Shuangliu Airport is 17km (11 miles) south of Chengdu. Destinations include Beijing (eight or nine flights daily); Guangzhou (eight or nine flights daily); Shenzhen (17 flights daily); Hong Kong (one or two flights daily); and Kunming (eight to ten flights daily). To Lhasa, there are up to 13 flights daily, from 6am to 3pm. Travelers are no longer required to enter Tibet with a group of five or more, but Tibet Tourism Bureau permits (TTP) are, for the time being, still required. It takes 3 to 7 days to obtain a permit. The price of a one-way flight to Tibet, TTP permit, and airport transfer in Chengdu is around ¥2,000. All flights can be booked with any of the several English-speaking travel agents at and near the Traffic Hotel. Dragonair has an office in the Sheraton Lido (tel. 028/8676-8828) at Renmin Zhong Lu 15, 1 Duan. The airport bus, no. 303, is outside the domestic arrival exit. It takes 30 to 40 minutes to city center and costs ¥10. The airport bus at the China Southwest office on Renmin Nan Lu Er Duan, (next to Min Shan Fandian) costs ¥10 and departs every half-hour. Or take bus no. 300 at the North Railway Station. The 22km (14-mile) ride takes 70 minutes and costs ¥6. A taxi from the city center to the airport costs ¥60 to ¥75, including a ¥10 toll.
The main railway station is at the northern end of Renmin Bei Lu, 8km (5 miles) north of the Mao statue in the city center. The ticket office, open 24 hours, is to the right of the main building. Try to purchase tickets at least 2 days in advance. Major destinations include Beijing (fast trains; 26 hr.; hard sleeper ¥418), Kunming (fast trains 19 hr.; ¥257), Shanghai (36 1/2 hr.; hard sleeper ¥467), and Chongqing Bei (3 hr. 40 min.; hard seat ¥51).
Xin Nan Men Bus Station (Xin Nan Men Qichezhan), at the corner of Xin Nan Lu and Linjiang Zhong Lu and next to the Traffic Hotel, is clean, efficient, and tourist-friendly (has signs in English). Air-conditioned buses leave from here for Le Shan (2 hr.; ¥43-¥49) and for Emei Shan (2 hr. 15 min.; ¥43); to Jiuzhai Gou (12 hr.; ¥140), Dujiang Yan, (1 hr.; ¥25) and Qingcheng Shan (1 hr.; ¥25).
Air-conditioned buses to Chongqing leave throughout the day from the equally clean, efficient Wu Gui Qiao Bus Station (Wu Gui Qiao Qichezhan) southeast of the city center on Yinghui Lu (4 1/4 hr.; ¥115-¥125).
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
