Short answer
Jiangbei International Airport (CKG) is roughly 25 km north-east of Jiefangbei, the centre of the city. Metro Line 10 runs from a station under each terminal into town in about 50 to 60 minutes for around ¥6-8, and it ignores the road traffic that makes surface journeys unpredictable.
The alternatives are the K01 airport express bus, around ¥15 and about 70 minutes to Jiefangbei, and a metered taxi or DiDi at roughly ¥50-70 by day in 30 to 40 minutes of clear road, more after 23:00 when the night tariff applies.
Chongqing has four railway stations and they are far apart. Most high-speed departures use Chongqing North, the fastest Chengdu trains leave from Shapingba, and long-distance routes use Chongqing West. Check the station name printed on your ticket before choosing a hotel.
Why the drive takes longer than the distance suggests
Chongqing is built on a wedge of land where the Jialing meets the Yangtze, with steep hills behind it. Almost every road from the airport into the centre crosses a bridge, a tunnel or both. That 25 km can take 30 minutes at 11:00 and an hour at 08:30 on a Tuesday.
Rush hour runs roughly 07:30 to 09:30 and 17:00 to 19:00 on weekdays, and rain makes it worse. The metro is immune to all of it, which is why it is the standard recommendation for a daytime arrival.
Option 1: Metro Line 10
Two rail lines serve the airport, and the terminals are not interchangeable.
- Line 10 (heavy rail) serves Terminal 2 and Terminal 3. Follow the signs marked Rail Transit (轨道交通) down into the station. Trains carry luggage racks and both airport stations have lifts and escalators.
- Line 3 (monorail) serves Terminal 2 only. It is the busiest line in the city and the slower route into town, around an hour, but it runs straight to Guanyinqiao and the northern districts without a change.
From either terminal to Jiefangbei, the usual route is Line 10 to Hongtudi, change to Line 6 towards Chayuan, and get off at Xiaoshizi. Allow 50 to 60 minutes and around ¥6-8. At Xiaoshizi, exits 9 and 11 come up a few minutes' walk from Hongya Cave and the Jiefangbei pedestrian area.
A second option is Line 10 to Zengjiayan, change to Line 2, and get off at Linjiangmen — about 45 to 55 minutes for a similar fare, and a five to ten minute walk from the Liberation Monument.
Trains start around 06:30 and the last trains leave between roughly 22:30 and 23:00 depending on line and direction, so an arrival after about 22:00 needs a plan B. Check the board in the station or cqmetro.cn on the day.
Comparing the options to Jiefangbei
| Option | Time | Cost | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metro Line 10 + Line 6 | Around 50-60 min | About ¥6-8 | Daytime arrivals, light luggage, no interest in traffic |
| Line 3 from Terminal 2 | Around 1 hour to Lianglukou | About ¥6-7 | Guanyinqiao and the north bank, no changes |
| Airport bus K01 | Around 70 min | Around ¥15 flat | Heavy bags and a hotel near a stop |
| Metered taxi | 30-40 min, up to 60 in traffic | About ¥50-70 by day | Two or more people, door to door |
| DiDi | Same as a taxi | Roughly the meter | Anyone with the app working |
Option 2: Airport express buses
The airport buses (机场快线) leave from outside arrivals and charge a flat fare. At Terminal 3 the pick-up is on the ground floor arrivals level, signposted Airport Bus near exit 9; at Terminal 2 it is outside exit 3. Buy from the kiosk or the desk beside the stop, with cash, Alipay or WeChat Pay.
| Line | Goes to | Time | Fare |
|---|---|---|---|
| K01 | Jiefangbei (Guotai Square), via Shangqingsi and the Great Hall | Around 70 min | Around ¥15 |
| K02 | Chongqing North Railway Station | Around 45 min | Around ¥15 |
| K06 | Chongqing West Railway Station | Around 70 min | Around ¥20 |
| K07 | Shapingba Railway Station | Around 65 min | Around ¥15 |
K01 starts around 08:30 and keeps running until about 30 minutes after the last flight of the day, roughly every 30 minutes. The railway station lines run more or less 08:00 to 21:00 to match train times. Route numbers, stops and fares change when new lines open, so confirm the current list at the desk on the arrivals level.
Option 3: Taxi and DiDi
Official taxis queue outside arrivals, 24 hours a day. The meter starts at about ¥10 for the first 3 km and then runs at roughly ¥2 per km in the daytime. Between 23:00 and 06:00 the base rises to about ¥11 and the rate to around ¥2.30 per km. Expressway tolls, usually a few yuan, are added at the end.
Expect around ¥50-70 to Jiefangbei in the day and rather more late at night, with a similar figure for DiDi. The ride-hailing pick-up is on the lower level of the Terminal 3 car park rather than at the kerb; at Terminal 2 it is a short walk from exit 3. Follow the signs rather than a fixed gate number, because terminal works move them.
Late arrivals and early flights
Landing after about 21:30 works on the metro if immigration and bags are quick, but the margin is thin. Between 22:00 and 23:00 the realistic choices are the last Line 10 trains, the K01 bus, which waits for the final arrivals of the night, and taxis. After midnight only taxis and DiDi run.
Going the other way, the first trains reach the airport around 06:30, so a departure before roughly 08:30 means a taxi or a night near the airport.
If you are connecting to a train
Chongqing's railway stations serve different routes, and picking the wrong one is an expensive mistake: they are 20 to 40 minutes from each other by road.
| Station | Metro lines | What it is for |
|---|---|---|
| Chongqing North (重庆北) | Line 3, Line 4, Line 10, Loop line | The main high-speed hub, including Chengdu and routes to the north-east |
| Chongqing West (重庆西) | Line 5, Loop line | Long-distance high-speed services across the south-west |
| Shapingba (沙坪坝) | Line 1, Line 9, Loop line | The quickest Chengdu services, one metro stop from Ciqikou |
| Chongqing East (重庆东) | Line 6 branch | The new station on the Chongqing to Xiamen high-speed line |
Two notes that catch people out. Line 10 stops at Chongqing North Station North Square and South Square, which are separate stations on the same line — read the direction signs. And Chongqing Railway Station at Caiyuanba is the legacy terminal for slow K and Z trains, not the place to catch a G train.
Chengdu is roughly 1 to 1 hour 45 minutes away, with more than 150 departures a day and second-class G-train fares broadly between ¥115 and ¥170. Book with your passport through the official Railway 12306 app or at a station counter.
Paying for the transfer
Metro ticket machines take coins and small notes (¥5, ¥10 and ¥20) and QR payment, and the staffed counter handles larger notes and some international cards. The least friction is a transport QR code inside Alipay or WeChat Pay, set up and passport-verified before you fly, since the same code works on buses and the cableway. Keep a little cash as a backstop.
Frequently asked questions
Is the metro or a taxi better from Chongqing airport?
Metro Line 10 is better for a daytime arrival: about 50 to 60 minutes to Jiefangbei for roughly ¥6-8, with no exposure to traffic. A taxi wins for two or more people with luggage, for arrivals after about 22:00, and for hotels far from a station. Both figures are approximate, and road conditions decide the difference more than distance does.
How long does Line 10 take from CKG to the city centre?
Around 50 to 60 minutes to Xiaoshizi for Jiefangbei and Hongya Cave, with one change at Hongtudi to Line 6. The alternative via Zengjiayan and Line 2 to Linjiangmen takes about 45 to 55 minutes and ends nearer the Liberation Monument. Both fares land in the region of ¥6-8.
Do the metro trains run all night?
No. Service starts around 06:30 and the last trains leave between roughly 22:30 and 23:00 depending on line and direction. Times differ by line and by which end of the line you are at, so check cqmetro.cn or the station board rather than trusting a fixed number.
Where do I catch the K01 airport bus?
At Terminal 3 it leaves from the ground floor arrivals level, signposted Airport Bus near exit 9; at Terminal 2 from outside exit 3. It runs to Jiefangbei (Guotai Square) in around 70 minutes for about ¥15, roughly every 30 minutes from about 08:30 until 30 minutes after the last arrival.
How much is a taxi from the airport to Jiefangbei?
Roughly ¥50-70 in the daytime, on a meter that starts around ¥10 for the first 3 km and then charges about ¥2 per km, plus any expressway toll. After 23:00 the night rate applies and the figure climbs to the region of ¥65-75.
Which railway station should I use in Chongqing?
Chongqing North for most high-speed routes and the largest choice of trains. Shapingba for the fastest Chengdu departures and for Ciqikou. Chongqing West for long-distance high-speed services across the south-west. Check the station code on your booking — the road transfer between them is 20 to 40 minutes.
Can I get to Nanbin Road from the airport?
Not without a change. Line 10 reaches Nanping on the south bank, which puts you in Nan'an district but not on the riverside strip. For Nanbin Road itself, change to Line 6 towards Shangxinjie, or take a taxi straight to the hotel, usually 45 to 60 minutes depending on traffic.
Related reading
Times, fares and route numbers follow published Chongqing Rail Transit and Jiangbei Airport transport information and are quoted as approximate. Metro hours and last-train times vary by line and direction, so confirm the day's service at the station or on cqmetro.cn. Taxi figures are metered estimates and exclude tolls.