Short answer
Chengdu's metro is enormous, cheap and bilingual, and it covers almost everything a visitor wants to see. As of mid-2026 it runs to roughly 18 lines, around 750 km of track and close to 490 stations, which puts it among the largest urban rail systems in the world. The numbers rise every year as extensions open, so treat them as a guide.
Fares are distance-based and start at ¥2 for the first 4 km. Most trips inside the centre come to ¥2-6, and even a long cross-city ride rarely tops ¥13. The simplest way to pay is a QR code in Alipay or WeChat Pay with an international card linked. Tickets, a Tianfutong stored-value card and contactless bank cards also work.
Trains run from roughly 06:00 to 23:00, and the real constraint is the last departure, which depends on the line, the direction and the station. Line 3 reaches the panda base side of town, Line 4 serves Kuanzhai Alley, and Lines 10 and 18 link the two airports to the city.
How big the network is
Chengdu started running metro trains in 2010 and has been building at speed ever since. The network now reaches both airports, all three main railway stations, the panda base side of town and the southern business district without a taxi at either end.
Line 7, the orbital ring, is the part that matters most. It crosses every radial line twice, so almost any two points in the city can be joined with one change rather than a long ride into the centre and back out again. If a route planner suggests three changes, try routing through the ring instead.
Fares
The system is priced by distance, not by zones, and the increments get cheaper the further you travel, so the jump from a two-stop hop to a cross-city run is smaller than you would expect.
| Distance | Fare | Typical trip |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 4 km | ¥2 | Two or three stops in the centre |
| 4-8 km | ¥3 | Tianfu Square to Chunxi Road |
| 8-12 km | ¥4 | Centre to the Kuanzhai Alley area |
| 12-18 km | ¥5 | Centre towards the panda base |
| 18-24 km | ¥6 | Long cross-city rides, centre to CTU |
| 24-40 km | ¥7-8 | Outer suburbs |
| 40-70 km | ¥9-10 | Tianfu Airport on Line 18 |
| 70-110 km | ¥11-12 | Metropolitan extensions such as Ziyang |
Tianfu Airport is the long ride at roughly ¥10 on that stretch. There is no separate airport surcharge, so it is priced like any other journey, and the maximum single fare anywhere on the network is around ¥13.
Day passes and stored-value cards
| Ticket | Price | Worth it when |
|---|---|---|
| Single-journey token | Per trip, no discount | No phone or bank card that works |
| QR code in Alipay or WeChat Pay | Per trip, small discount | Almost every visitor |
| Tianfutong stored-value card | Around ¥20 deposit plus top-up | Stays of two weeks or more. Also works on buses |
| 1-day pass | Around ¥20 | Four or more rides in a day |
| 3-day pass | Around ¥50 | The best value for a typical city break |
| 5-day pass | Around ¥70 | A week of moving around |
The arithmetic is simple. A typical visitor ride costs ¥3-5, so a day with four rides comes to ¥12-20, which is where the one-day pass starts to pay. Passes activate on first use and are not refundable or transferable.
How to pay, in practice
- Set up Alipay or WeChat Pay before you flyLink an international card and finish passport verification at home. In Alipay the metro sits under Transport once you switch the city to Chengdu. In WeChat Pay it is under Services, then Transport, then the Chengdu Metro QR code.
- Scan at the gateScan on entry and again on exit. The fare is deducted at the exit gate, with a small discount against a paper ticket.
- Or buy a token from the machineMachines have an English menu. Pick the destination on the touchscreen, pay by cash, Alipay, WeChat or bank card, and take the plastic token. Tap it at the entry gate and insert it at the exit gate.
- Or tap a contactless bank cardVisa, Mastercard, American Express and UnionPay contactless cards are accepted directly at the gates in a growing number of stations. Coverage is not complete, so keep a fallback.
Lines and stations worth knowing
| Line | Runs | Why a visitor cares |
|---|---|---|
| Line 1 | North-south spine | Chengdu Railway Station, Wenshu Monastery, Tianfu Square, Chengdu South |
| Line 2 | East-west, Xipu to Longquanyi | Chengdu East Railway Station, Chunxi Road, Tianfu Square |
| Line 3 | North-south to the northeast edge | Chunxi Road, and Panda Avenue for the panda base |
| Line 4 | East-west, west side | Kuanzhai Alley, Jinsha Site Museum, the university district |
| Line 7 | Orbital ring | Ties the radial lines together and links all three rail stations |
| Line 10 | Southwest | Shuangliu Airport and the Taipingyuan transfer point |
| Line 18 | Express, south | Chengdu South to Tianfu Airport at up to 140 km/h |
| Line 19 | Express, south | A second route to Tianfu Airport from the north |
The stations used most are Chunxi Road (Lines 2 and 3), Tianfu Square (Lines 1 and 2), Kuanzhai Alley (Line 4) and Chengdu East (Lines 2 and 7).
Getting to the panda base
Line 3 heads north towards 熊猫大道 (Panda Avenue), the practical metro approach. From there it is a few kilometres to the gate by taxi or shuttle, around ¥15 by car, and roughly 40 minutes from Tianfu Square on a fare in the ¥2-5 band. Shuttle services also run from the West Plaza at Chengdu East; ask at the information desk, because the arrangements change between seasons. Full detail is in the panda base guide.
Hours, last trains and rush hour
Services generally start between 06:00 and 06:30 and finish between 22:30 and 23:30. There is no single network-wide timetable, and the last connection depends on the line, the direction, the station and whether there is an event on, which is why the return leg of an evening out deserves a check before you leave the hotel.
| Time | What to expect |
|---|---|
| 07:30-09:30 | Morning peak. Trains every few minutes, but very full running inward from the suburbs |
| 09:30-17:00 | Comfortable. When the metro beats a taxi on almost every route |
| 17:00-19:30 | Evening peak. Busy, and the roads are worse, so the metro wins by more |
| After 22:30 | Services thin out towards the last departure. Check the last train for your line |
The Line 18 express to Tianfu Airport runs on its own pattern rather than the standard stopping timetable, and the last departure from the airport terminal stations is in the region of 23:30. Confirm it on the Chengdu Metro app on the day.
Metro, buses and shared bikes
- City buses cost around
¥2flat and fill in the streets the metro skips. Pay with a Tianfutong card, mobile QR or exact cash. - Shared bikes are everywhere in the centre and cost a small amount per 30 minutes. Unlocking runs through Alipay or WeChat, so the same setup covers them.
- Walking handles a surprising amount of central Chengdu. Tianfu Square, People's Park, Kuanzhai Alley and the Chunxi Road area sit within a comfortable half-hour of each other.
- Taxis and DiDi are worth it in the rain, with shopping, or when a route needs two changes. Show the driver the destination in Chinese characters.
Interchanges are signed in both languages, but some are long walks, notably at the biggest multi-line hubs.
Frequently asked questions
How much does the Chengdu metro cost?
Fares are distance-based and start at ¥2 for the first 4 km. Most trips inside the centre cost ¥2-6, and the longest ride on the network, out to Tianfu Airport, is around ¥10 to ¥13. Day passes run at roughly ¥20 for one day, ¥50 for three days and ¥70 for five.
Can I use my foreign credit card on the metro?
At a growing number of stations, yes. Contactless Visa, Mastercard, American Express and UnionPay cards are accepted directly at the gates with no PIN and no setup. Coverage is not yet complete, so it is worth having Alipay or WeChat Pay as a backup rather than relying on the card alone.
Do I need a Chinese phone number for the metro?
No. Alipay and WeChat Pay both work with an international card and passport verification, and neither needs a Chinese number for the metro QR code. Ticket machines and bank card taps avoid apps entirely.
What are the Chengdu metro operating hours?
Roughly 06:00 to 23:00, varying by line, station and direction. The last departure from the Tianfu Airport stations towards the city is around 23:30. Check the Chengdu Metro app on the day, because there is no single network-wide closing time.
Which line goes to the panda base?
Line 3 towards 熊猫大道 (Panda Avenue), then a short taxi or shuttle for the last few kilometres, around ¥15 by car. It is roughly 40 minutes from Tianfu Square and costs ¥2-5. Go early in the morning, which is also when the pandas are most active.
Is the Chengdu metro easy with luggage?
Manageable but not designed for it. Stations have lifts and escalators, though older interchanges involve stairs and long corridors, and every bag passes through an X-ray machine at the entrance. Outside peak hours it is straightforward. At 08:30 on Line 1 with two suitcases, a taxi is the better answer.
What is the Tianfutong card and do I need one?
A stored-value transport card sold at station counters for around ¥20 deposit plus top-up. It gives roughly a 10% discount and works on buses as well as the metro, so it is worth buying only for stays of a couple of weeks or more. For a city break the QR code does the same job with less admin.
Related reading
Network size, line list, fare bands, pass prices and operating hours follow Chengdu Rail Transit's published information and distance-based fare table as reported for 2026. Payment methods follow current Chengdu Metro and Alipay guidance for foreign visitors. Extensions open through the year, so line counts and fares can change; confirm current details on the Chengdu Metro app or at the station.