There are four major long distance bus stations in Kunming:
A. The South station is directly opposite the Nanyao railway station on Beijing Lu. This is Kunming’s major bus station and has bus routes to most regional destinations. There are two classes of bus generally available here: the cheaper Regular and the faster and more luxurious Gaokuai (literally “Highway Express”). The station is well managed and ideal for all manner of tourists.

B. The Railway station square bus station has buses for most destinations in Kunming, although it is less organized with more private buses that have less fixed schedules.
Most of the buses here are normal coaches and are cheaper than Gaokuai buses. Buses to Shilin and Jiuxiang start here, but the best way to reach these places is by train, as the buses on this route tend to pick up as many tourists as possible along the way and the supposed 2 hour drive invariably ends up being at least 4 hours.

C. The Western station used to be the second largest bus station in Kunming, but is currently the third largest after the Huangtupo Station. Buses run to most regional destinations from here. The station is well managed.

D. Huangtupo station is growing bigger every day , but since this station is far from the city and most bus routes are not to tourist destinations, (with only two sleepers to Zhongdian departing at 3 PM and 7 PM, probably stopping in Lijiang and Dali), it is not widely used by tourists.