The commercial area south of Dalian Railway Station

Qingniwaqiao is the name of a shopping district around Qingni Street and Zhongshan Road, south of Dalian Railway Station. Its shopping experience spans several department stores and malls, street-front businesses and connecting streets. On a first visit, choose a particular mall as your destination rather than imagining Qingniwaqiao as a market with a single entrance; individual businesses have different offerings and access points.

Dalian Department Store, the New-Mart flagship store, the Mykal flagship store and Pavilion are names commonly encountered when exploring the area. Department stores and malls offer clothing, everyday goods and indoor dining, while street-front businesses allow for browsing as you walk. Choose according to a specific purpose: buying extra clothes, shopping indoors on a rainy day, finding a meal or simply looking at the streets and buildings of the old commercial district. There is no need to enter every store.

Looking north along Qingni Street, with shops and commercial buildings on both sides
A historical street view of Qingni Street in 2012, showing the arrangement of commercial streets. Signs and businesses may have changed. 董辰兴 · Photo credits ↗

Choosing department stores, food and gifts

Qingniwaqiao's strength is its concentration of choices rather than a single Dalian specialty. China Southern Airlines' Dalian guide presents it as an area combining shopping and dining, with Chinese and Western meals, snacks and desserts. If your group has different food preferences, a mall with several dining options may be easier than asking at one street restaurant after another. Check current menus and business hours for specific restaurants.

Distinguish snacks for immediate eating from packaged food when buying gifts. Menzi is best eaten on the spot, while packaged seafood, pastries and other foods require checks of ingredients, production dates, storage and transport conditions. If taking food out of China, check the destination's customs rules separately; being sold in a shop does not establish that it can be imported. Department-store counters and small street shops price goods differently, so compare equal sizes and weights and keep clear receipts.

Street exterior of New-Mart Shopping and Leisure Plaza's north entrance
A 2012 photograph of New-Mart's north entrance, illustrating the department-store building rather than current entrance or opening arrangements. 董辰兴 · Photo credits ↗

Separate the district from individual shop services

Qingniwaqiao and nearby Tianjin Street are both traditional commercial areas in Dalian, but offer different kinds of visits. The former is suited to choosing among department stores and general shopping centers; Tianjin Street places more emphasis on walking through the neighborhood and observing its commercial renewal. They can be understood within the same city walk, but the names do not refer to one shopping mall.

The district has no single set of opening hours: department stores, restaurants and street shops set their own. If you want a particular brand or restaurant, check the actual branch before going rather than relying on a years-old district guide. A Dalian Daily report dated September 29, 2025, relaying a municipal government press office briefing, described tax refunds for overseas visitors and measures to make international shopping easier at some Qingniwa businesses. This does not mean every store offers refunds or accepts every foreign bank card. Confirm the applicable services with the actual counter before paying.

Useful official references

Check the relevant official service before making arrangements. These links are references, not a guarantee of current services.