Chengdu & Chongqing: 7-Day Sichuan Itinerary
By the China for Travelers editorial team · Published 2026-06-06 · Updated 2026-06-06 · 7 days · Chengdu · Chongqing
This is our strongest first-hand plan. Our editor has lived in Chongqing since 2018 with constant Chengdu access, so the panda-base timing, the hotpot and food calls, the day trips, and Chongqing's cyberpunk core below are direct experience — not aggregated from forum posts. The Chengdu→Chongqing high-speed-rail time and price are pulled live from our 12306-sampled rail dataset.
Day by day
Arrive Chengdu, Jinli & Kuanzhai
- Transfer in from CTU; set up Alipay / WeChat Pay + eSIM
- Ease in at Jinli and Kuanzhai Alley for the first taste of Sichuan street food
- First hotpot dinner — go mild-spice (微辣) on night one if you're new to it
Getting around · Amap-verified
- MetroChengdu Tianfu / Shuangliu Airport → Central Chengdu45m–1h10mMetro Line 18 (Tianfu) or Line 10 (Shuangliu) into the centre — see the Chengdu airport guides
- CarChengdu Airport → Central Chengdu40m–1hPrivate transfer — easiest with luggage after a long-haul flightBook a private airport transfer →
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Chengdu Panda Base + teahouse afternoon
- Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding at opening (07:30) — pandas are active early and the base fills fast by 10:00
- Afternoon: People's Park teahouse (covered ears cleaning, mahjong, the slow Chengdu pace), then a proper hotpot dinner
Getting around · Amap-verified
- MetroCentral Chengdu → Chengdu Panda Base≈1h≈18 km; Metro Line 3 to Panda Avenue + the panda shuttle bus — leave central Chengdu by 06:30 to hit the 07:30 opening
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Leshan Giant Buddha day trip
- Leshan Giant Buddha (UNESCO) — the giant cliff Buddha, best seen from both the boat and the stairway
- Evening back in Chengdu: optional Sichuan opera face-changing show
Getting around · Amap-verified
- CarChengdu → Leshan Giant Buddha≈1h50m≈153 km by road, or ≈1h by bullet train to Leshan + a local bus — the train is the better option
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HSR to Chongqing, Liziba & Hongya Cave
- Short high-speed train Chengdu → Chongqing (1–2h)
- Ride the Liziba monorail straight through a residential tower — Chongqing's signature 8D moment
- Hongya Cave lit up after dark for the cyberpunk river skyline the city is known for
Getting around · Amap-verified
- MetroChongqing railway station → Jiefangbei (downtown)≈30–45 minChongqing's HSR arrives at Chongqing North or Chongqing West; both are metro-connected to the Jiefangbei core
Ciqikou, hotpot, river night view
- Ciqikou old town in the morning — tea, street snacks, the old Yangtze-port lanes
- A proper Chongqing hotpot lunch (this is the hotpot capital — the editor's home turf)
- Evening: the Yangtze cable car and a two-rivers night view of the skyline
Getting around · Amap-verified
- MetroJiefangbei → Ciqikou old town≈35 minMetro Line 1 to Ciqikou, then a short walk down into the old town
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Wulong Karst or Dazu Rock Carvings day trip
- Choice: Wulong Karst (UNESCO sinkholes / the Avatar-filming bridges) or the Dazu Rock Carvings (UNESCO cliff sculptures)
- Evening back in Chongqing: last hotpot, or the Raffles City Crystal observation deck
Getting around · Amap-verified
- CarChongqing → Wulong Karst≈2h≈130 km; bullet train to Wulong (~30–40 min) + a scenic-area shuttle is the faster option than driving
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Depart Chongqing
- Final Chongqing noodle breakfast (小面), then transfer to CKG for the flight home
Getting around · Amap-verified
- MetroJiefangbei → Chongqing Jiangbei Airport (CKG)≈40 minMetro Line 10 direct to T3; allow extra time at peak — see the CKG airport guide
- CarCentral Chongqing → Chongqing Jiangbei Airport (CKG)30m–50mDoor-to-door private transfer with luggageBook a private airport transfer →
FAQ
- Is Chengdu or Chongqing better to visit?
- Do both — they are 1–2 hours apart by high-speed rail and complement each other. Chengdu is the slower, leafier city: pandas, teahouses, classic Sichuan food. Chongqing is dense, vertical and dramatic — the 8D cyberpunk cityscape, the Liziba monorail, and (in our first-hand view) the better hotpot. A week comfortably covers the pair.
- How long is the train from Chengdu to Chongqing?
- Roughly 1 to 2 hours by high-speed train, with frequent departures — the rail card on day 4 shows the live duration, price and daily frequency from our 12306-sampled dataset. It is one of the easiest inter-city legs in China.
- When should I go to the Chengdu panda base?
- At opening, 07:30. Pandas are most active in the cool early morning and the base is markedly more crowded after 10:00. It sits about 18 km from central Chengdu — roughly 1h by Metro Line 3 plus the panda shuttle bus (Amap-verified, May 2026) — so leave the city centre by about 06:30. This is first-hand guidance; the editor is based in the region.
- Wulong or Dazu for the Chongqing day trip?
- Wulong for dramatic karst scenery (sinkholes, the natural bridges used as an Avatar filming location); Dazu for UNESCO cliff sculptures and a calmer, more cultural day. Both are doable as a day trip from Chongqing — Wulong is faster by bullet train than by road. See our dedicated Wulong and Dazu guides.
- How much does a Chengdu + Chongqing week cost?
- Roughly US$90–160 per person per day excluding international flights — Sichuan is cheaper than Beijing or Shanghai for food and mid-range hotels. The Chengdu→Chongqing HSR leg is short and cheap; day trips (Leshan, Wulong) are the bigger line items. See our China trip-cost guide.
First-hand deep dives for this route
Adapt this plan
Method. Inter-city rail figures (duration, price, trains/day) are pulled live from our 12306-sampled rail dataset and link to the full route page — they are not estimated or duplicated here. The within-day “getting around” times — airport runs, the Great Wall / Terracotta Army / Panda Base day trips, and the marked walking legs — are derived from Amap (高德地图) routing sampled in May 2026 and baked in at build time. The day-by-day editorial plan’s sourcing is disclosed in the note above the fold. Tour inventory, ticket prices and opening policies change — verify specifics before you commit. Last reviewed 2026-06-06.