuries, and they hold large Buddha figures. The giant Tang sculptures of the Fengxiansi Cave are the most complete example of the royal cave-temple art of the 7th and 8th centuries.[1] If time is short, these are the caves to prioritise.
The site has 4 open areas: the West Hill Grottoes, the East Hill Grottoes across the river, Xiangshan Temple and Bai Garden.[2] Adding all 4 turns the visit into a long day.
Things to Do
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Hours, tickets and getting around
| Season | Ticket sales and entry | Last ticket checks and clearance |
|---|---|---|
| Summer | Entry from 08:00; ticket sales stop at 17:30 | Entry checks stop at 18:00; the site is cleared at 19:00[2] |
| Winter | Entry from 08:00; ticket sales stop at 16:30 | Entry checks stop at 17:00; the site is cleared at 18:00[2] |
The general opening hours are 08:00 to 18:00 from 1 March to 31 October and 08:00 to 17:00 from 1 November to 28 February. Tickets are booked online with a personal reservation, and the site admits up to 68,900 visitors a day.[2]
From Luoyang Longmen high-speed rail station, a taxi to the grottoes takes 10 minutes, and city bus 71 runs there directly. From Luoyang Beijiao airport a taxi takes about 40 minutes. Inside the site, the walk from the Northeast service area to the ticket check takes about 25 minutes, and from the Northwest service area about 20 minutes. An electric cart saves the walk for CNY 10 per person one way. A boat on the Yi River shows you the cliffs from the water, with the caves lined up along the bank.[2]
For broader trip planning, see the China travel guide.
Sources and background
Numbers in the text such as [1] refer to these sources.
- [1] UNESCO World Heritage Centre: Longmen Grottoes. Retrieved October 21, 2026.
- [2] Longmen Grottoes visitor-information website (lmsk.cn): Longmen Grottoes visitor information: hours, areas and transport. Retrieved October 21, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
The grottoes hold more than 2,300 caves and niches, nearly 110,000 Buddhist stone statues, more than 60 stupas and 2,800 inscriptions. Luoyang was a capital in the late Northern Wei and early Tang dynasties, and the carving peaked from the end of the 5th century to the middle of the 8th century.
On the West Hill, see Guyangdong and the Three Binyang Caves, the earliest big caves, and the giant Tang sculptures of the Fengxiansi Cave.
The West Hill Grottoes, the East Hill Grottoes, Xiangshan Temple and Bai Garden are open to visitors.
In summer entry starts at 08:00, ticket sales stop at 17:30, entry checks stop at 18:00 and the site is cleared at 19:00. In winter entry starts at 08:00, ticket sales stop at 16:30, entry checks stop at 17:00 and the site is cleared at 18:00.
Tickets are booked online with a personal reservation.
Take a taxi from Luoyang Longmen high-speed rail station, a ride of 10 minutes, or city bus 71, which runs there directly. From Luoyang Beijiao airport a taxi takes about 40 minutes.
Yes. Electric carts run from the Northeast and Northwest service areas to the ticket check for CNY 10 per person one way. On foot it takes about 25 and 20 minutes. A boat on the Yi River shows the grottoes from the water.
Yes, all 3 are open together with the West Hill. The East Hill lies across the Yi River, so allow extra time for the areas you add.
