Harbin

Introduction

Saint Sophia Church

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Harbin (哈尔滨) (sometimes written as Haerbin) is the capital of Heilongjiang Province in the Northeast of China. The Songhua river runs through the north of the city and in the winter is completely frozen over. Ice from this river is used as material for the Ice and Snow Festival - one of the world's four largest ice and snow festivals. In 2005, benzene (a dangerous chemical) contaminated the river and the city's water supply had to be shutdown. The city is heavily influenced by Russian architecture as a concession was made in 1896 for the Russians to build a railway to Vladivostok. Hence it is sometimes known as the "Oriental St. Petersburg". It is a unique and beautiful city.

Neighbourhoods

• Daoli-qu
• Nangang-qu
• Xiangfang-qu
• Daowai-qu
• Pingfang-qu
• Songbei-qu

Sights and Activities

• Old city center - Located by the Songhua river it is heavily dominated by Russian architecture.
• Saint Sophia Cathedral was a small but ornately decorated Russian Orthodox church built in the center of the city. Now it is a museum showcasing the international heritage and multi-cultural history of Harbin.
• Siberian Tiger Preserve - A must see attraction. See siberian tigers, regular tigers, a rare albino tiger and African lions survive the freezing cold temperates of winter. A little out of the city, take a taxi there (RMB40). Once there you will be taken on a bus tour around the sanctuary. Visitors also have the option of buying live animals for the rangers to feed the big cats with for your viewing pleasure. Livestock range from small chickens to whole cows.

You can also take a horse and cart ride or a walk along the frozen Songhua river in the winter.

Events and Festivals

Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival is the highlight of events here. Usually starting in the first week of January, it lasts for one month (or until it all melts). Displays an impressive array of ice sculptures, some as big as 4 storey buildings! Ice is taken from the frozen over Songhua river. The main event takes place in Zhaolin park next to the river. The best way to get there is by taxi, which should take 20 minutes from the city center. Well worth a visit just to marvel at the industriousness and skill of the ice sculptors. Be prepared for the cold as the only shelter from the cold are cafes, which charge RMB20 for a small cup of chinese tea.

Weather

Winter here can be bitterly cold, averaging -10 °C to -13 °C during the day from December to February with nights averaging between -20 and -25 °C, dropping below -30 °C during some nights. In summer, temperatures rise to around 26 or 27 °C on average from June to August but can hit well over 30 °C as well. Late spring and early autumn are great times for a visit. But if you like the international ice festival, come here in winter. Most of the rain falls in the warmer summer, winters are relatively dry.

Getting There

By Plane

Harbin Taiping International Airport (HRB) serves many destinations in China. China Southern Airlines has many flights, including to Hangzhou, Shanghai Pudong International Airport, Xi'an, Qingdao and Beijing. Flights by China Southern also service Vladivostok, Seoul, Osaka and Taipei.
Other domestic and international cities with connections to Harbin, with a range of other airlines, include Guangzhou, Shenyang, Shenzhen, Chengdu, Nanjing, Khabarovsk and Yakutsk.

By Train

Harbin is a railway hub of Northeast China, with five major railways converging here. There are regular trains to Beijing and Vladivostok in Russia. Many other mainly Chinese destinations are served as well, with connection onward to Mongolia and Moscow.

By Bus

Long distance and over night buses go to Beijing (13 hours).

Getting Around

By Foot

Harbin, by chinese standards, is a very walkable city (if you can bear the freezing temperatures in winter). Roads are not as busy or polluted compared to many other Chinese cities, while the city's architecture is not an eyesore.

Sleep

Budget

Learn

• Harbin University of Science and Technology
• Harbin Engineering University
• Harbin Normal University

Keep Connected

Phone

See also: International Telephone Calls

Post

China Post (中国邮政) is the official postal service of the People's Republic of China, operated by the State Postal Bureau of the People's Republic of China (website in Chinese only), and has more details about price to send letters, postcards and parcels, both domestically as well as internationally. The Chinese postal service is very good. Remember that in more remote places usually only one post office in a city can handle sending international boxes or letters. Also many times it might be worth having the name of the country you are trying to send to in Chinese characters. Post offices have a striking green logo and can easily be found everywhere in the cities. They are mostly open every day (including weekends!) from 8:00am to 6:00pm, though small offices might have shorter opening times, while the bigger ones in central and touristic areas are sometimes open during evenings as well.