Datong Travel Forum

I'm thinking of arriving in Datong early morning from Beijing and leaving later that night to Xi'an. I don't really intend sticking around town for more than a day and I only plan to see the cave and the hanging monastery. I just have some questions about the logistics:
(1) Can I book a cheap tour through CITS once I arrive in Datong? If so, how much?
(2) Are there any storage lockers in the train station?
(3) Are there any shower facilities at the train station?
(4) I will be arriving in Datong on May 7, which is during the Golden Week. Will it be hard for me to book a sleeper ticket from Datong to Xi'an on this date?

enough
(1)yes, about 300-500 CNY.
(2)No, but some services can keep bag for you.
(3)No
(4)Yes, very

We did the Datong trip in a day, heading up to Hohhot on the evening. Don't need to use CITS to see the caves, lots of buses going up there opposite the station, much cheaper. Getting a ticket will be hard, its true, think about doing it at all from that point of view.

How do I book a ticket from Datong to Xi'an before I even get to Datong? How do I go to the Hanging monastery from the Datong train station?

Can't book a ticket in advance.
The buses to the place are right outside. It isn't a big area, just go out and people will offer you the buses. Other foreigners will be there anyhow.

CITS has 1-day tours to the "Hanging Monastery and Yungang Buddhist Caves" and "Hanging Monastery and Wooden Pagoda". Each tour cost RMB210/person (includes entrance fees and lunch).

Yungang Buddhist Caves is just 16km west of Datong. The bus journey is within an hour.

Hanging Monastary is further, 60+ km south of Datong. Journey takes 2 hrs.

For convenience, I'm joining the CITS tour when doing a day visit only.

2) There're always left luggage facilities at train stations, but they're usually not lockers.
3) No.