China Travel Forum

[Jeremy]

I never went to Vietnam from Kunming but I remember that trains Kunming-Vietnam left from the NORTH Station. You should probably go as early as you can to buy the tickets, as they could be sold out on the day you wish to travel.
In 2002, trains left Kunming from North Station for Hanoi (Hénèi in Mandarin, 30 hrs)
I lived 9 months in Kunming, have no knowledge of Chinese, never used a guide or anything and all went well. I loved it there!
Near Yunnan Uni and nearby Cuihu Park (Green Lake), go to Wenlin Jie for travel information and contact with foreign travellers. The French Café on Wenlin Jie is good for meeting people and for Internet..
I hope you have time to walk around the Bird and Flower Market, off Zhengyi Lu. Food is great in Yunnan. Try the Over-the-bridge noodles anywhere they look like a specialty. Have a good time!