Tianfu is over 70 km from the city centre and transport takes at least 60 minutes, but more likely longer.
The cheapest way to get to the centre is by metro for 13 cny with one transfer or direct buses for 15 cny.
| Price | Destination | Travel time | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taxi / DiDi | From 300 cny | Anywhere | 60-90 minutes |
| Metro 18 + Metro 1 | 10 cny + 3 cny | Chengdu South Tianfu Square |
75 minutes |
| High speed train | 24 cny | Chengdu East | 28 minutes |
| Buses | From 15 cny | Chunxi Road, Zoo, Global Center |
75-120 minutes |
Metro
There are two Chengdu metro lines to Tianfu Airport. For official information and current fares, visit chengdurail.com.
- Line 18 - goes to Chengdu South Railway Station, here you can change to metro line 1 towards the city centre or to the subway circle line 7
- Price - 10 cny + additional 3 cny to downtown for line 1
- Travel time - 50 minutes + approx. another 20 minutes on line 1 to the centre
- Frequency - 10 minutes
- First metro from Chengdu South station - 6:00
- Last metro from airport - 23:35
- Line 19 - goes to Shuangliu Airport and the western suburbs of Chengdu. At Tianfu Commercial District station you can transfer to Line 6 to the eastern part of the city centre, but the journey will take more than 90 minutes
- Price - 10 cny to Shuangliu Airport
- Travel time - 50 minutes to Shuangliu Airport
- Frequency - 10 minutes
- First subway from Shuangliu Terminal 2 station - 6:00 a.m.
- Last metro from Tianfu Airport - 23:28
You can pay the fare at the ticket machine in cash, via the AliPay/WeChat mobile app by scanning the QR-Code, and also by international Visa or MasterCard.
Airport buses and night transport
The terminal is also served by special airport bus routes to several destinations throughout Chengdu.
The buses can take a very long time due to traffic congestion, however they are a convenient way to travel directly to the city centre without the need to change buses.
The buses are also convenient for late night arrivals and early morning departures as they run 24/7.
- Chunxi Road (downtown) + East Railway Station - Line 1
- Price - 15 RMB or 25 RMB between 11:30pm-6:00am
- Travel time - 75 to 120 minutes
- Frequency - 20 to 30 minutes
- Buses only run via East Railway Station between 6:00am and 11:30pm
- Jinsha Hub - Line 2
- Price - 15 RMB or 25 RMB between 11:30pm-6:00am
- Travel time - 90 to 135 minutes
- Frequency - 30 minutes
- Chengdu Zoo - Line 3
- Price - 15 RMB or 25 RMB between 23:30-6:00
- Travel time - 90 to 135 minutes
- Frequency - 30 minutes
- Global Center - Line 4
- Price - 15 RMB or 25 RMB between 23:30-6:00
- Travel time - 60 to 105 minutes
- Frequency - 30 minutes
- Shuangliu Airport - Line5
- Price - 15 RMB or 25 RMB between 23:30-6:00
- Travel time - 60 to 105 minutes
- Frequency - 30 minutes
For basic information, please visit the airport's website: sctfia.com.
High Speed Train
There is also an intercity high-speed train station directly below the terminal, but you can also use it just to get to Chengdu, where it terminates at the East Railway Station.
However, this form of transport is less frequent than the metro or buses.
- Price - 24 cny
- Frequency - 1-2 times per hour
- Travel time - 28 minutes
Timetables can be viewed on trip.com. The station at the airport is called "Tianfujichang".
Taxi
There are a huge number of official taxis at Tianfu Airport, yet you can spend upwards of 45 minutes in the taxi queue, especially during the evening arrivals rush.
Taxis can be paid for via the likes of Alipay or WeChat or in cash.
It's always a good idea to have the address in Chinese ready on your mobile phone to show the kiosk and possibly the driver when ordering a taxi.
The price is always calculated by the taximeter and you will pay about 350 cny to 500 cny to downtown Chengdu depending on the specific destination and time of day/night.
Taxi via mobile app
Popular Chinese mobile apps such as DiDi or My China Taxi operate in Chengdu.
- Didi (Google Play / App Store)
- My China Taxi (Google Play / App Store)
The price to downtown Chengdu via these apps can be significantly lower than regular taxis (starting from 280 cny).
The car station via mobile apps is on the ground floor of P1 and P2 parking buildings.
