Yabuli, China's historic ski resort and 2025 Asian Winter Games venue, plus Harbin's Ice and Snow World: linked trails, the train from Harbin West, visa rules and the cold.
Yabuli, in the hills south-east of Harbin, has hosted China's biggest ski events since the 1996 Asian Winter Games, most recently the 2025 Asian Winter Games. Pair it with Harbin's ice festival and you have the classic northeast China winter trip.
The mountain: Yabuli is several operators across three linked peaks. For 2025-26 the linked network offered 56 trails and up to 912 m of vertical, added three beginner trails and snow tubing, and opened its season on 7 November 2025 at the Sun Mountain summit. Sun Mountain is the main zone, home to Club Med Yabuli, the first Club Med in China; Windmill Mountain is a separate hotel and ski area.
Harbin's ice and snow: The 28th Harbin Ice and Snow World was announced on 12 October 2026 at 1.25 million m²; its opening date and price were not out yet. Last season it opened on 17 December 2025 at 328 yuan for adults. Sun Island's snow sculptures and Central Street fill the rest of a Harbin day, and an indoor ski park in the city runs year-round.
Getting there: Fly to Harbin Taiping, which has direct flights from Seoul-Incheon and Tokyo-Narita among others. High-speed trains run from Harbin West to Yabuli West in about 1 hour 5 to 1 hour 20 minutes, about 76-86 yuan in second class on a recent snapshot; the station is about 25 minutes from the slopes. In 2024-25 a seasonal K train also ran to Yabuli South, 500 m from the lifts, for 49.5 yuan.
How much are Yabuli lift tickets? We could not find an official 2025-26 or 2026-27 day-ticket price. Club Med Yabuli sells all-inclusive stays with lift passes and lessons.
When does Yabuli open? Usually in early to mid November. The 2025-26 season opened on 7 November 2025; the 2026-27 date had not been announced on 20 October 2026.