Plan at a glance
Pier locations and visit scope
A city cruise on the Yalu River offers views of both Dandong and Sinuiju, North Korea, from the water. It is a different activity from walking onto Yalu River Broken Bridge. Online ticket listings sell separate products for Tourist Pier No. 1 and Tourist Pier No. 2. Both are in the Binjiang Middle Road area, but use the meeting point shown on your specific ticket. For Pier No. 1, a map reference is about 220 metres east of the Binjiang Middle Road–Xingyi Road intersection. For Pier No. 2, follow the meeting point on the ticket you purchased.
The city cruise is separate from the Hekou Village cruise in Kuandian and is not cross-border transport to North Korea. If you also plan to visit Broken Bridge, arrange the bridge and boat tickets separately. Combination products are available online; the combined benefits apply only when the ticket explicitly includes both attractions and you follow its terms.
Ticket and operating-hour references
The reference adult fare for a standard cruise from either Pier No. 1 or No. 2 is about CNY 75. Longer cruises and Broken Bridge combination products have separate prices and terms. Ticket channels list different closing times for the piers; the pier's listed operating hours are not the same as a confirmed departure time or last boat. A sightseeing cruise from Pier No. 1 is listed at about 30 minutes to one hour. Confirm the duration for a Pier No. 2 product separately. Before paying, check the pier, date and available departures on the product you select.
Tickets and visit details
View visit options for this attraction and confirm the visit date and current arrangements before you go.
Choose your visit
The two bridges and both riverbanks from the water
From the boat, visitors can view Yalu River Broken Bridge and the still-used China–North Korea Friendship Bridge in the same stretch of river, compare their structures and see parts of Dandong's waterfront and Sinuiju on the opposite bank. The value is the river-level perspective; a close view of a particular building or passage by a specific island is not guaranteed. Which parts of the banks are visible depends on the day's route and visibility.
Day cruises and separate night cruises
Night cruises were offered on the Yalu River during the 2026 May Day holiday period. This does not mean a night cruise runs every day, or that a standard daytime ticket can be used at night. For a night view, choose a product that clearly lists the operating date, boarding pier and departure, and separately confirm the fare and return pier.
Build your day
Standard cruise
First decide whether to combine the cruise with Yalu River Broken Bridge, then select the Pier No. 1 or Pier No. 2 product by its exact name. Before setting out, confirm the meeting point, ticket-check requirements and change or refund terms. At the pier, follow the ticket to the correct check-in gate. Before boarding, confirm the trip duration, return pier and whether the departure time is specified. Do not treat a platform's closing time as the last boat.
With a cruise-and-bridge combination ticket, each attraction still has its own ticket check and entry conditions. The bridge walk takes about half an hour; allow separate time for the cruise queue and ride. If you have not confirmed where the boat returns, do not arrange a pickup immediately afterward at an assumed pier.
Get there
Finding the river piers and distinguishing other attractions
From city-center attractions near Dandong Railway Station, navigate first to Binjiang Middle Road near Yalu River Broken Bridge, then use the exact pier location on your ticket. Tourist Pier No. 1 can be located by the map reference east of the Binjiang Middle Road–Xingyi Road intersection. For Pier No. 2, use the location attached to your ticket. This is not Dandong Ship Scenic Area at Langtou Port or the Hekou cruise in Kuandian; do not choose a destination based only on the words “Pier No. 2.”
Know before you go
Boarding eligibility, safety and ticket types
Ask the operator of your selected cruise whether a foreign passport can be used to buy a ticket and board before you pay. A standard adult ticket appearing on a sales page does not confirm that your documents qualify. On board, follow crew instructions about deck access, life-saving equipment and photography. The river can be windy, so bring a windproof layer and keep children close. Check the posted price before using paid photography services on the boat.