Chengdu Transportation

The transportation network in Chengdu is very developed. It has one of China’s busiest airports; it is the intersection point of five trunk railway lines; it is connected with thousands of miles of expressways and has dozens of coach stations sending passengers to various destinations. Within the city area, there are subways, city buses, taxis and many other transport conveniences for passengers to choose from.

 

Air

Chengdu Airport
Shuangliu Airport

There are two airports serving passengers in Chengdu: Shuangliu International Airport (CTU), in the southwest of the city and about 16 kilometers (10 miles) from the city center; and Tianfu International Airport (TFU) around 50 kilometers (31 miles) southeast to the city center. Have in mind which airport you are going to land in or depart from to save trouble. 

Frequent one-hour flights are available to Kunming, the capital of Yunnan Province. Flights to Xining, the capital of Qinghai Province, take about one and a half hours, with two-hour flights available to Lhasa, the capital of Tibet. It is convenient to visit the Jiuzhaigou Scenic Spot by air, a 40-minute flight to Jiuhuang (Jiuzhaigou and Huanglong) Airport.

  Chengdu Flights (brief introduction & flight search)
 

As the largest railway hub in southwest China, the city has convenient railway transportation. At present, it has three railway stations for passenger transport: Chengdu Railway Station, East Railway Station, Chengdu West Railway Station and South Railway Station

Chengdu Railway Station
Chengdu Railway Station
Train for Chengdu
Platform at Railway Station
This city has several main coach stations transferring passengers within or outside Sichuan Province, including Xinnanmen Bus Station (Tourism Bus Center), Chadianzi Bus Station, Tianfu Airport Bus Station, East Railway Station Bus Station, Beimen (North Gate) Bus Station.
 
Chengdu Metro
Metro Station
Currently, Chengdu metro line 1, line 2, line 3, line 4, line 5, line 6, line 7, line 8, line 9line 10, line 17 and line 18 are in operation. Passengers can take line 1 from Weijianian to Science City via North Railway Station, Tianfu Square, Sichuan Gymnasium, South Railway Station, Jincheng Plaza and other places in the city. Line 2 can take travelers to Chadianzi Bus Station, People's Park, Chunxi Road, East Railway Station, Institute of Public Administration and other areas. Line 3 runs between Taipingyuan and Military General Hospital, passing Chunxi Road, Chengdu Zoo, Xinnanmen Bus Station and Zhaojue Temple. Line 4 connects Xihe and Wansheng, passing some popular scenic areas like Wide and Narrow Alley, Sichuan Museum and Cultural Park.

Linking Huagui Road and Huilong, metro line 5 has 41 stations stretching around 49 kilometers. Line 6 links Wanggongci and Lanjiagou, covering Southwest Jiaotong University and Renmin Road North. Line 7 passes South Railway Station, East Railway Station and North City Bus Station with a duration of 66 minutes. Line 8 travels between Lianhua and Shilidian. Line 9 connects Huangtianba and Financial City East via 13 stations. Chengdu metro line 10 links Taipingyuan and Xinping, passing Terminal 1 & Terminal 2 of Shuangliu International Airport. Line 17 links Jinxing and Jitouqiao, running in the northwest-southeast direction. Line 18 operates between South Railway Station and Tianfu Airport North, containing 9 stations. 
In addition, Line 13, Line 19, Line 27 and Line 30 will serve the public in the near future. 
 Metro Maps
 Public bus services extend in all directions. You can get to most of places, especially sights inside the city, by bus. The ticket fare is usually CNY 2. It is advised to take some loose change.
 Bus/ Metro Search
 Four sightseeing lines and some city tourist bus lines take visitors to most attractions in Chengdu downtown. There are also many direct tourist buses to famous attractions in nearby cities. 

Bus in Chengdu Taxis in Chengdu
 

Taxi

Hundreds of taxi stands are available in the city. Except hailing a taxi at a stand, it is also feasible to take one along the street. To shuttle around by cab, you’d better avoid the rush hours between 07:30 – 09:00 & 17:00 – 19:00. The taxi fare is as below:

Mileage Petrol Taxi Electronic Taxi
Daytime Nighttime Daytime Nighttime
Flag-down Rate for First 2km (1.2mi) CNY8  CNY9 CNY9 CNY10
2-10km (1.2-6mi) CNY1.9/km   CNY2.2/km CNY1.9/km CNY2.2/km
10-60km CNY2.85/km  CNY3.3/km CNY2.85/km CNY3.3/km
 

Riding a bike can be the best choice for a leisurely city tour. You can find many dockless bikes on the streets of Chengdu. Visitors just need to download bike sharing apps and finish the ID verification procedure to use these bikes. It usually costs CNY 0.5 - 1 for every 30 minutes.
 

Transportation to Other Cities

- Last updated on Aug. 28, 2024 by Gabby Li -
Questions & Answers on Chengdu Transportation
Asked by Catherine from CANADA | Aug. 28, 2024 06:41Reply
From Chengdu North Railway station to TFU
I'll be staying at Holiday Inn Express Chengdu North Railway Station. How do I get from the North Railway Station to TFU airport?
Answers (1)
Answered by Lori | Aug. 28, 2024 20:11
00Reply


Take metro line 1 to South Railway Station then transfer to line 18 to the airport, taking CNY 11 and 1.5h.
Asked by tipeka from THAILAND | Aug. 27, 2024 02:03Reply
How to go to International Finance Center from Chengdu Tianfu International Airport Termial 2?
Where are the bus station in Airport Terminal 2 and Chunxi road?
Answers (1)
Answered by Keith | Aug. 27, 2024 19:02
00Reply


Metro is more recommended. Take metro line 18 at the airport to South Railway Station, transfer to line 1 Sichuan Gymnasium Station, Then change to line 3 to Chunxi Road, take exit C then you can see the IFS.
Asked by Sharon from CANADA | Aug. 20, 2024 17:43Reply
How to get from TFU airport, Chengdu to my hotel
We are visiting Chengdu and landing at TFU international airport
1) Please advise how to get to Grand Parc Vue Hotel Residence Chengdu by Metro
2) If we need to switch trains, do we have to pay again to board the second train?
3) When we get off at Tianfu Square, please advise which exit to take for our hotel
THANK YOU!
Answers (1)
Answered by Lori | Aug. 20, 2024 23:29
00Reply


1. Take metro line 18 to south railway station, transfer to line 1 to Jinjiang Hotel, take exit C2, walk northward to the crossing, and then turn right to find the hotel.
2. You don't need to pay again for the transfer to the second train.
3. Actually the nearest metro station is Jinjiang Hotel, you can take metro line 1 at Tianfu Square to Jinjiang Hotel station then walk for 450m to it.
Asked by Andy Lam from CANADA | Aug. 16, 2024 11:49Reply
Pandas visit Chengdu research center
We plan to visit the pandas in Chengdu research center Oct 3rd, holiday week in China.
My questions are 1) if we go when the doors open at 730, will we wait long to get in?
2) we are tourists from Canada, age 64 and 65, can we show our passports at entry and go in for free?
3) do we still need to reserve online for free entry?
Thank you !
Answers (1)
Answered by Daniel | Aug. 18, 2024 20:48
00Reply


1. It will be crowded during the holiday week but you can get in when the doors open.
2&3. According to the current policy, seniors over 60 can enter by showing their passports without prior reservation.
Asked by CKANS from THAILAND | Aug. 01, 2024 01:10Reply
how can i go to Xinnanmen Bus Station from Chengdu Tianfu International Airport?
i plan to travel Jiuzhaigou national park , my fight will be arrive around 4 am ,how can i go to Xinnanmen Bus Station from Chengdu Tianfu International Airport? by bus , electric train etc
Answers (1)
Answered by Daniel | Aug. 01, 2024 19:16
00Reply


You can take the airport shuttle bus line 1 to Chunxi Road, walk southward to the crossing and the turn left to take bus no. 76, 21, 141 and get off at Xinnanmen.
You can also take metro line 18 at the airport to South Railway Station, then transfer to line 1 Sichuan Gymnasium, then transfer to line 3 to Xinnanmen.
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