Zigong's compact, hilly centre lies on the north side of the narrow Fuxi River . The long-distance bus station is on the highway south of town; turn right out of the station and head through a tunnel , which exits on the south bank by a bridge. Cross over and you're facing up Ziyou Lu , with Binjiang Lu running under the bridge along the north bank, and Jiefang Lu parallel and one block back. There's accommodation at the Zigong Luguan (¥30-75), up Ziyou Lu on the left, where it's hard to get anything but overpriced doubles off the management; or at the Shawan Binguan, east on Binjiang Lu (tel 0813/2208888, fax 2201168; ¥30-300), which has three-star facilities in its new, modern block, and clean, tatty doubles in an older "vice-wing" (as it's described in their price list) - where, for some bizarre reason, the cheaper rooms are best. Places to eat are legion, with evening hotpots and kebab stalls along Jiefang Lu; try firey hot, stodgy dumplings, soups, noodles, mung-bean dishes and fried or smoked meats at the inexpensive Qiyun Sun or Huabei restaurants on Jiefang Lu, or the Fujiang Fandian, on the right along Ziyou Lu.

Leaving , there are plenty of normal and four luxury buses until mid-afternoon to Chengdu, Leshan, Luzhou and Chongqing; twice-hourly departures to Yibin; and daily buses each to Gongxian and Kunming.