Hong Kong to Chongqing: Train or Flight (2026)

Three ways. (1) Fly: Hong Kong (HKG) to Chongqing (CKG) is about 2 hours 35 minutes nonstop, with roughly 15 flights a week (Air China, Cathay Pacific, Hong Kong Airlines, Greater Bay, Chongqing Airlines) — the fastest option door-to-door. (2) The direct high-speed train: one daily G-train runs Hong Kong West Kowloon to Chongqing West (重庆西站) in about 7 hours, second class around ¥788; it's one-seat, scenic through the Guangxi and Guizhou karst, and clears immigration at West Kowloon before boarding. (3) Transfer by rail: a West Kowloon → Guangzhou South train (~50 min, very frequent) then a Guangzhou South → Chongqing G-train — useful when the single daily direct doesn't fit your day. Most travellers fly; the train is for those who'd rather not.

Yes — there is one direct high-speed train a day. It leaves Hong Kong West Kowloon late morning and reaches Chongqing West (重庆西站) in about 7 hours, calling at Shenzhen North, Guangzhou South, Hezhou, Guilin West, Guiyang East and Zunyi on the way. Second class is about ¥788, first class ~¥1260, business ~¥2582. Because it's only once a day, book ahead — especially around mainland holidays — and if the departure doesn't suit, take a West Kowloon → Guangzhou South train and change there for a Chongqing G-train.

The direct G-train does Hong Kong West Kowloon to Chongqing West in about 7 hours (roughly 7h05m). It runs once a day. Going via a Guangzhou South transfer is longer once you add the change. By comparison the flight is about 2h35m in the air, though once you add airport time both ends it is around 6 hours door-to-door — so the real gap between flying and the train is smaller than it first looks.

Chongqing West (重庆西站), in the southwest of Shapingba district. It's not Chongqing North (重庆北站) or Shapingba HSR — read the Chinese station name on your ticket. Chongqing West is about 20 km from the Jiefangbei centre: metro Line 5 / Loop Line then a change to Line 2 to 临江门 (for Jiefangbei and Hongyadong) is ~50 minutes and ¥2-7, a taxi is ~30 minutes and ¥50-80, and a tourist shuttle to Jiefangbei/Hongyadong runs from outside the station for about ¥10. See our Chongqing West station guide for the full breakdown.

Fly if you want the fastest trip or the single daily train doesn't fit your dates — there are about 15 flights a week and it's ~6 hours door-to-door versus ~8 hours by train. Take the direct train if you'd rather not fly, want a one-seat ride and the Guizhou/Guangxi karst scenery, and the late-morning departure works — it's cheaper (~¥788 second class) and you clear the border at West Kowloon instead of an airport. Frequent travellers and families with luggage often prefer the train for exactly that reason.

At Hong Kong West Kowloon station, before you board. Hong Kong exit and mainland China entry are stamped in the same building (co-located inspection) — you walk through both checkpoints in one queue, usually 10-20 minutes, then board an already-cleared train. There's no immigration on the train, and arriving at Chongqing West (or Guangzhou South, if you transfer) is a domestic walk-out. Allow extra time at West Kowloon on Friday evenings and around mainland holidays.

Yes — both the train and the flight are a full mainland China entry, so you need a valid Chinese visa, or you qualify under the 240-hour visa-free transit. Hong Kong and the mainland are separate immigration zones, so being admitted to Hong Kong grants you nothing on the mainland, and a single-entry China visa you have already used cannot be reused. Our visa checker shows both the Mainland China and Hong Kong policies for your nationality.

For the train, book on Trip.com in English with a foreign card (no Chinese phone number, no verification wait), on the official 12306 app (face-value fares in CNY but Chinese-first and slower for foreigners), or via MTR Hong Kong if you're paying in HKD. For the flight, Trip.com lists all the carriers in one English search. Enter each traveller's passport exactly as printed — booking is real-name and the same passport is checked at immigration. Train tickets open 15 days before departure; the single daily direct sells out fastest around holidays.