Hohhot is a fairly easy place to find your way around. The heart of the modern commercial city, including most hotels, lies in the blocks to the south of the train and bus stations, while the old city and its flamboyant temples are in the southwest of town, south of the central Renmin Park.

The airport lies 35km east of the city, and the airport bus drops arriving passengers at the CAAC office on Xilinguole Lu (see "Listings") the top end of the north-south axis Xilinguole Lu. Travellers arriving by train, in particular, are often subjected to furious and persistent harassment from the moment they disembark, by travel agents trying to sell them grassland tours. The only practical way to escape the melee is to get into a taxi . The minimum fare is ¥6, sufficient for most rides within the city.