Chengdu has excellent public transit infrastructure, a modern metro, high-speed rail connections, and an expanding network of bikeshare.
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Arriving by Air
Tianfu International Airport (TFU) — opened 2021, one of China's largest. Located 51km south-east, served by metro Line 18 (45 min). Shuangliu Airport (CTU) — metro Line 10 (30 min). Both serve international and domestic routes.
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High-Speed Rail
Two main HSR stations: Chengdu East and Chengdu South. Bullet trains: Chongqing 35 min, Xi'an 3.5hrs, Beijing 8hrs, Shanghai 9hrs. Essential for day trips to Leshan and Emei Shan.
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Metro (地铁)
13+ lines citywide. Clean, safe, cheap (¥2–10). Covers all major sights. Get a Tianfu Tong card at any station for tap-and-go on metro, bus, and bikeshare.
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Taxi & Didi
Taxis start at ¥8. Didi (China's Uber) has an English app and is generally cheaper than taxis. Essential for panda base, airports, and destinations off the metro network.
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Bus
Extensive network (¥1–2). Use AutoNavi (高德地图) or Baidu Maps for real-time routes — both work without VPN and are far more accurate than Google Maps for Chengdu buses.
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Bikeshare & Scooters
Meituan and Hello Bike docks everywhere — scan QR with WeChat or Alipay for ¥1.5 per 30 min. Cycling the Jinjiang riverside trail is highly recommended.
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Day-Trip Coaches
Chengdu Xinnanmen Bus Station: Leshan (¥50, 1.5hrs), Emei Shan (¥60, 2hrs), Dujiangyan (¥20, 1hr). Tourist buses to panda base from Tianfu Square. Pre-book on Trip.com.
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Navigation Apps
AutoNavi / 高德地图 — most accurate for Chengdu, works without VPN. Baidu Maps is the alternative. Google Maps requires a reliable VPN. Didi app has English interface.
Getting to Chengdu from Abroad
Direct flights connect Chengdu to London (11hrs), Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Paris, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Sydney, Tokyo, Bangkok, Singapore, Dubai and many more via Tianfu (TFU) or Shuangliu (CTU).
144-hour transit-free visa: Citizens of 54 countries (UK, US, EU, Australia, Canada, Japan etc.) may enter Chengdu for up to 6 days without a tourist visa. Check eligibility before traveling.