Short answer
Chongqing Rail Transit is two systems wearing one map. The heavy-rail metro lines run underground like any Chinese subway, and Lines 2 and 3 are straddle-beam monorails that ride on concrete beams up and down the hills. As of 2026 the network runs roughly 570 km across twelve metro lines plus the two monorails, with around 320 stations.
Fares are worked out by distance, from ¥2 to a cap of ¥10 for a single journey. Airport to Jiefangbei is around ¥6-8. Pay with a transport QR code in Alipay or WeChat Pay, a single-journey token from the machines, or a transit card.
Four lines cover almost everything a visitor wants: Line 1 and Line 6 for Jiefangbei, Hongya Cave and Ciqikou, Line 2 for the monorail that runs through a building at Li Ziba, and Line 10 for the airport and the railway stations.
Two systems, one network
Lines 1, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 18 and the Loop line are conventional steel-wheel metro: platforms behind screen doors, no view, no drama. Lines 2 and 3 are straddle monorails, with rubber tyres running on top of a single concrete beam. They are quieter, they give you the river, and they can take curves and gradients that a steel-wheel train cannot.
That choice was not made for the photographs. Chongqing's centre is a peninsula of hills between the Jialing and the Yangtze, and tunnelling it would have cost far more. The result is the city's famous 8D geometry, including the Line 2 train that runs through floors six to eight of a nineteen-storey tower at Li Ziba.
Signage is bilingual and ticket machines have an English interface. Street signs only show Chinese characters, so matching a pinyin station name to a road sign takes a moment.
Fares
Fares go by distance rather than by stops. The floor is ¥2 and the whole system caps at ¥10, so a long ride is still cheap. The bands are revised from time to time, so treat the figures below as approximate.
| Typical journey | Fare |
|---|---|
| Two or three stops in the centre (Jiaochangkou to Li Ziba on Line 2) | Around ¥2 |
| Jiefangbei to Ciqikou (Line 1) | Around ¥3-4 |
| Jiefangbei to Guanyinqiao (Line 1 or 2 plus Line 3) | Around ¥3-4 |
| Xiaoshizi to Shangxinjie across the Yangtze (Line 6) | Around ¥2-3 |
| Jiangbei Airport to Jiefangbei (Line 10 plus one change) | Around ¥6-8 |
| Any single journey, however long | Capped at ¥10 |
A single journey has a time limit of around 180 minutes, after which the fare is charged again on exit, so sitting inside the paid area is not a free activity. And the one-way token is collected by the exit gate — drop it in the slot and walk through.
Tourist day passes are sold at staffed counters only, with a passport, quoted in 2026 at around ¥18 for one day and ¥45 for three. They pay off only with four or more rides in a day; ask at the counter for the current price.
Paying
| Method | How it works | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Alipay / WeChat Pay transport QR | Open the transport mini-app inside either app, get the Chongqing ride code, scan at the gate | Most visitors; the same code works on city buses |
| Single-journey token | Buy at the machines with coins or ¥5/¥10/¥20 notes; larger notes at the staffed counter | One or two rides, or a phone that has died |
| Transit card (Yiju Changtong) | Around ¥20 deposit, top up at machines, roughly a 10% discount on fares | Stays of a week or longer |
| Tourist day pass | Staffed counter, passport needed | Heavy sightseeing days with four or more rides |
| International bank card | Accepted at some machines and at staffed counters, not everywhere | A backup rather than the plan |
Setting up the QR code needs a passport verification step inside the app and a working data connection, so do it at home or on the airport wifi rather than at a turnstile with a queue behind you.
The lines worth knowing
| Line | Type | Why it matters to a visitor |
|---|---|---|
| Line 1 | Metro | The east-west spine: Chaotianmen, Xiaoshizi, Jiaochangkou, Ciqikou, Shapingba |
| Line 2 | Monorail | The scenic river line and the Li Ziba building; runs from Jiaochangkou to Yudong |
| Line 3 | Monorail | Airport Terminal 2, Guanyinqiao, Niujiaotuo and the north-south axis; the busiest line in the city |
| Line 6 | Metro | Xiaoshizi for Hongya Cave, Hongtudi, and Shangxinjie for Nanbin Road across the river |
| Line 10 | Metro | Airport Terminals 2 and 3, Chongqing North Station, Hongtudi and Nanping; newer and less crowded |
| Loop line | Metro | Circles the core and links Chongqing North and Chongqing West stations |
Line 9 is worth remembering for Guanyinqiao and Shapingba, where it is a second option when Line 3 is at its worst.
The stations that matter
Xiaoshizi — Line 1 and Line 6
The stop for Hongya Cave and one end of the Jiefangbei area, with exits that spread widely — follow the Hongyadong (洪崖洞) signs rather than the nearest number.
Jiaochangkou — Line 1 and Line 2
Level with the Liberation Monument, so it is the practical station for a first afternoon. Line 2 starts here and runs west along the Jialing.
Linjiangmen — Line 2
A five to ten minute walk from the monument, useful when arriving from the airport direction. The Line 2 ride either side of it is the one tourists come for.
Li Ziba — Line 2
The station inside the tower. The viewing platform is outside the fare gates at exit 4 and free — no ticket needed to watch the train pass through. Trains come every four to seven minutes. People live above and below the tracks, so keep the camera off the windows.
Ciqikou — Line 1
The old town, around 40 minutes from Jiefangbei, with the station a short walk from the entrance.
Guanyinqiao — Line 3 and Line 9
The main shopping and eating district on the north bank, with a direct Line 3 run to the airport's Terminal 2. Changing between the two lines means exiting the station.
Shangxinjie — Line 6 and Loop line
The gateway to the south bank: Longmenhao, Xiahaoli and Nanbin Road all sit downhill from here, which is the way to walk it.
Connecting to the cableway, ferries and buses
The Yangtze River Cableway (长江索道) is a separate attraction, not part of the metro, and a metro ticket or QR code means nothing at its gate. Recent fares have been quoted between roughly ¥20 and ¥30 one way, with long queues on the Yuzhong side. The south station at Shangxinjie usually moves far faster, so boarding on the south bank is the shorter wait.
Ferries and the two-river sightseeing boats leave from Chaotianmen, at the tip of the peninsula and the Line 1 terminus. City buses use the same Alipay or WeChat transport QR code as the metro. Buses matter for the places the rails do not reach, most obviously Nanshan's One Tree viewpoint, which takes Line 3 plus a local bus or taxi for the last stretch.
Habits that save time and trouble
- Check the exit letter before surfacing. Some stations spread across a hillside, and the wrong exit adds a fifteen-minute walk or unwanted steps.
- Transfers are not always quick. The Line 2 to Line 3 change at Niujiaotuo is a covered footbridge along the Jialing, six to eight minutes of walking.
- Line 3 peak hours are punishing. 08:00 to 09:00 and 18:00 to 19:00 are crowded, and monorail carriages are not generous with luggage. Use Line 9 or Line 10 where they overlap.
- Last trains leave earlier than you think. Most lines finish around 22:30, and the line you need may finish sooner than the one you are standing on.
Frequently asked questions
How much does the Chongqing metro cost?
Fares are distance-based, starting at ¥2 and capped at ¥10 for any single journey. Central trips of two or three stops are usually ¥2, cross-town runs around ¥4-6, and the airport to Jiefangbei roughly ¥6-8. Fares are revised occasionally, so treat these as approximate and check the machine or the app.
Can I use Alipay or WeChat Pay on the metro?
Yes. Both apps carry a transport QR code for Chongqing that scans at the gates, and the same code works on city buses. A passport verification step inside the app is required first, and a foreign Visa or Mastercard can be linked. Set it up before you arrive rather than at the turnstile.
What are the metro's operating hours?
Service starts around 06:30 across the network, with the last trains leaving between roughly 22:30 and 23:00 depending on the line and direction. Line 3 tends to run later than most. Times differ by station, so check cqmetro.cn or the station board for the specific day.
How do I visit the train-through-the-building station?
Li Ziba is on Line 2, between Fotuguan and Niujiaotuo, about ten minutes and ¥2 from Jiaochangkou. The viewing platform is outside the fare gates at exit 4 and is free. Riding through the building on Line 2 is optional, and there is no need to buy a ticket purely to watch the train.
Is the Yangtze River Cableway included in a metro ticket?
No, and it is not part of the network at all. It charges its own fare, quoted in 2026 at roughly ¥20-30 one way, and queues badly at busy times. The south station at Shangxinjie is usually the quicker side to board, with the north station on Xinhua Road near Xiaoshizi.
Which station is best for Hongya Cave and Jiefangbei?
Xiaoshizi on Line 1 and Line 6 for Hongya Cave, following the Hongyadong signs rather than the nearest exit number. Jiaochangkou on Line 1 and Line 2 for the Liberation Monument and the pedestrian area, and Linjiangmen on Line 2 from the airport direction.
Are there places the metro does not reach?
Yes, mostly the hills. Nanshan and the One Tree viewpoint need a local bus or a taxi from Line 3, and several riverside spots are a walk from the nearest station. The metro is the fast backbone; buses, taxis and the cableway cover the last few hundred metres.
Related reading
Network size, line composition and fare bands follow published Chongqing Rail Transit information and CAMET operating figures for 2026, and are quoted as approximate. Fares, pass prices and operating hours are revised from time to time and vary by line, so confirm them on cqmetro.cn or at the station counter.