Contiguous to the Bohai Sea in the south, Qinhuangdao City in northeastern Hebei Province enjoys a unique geographic advantage. It was among the first fourteen open coastal cities in China. Early in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), it became a port ratified by the Emperor. That was the start of the port city, Qinhuangdao. An additional advantage is that it is about 280 (174 miles) kilometers from the heart of China, Beijing, and 220 kilometers (137 miles) from Tianjin.

Because of its strategic position, the transportation systems of Qinhuangdao are well developed. Qinhuangdao (Shanhaiguan) Airport has flights to more than twenty major cities and international flights to Russia. To meet the air transport needs during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, the airport has done some reconstruction which has greatly pushed the transportation capacity there. Furthermore, the construction of the new civil airport is already in hand.

As for land transport, there are four bus stations in total in Qinhuangdao. Jingqin (Beijing-Qinhuangdao) Expressway, the main line and other assistant national and provincial highways support the busy road transport of Qinhuangdao. There are busy railway network connecting Qinhuangdao with other areas through its hour railway terminals. The extensive intra-city rail lines cover nearly all the scenic spots of the city.

By plane
There is a small airport in Qinhuangdao offering flights to various major cities in this region.

By train
There are train stations, fairly central, in Qinhuangdao, Beidaihe and Shanhaiguan. Not all trains will stop in every station, so it is worth asking before you depart. Train connections, daily in the summer months, depart and arrive between the area and most major cities in the nearby region, including Beijing (3hrs), Shijiazhuang (10hrs), Tianjin (4hrs) and Shenyang (5hrs). Several tourist trains, between July and August, depart daily between Qinhuangdao and both Tianjin and Beijing. These trains, whose No.s are always preceded by Y, are normally the cleanest and fastest.

By bus
Qinhuangdao, Beidaihe and Shanhaiguan are close, and have frequent buses interlinking. There are also buses to nearby cities, including Beijing (8-10hours) and Tianjin (4hours), although train is more comfortable and faster.
The Qinhuangdao Long-distance Bus Station is on Beihuan Road. The Beidaihe Long-distance Bus Station lies on the corner of Beining Road and Haining Road.

By ferry
Qinhuangdao is one of the biggest harbors in China, and one of few ice-free ports in north China. The port connects Qinhuangdao with several other ports in China, including Dalian (14hours), Shanghai (28hours), Qingdao (12hours) and Tianjin (18hours).

City transport
There are more than 20 bus lines in the area, which connect almost all the major tourist sights nearby.

Take No.3 or No.4 from Shanhaiguan to the Qinhuangdao Railway Station or Beidaihe Long-distance bus Station.

No.22 from the Beidaihe Railway Station to Nandaihe.

No.23 from the Mengjiangnu Temple to the First Pass Under Heaven.

No.24 from the Shanhaiguan Bus Station to Yansai Lake.

Taxis within the city start at RMB5 (2km), and can be rented for the day (RMB150-200)
Bikes are also a good mode of transport, and can be rented through most local hotels.