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China for Travelers

Chengdu to Chongqing by High-Speed Train

A G-train every 15 minutes, 1 hour 15 on the fastest, 2nd class from ¥85. Probably the easiest and most impressive intro to what Chinese HSR actually feels like.

By China for Travelers Editorial · Updated

Map of the Chengdu East–Chongqing North high-speed rail corridor: 308 km from Chengdu East Railway Station to Chongqing North Railway Station, 1h 15m on the fastest G-train.
The 308 km Chengdu East → Chongqing North corridor — 1h 15m on the fastest G-train.
Fastest
1h 15m
Range
1h 15m – 2h
2nd class
¥85 – ¥191
Daily trains
143
Distance
308 km · G-train

Why this route is special

Chengdu and Chongqing are only 308 km apart but for a decade the train took half a day. The Chengdu–Chongqing HSR opened in full in 2015 and collapsed that to 75 minutes. The line now carries almost 100 trains a day in each direction — think of it as a metro between two 20-million-person cities.

For foreign visitors it's arguably the best short HSR experience in the country: cheap, frequent enough that you don't need a reservation, and short enough to squeeze into any itinerary.

Stations

Leaving from Chengdu

Almost all trains depart from Chengdu East Railway Station (成都东站), served by metro Lines 2 and 7 — about 20 min from Chunxi Road (central Chengdu). The station is modern and foreigner-friendly; orange passport gates are on the ground floor by each boarding hall.

A small number of trains also start from Chengdu South and Chengdu West. Unless your hotel is near one of them, stick with Chengdu East.

Arriving in Chongqing

Trains arrive at Chongqing North Railway Station (重庆北站). Watch carefully: Chongqing North has a North Square (北广场) and a South Square (南广场). They are 15 min apart on foot, served by different metro exits.

  • North Square (北广场) — older, metro Line 10.
  • South Square (南广场) — newer, metro Line 3. Most HSR arrivals dump you here.

Your ticket info in the 12306 app lists the correct square. If you walk out the wrong exit, taking the metro one stop around is faster than walking between them.

Which class

For 75 minutes, 2nd class (¥85 – ¥191) is perfectly comfortable. 1st class (¥135 – ¥305) gets you a 2+2 layout and silence — pleasant but not essential. Skip business class on this route.

What you'll see

The line cuts across the Sichuan basin — mostly flat farmland with distant ridges. It's not the most scenic HSR in China, but the last 15 min into Chongqing are worth staying awake for: the train crosses the Jialing river on a long viaduct with the city skyline climbing the hills on both sides.

As a day trip from Chengdu

A very feasible plan:

  1. Leave Chengdu East on a ~8:00 train. Arrive Chongqing North ~9:15.
  2. Metro Line 3 south to Yangjiaping, walk to Hongyadong for views of the Yangtze.
  3. Lunch: hot pot. Xiaobin Lou, Liuyishou, or any local favorite — ask anyone in the street, they'll point you to their cousin's place.
  4. Afternoon: walk Jiefangbei, Ciqikou Ancient Town, or take the Yangtze cable car (a 30-second tourist attraction that is surprisingly fun).
  5. Return on any 6–8 PM train. Back in Chengdu by 9–10 PM.

Arrived at Chongqing North — getting to your hotel area

I live in Chongqing — this is the leg I do most often, in both directions. Two non-obvious things: the North-Square / South-Square split (covered above) genuinely matters, and Chongqing's 8-D geography means the "direct" route on a map often involves a hill, a bridge and a tunnel. The metro is almost always faster than it looks.

From the North Square (北广场) the metro entry is right outside Exit 3. From the South Square(南广场, where most G-trains drop you) Line 3 entry is at Exit 7. The DiDi pickup zone for both squares is on the underground P2 parking level — orange "网约车" signs. For the three hotel clusters foreign travelers most often pick:

Hotel areaMetro / BusTaxi / DiDi
Jiefangbei 解放碑From North Square: Metro Line 10 → Zengjiayan, change to Line 2 → Linjiangmen, 5-min walk. ~32 min, ¥6.¥30-45, 20-30 min off-peak.
Hongya Cave 洪崖洞From North Square: Metro Line 10 → Zengjiayan → Line 2 → Linjiangmen, walk down ~10 min through Cangbai Road to the cave entrance. ~45 min total.¥30-45, 20-30 min off-peak. (Drop at the top Hongyadong entrance on Cangbai Lu — the bottom is a punishing climb back up.)
Jiangbei / Guanyinqiao 观音桥From North Square: Metro Line 10 → Liyuchi, change to Line 9 → Guanyinqiao. ~36 min, ¥5.¥25-35, 15-25 min off-peak.

Transit times via Amap (高德地图) routing, verified 2026-05-23. Chongqing taxi flagfall is ¥10 (¥2.4/km after 3 km). Rush hour on the bridges (Jialing / Yangtze) routinely doubles the taxi time 17:30-19:30 weekdays — take the metro then.

Booking

With 143 trains a day this route is rarely fully booked — on weekdays you can safely walk up and buy 30 minutes before departure. To lock a specific Friday/Sunday-evening or holiday train, two ways to book ahead:

  1. 12306 English app (official) — face price, no fee; needs a passport-verified account.
  2. Trip.com — English UI, foreign cards work, small fee. See the booking guide.
Book this route

Trains run every ~15 minutes, so you rarely need to plan ahead — but to lock a specific departure you can book in English here.

Check Chengdu → Chongqing on Trip.comEnglish UI · Foreign cards · Confirmation in 2 min

Affiliate link · we earn a small commission on Trip.com bookings.

Frequently asked questions

How far is Chengdu from Chongqing?
About 308 km (191 miles) across the Sichuan basin — close enough that the high-speed train takes only about 75 minutes.
How do I get from Chengdu to Chongqing?
By high-speed train. G-trains run Chengdu East to Chongqing North about 143 times a day, taking ~1h 15m, from ¥85 in second class — roughly one every 15 minutes. Book on the official 12306 app or on Trip.com, or simply walk up at the station.
Do I need to book Chengdu–Chongqing in advance?
No — with 96 trains a day, same-day tickets are almost always available except on major holidays. Walk-up booking at the station works.
Can I do Chongqing as a day trip from Chengdu?
Yes, and it's a common one. Leave Chengdu ~8 AM, arrive Chongqing ~9:30 AM, see Hongyadong and grab hot pot for lunch, return on a 6–8 PM train. 14 hours total including transit.
North or South square at Chongqing North station?
Your ticket tells you — look for 北广场 (North Square) or 南广场 (South Square) in the arrival info. They are 15 min apart on foot with different metro lines. Check before you walk out the wrong door.
Is it worth flying Chengdu–Chongqing?
No. The flight is 50 min airport-to-airport, but both airports are 45+ min from downtown. The train is faster door-to-door, half the price, and runs every 15 min.
Check Chengdu → Chongqing ticketsTrip.com · 143 trains a day · 2nd class ¥85 – ¥191

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