Chengdu to Chongqing: Train, Time and Which City to Pick

Every way compared

The rail line is 307 km long and built for 350 km/h, according to Wikipedia. Flying means two airport transfers on top of a short flight, which usually makes it slower overall.

Once you arrive, a guided day is an easy add-on. Classic Chongqing City Day Tour with the Yangtze Cableway covers the river crossing and the old town in 9 hours.

Fast, average and slow

Klook lists a shortest duration of 1h 2m and an average of 2h 14m, with all services direct. Trip.com sample timetables show Chengdu East to Chongqing West in 1h 15m and Chengdu East to Chongqing North in 1h 41m, plus one 6h 28m service from Chengdu South that most travellers will skip.

The line opened in December 2015 with a 75 minute journey, then Fuxing trains cut it to about one hour from late 2020, according to Wikipedia.

The daily pattern

Yangtze River Cruises counts over 140 G, C and D services a day from 6:10 to 22:40. Trip.com lists 163 departures. Klook counts about 150 schedules. The numbers differ slightly by source, but the picture is the same: a train every few minutes at peak times.

Because services are frequent, a missed train is a small problem. Buy the next one, subject to the change rules below.

Fare range and seat classes

Each train shows its own fare per class on 12306 before you pay. Trip.com lists the seat classes as 2nd Class, 1st Class and Business Class, with sleeper options on some routes.

For a 1 to 2.5 hour journey, most travellers choose 2nd Class. 1st Class gives wider seats in a two plus two layout instead of three plus two. Business Class gives lie flat style seats and a quieter carriage.

Stations on the line

Wikipedia lists the stations on the intercity line as Chengdu East, Jianyang South, Ziyang North, Neijiang North, Yongchuan East, Bishan, Shapingba and Chongqing North. Trip.com adds Chongqing West and Jiangbei Airport as Chongqing arrivals.

Getting from the station to the sights

Chongqing North puts you closest to the riverside sights most visitors want. From there, a short metro or taxi ride reaches Hongya Cave, Liziba and Ciqikou. If your arrival station is Chongqing West, allow extra time for the cross-town journey.

Once you are settled, Chongqing 8D Mountain City Small-Group Day Tour links the viewpoints and old streets in a single day.

Sales window and documents

Trip.com states that tickets go on sale 15 days before departure, so set a reminder if you travel in a peak season. Booking platforms ask for the passport details of every passenger, and you collect tickets or scan your passport at the gate.

Child fares apply for ages 6 to 13, with one free child per adult, and adults must be 18 or over to book, according to Trip.com.

Baggage rules

Trip.com gives a baggage limit of 20 kg per adult and 10 kg per child, with a maximum total dimension of 130 cm, and there is no consignment service on board. Pack light or use station luggage storage.

A simple decision table

China Highlights notes that a combined trip usually takes 5 to 10 days, with 2 to 3 days in each city, and covers which city to enter first. Use the table below to decide.

Why the direction matters

The sights are different. Chengdu has pandas, Sanxingdui and day trips to Leshan, while Chongqing has Hongya Cave, Liziba, Ciqikou and day trips to Wulong and Dazu, as China Highlights lists. Chongqing is also the boarding point for Yangtze cruises, so ending there can save a backtrack.

When you arrive, Chongqing City Highlights Day Tour with an English Guide fills your first day for $45 per person.

How to build the day

Trains run from 6:10 to 22:40 and take 1 to 2.5 hours, according to Yangtze River Cruises. Leave Chengdu East on an early fast train, arrive at Chongqing North in about 1h 15m, and you still have eight hours on the ground. Keep your sightseeing tight to the central peninsula so you are not racing back across town.

A guided day removes the planning. Chongqing Cyber City Private Day Tour runs 9 hours, which fits neatly between two trains.

When to stay overnight instead

If you want to add a day trip of its own, such as Wulong about 129 km from central Chongqing, stay overnight rather than day tripping. Wulong needs a train to Wulong Station plus a bus connection, so it does not fit inside a Chengdu day trip. China Highlights recommends 2 to 3 days in each city for a proper visit.

The line itself

Wikipedia gives the intercity railway as 307 km with a maximum speed of 350 km/h. That short, fast line is why the journey can be under 75 minutes. By road the trip takes longer, and there is no practical reason to drive it unless you have a car for other reasons.

Fly versus train

A flight takes about an hour in the air, not stated in the sources for the full door to door time. You add a trip to the airport, security and boarding, then the same at the other end. The train takes 1 to 2.5 hours from downtown to downtown, all direct, with over 140 departures a day.

When the airport still matters

One arrival station on the rail line is Jiangbei Airport, so if your onward flight leaves from Chongqing airport, the train can take you straight there. That makes a rail arrival useful even for air travellers.

Pick your city

China Highlights lists the split highlights: pandas and Sanxingdui on the Chengdu side, Hongya Cave, Liziba and Ciqikou on the Chongqing side, with day trips to Leshan, Wulong and Dazu. Chongqing covers 82,400 square kilometres on the upper Yangtze, which runs 665 km through the municipality, so the river shapes the whole city.

Make Chongqing count

If Chongqing is your pick, Chongqing 8D Hidden Highlights Private Day Tour or Premium Private Chongqing Highlights Tour cover the viewpoints and old streets with a guide. For more on the city, see chongqing tours.