Getting Around

Chengdu Metro Line 10 connects both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 to the city center in about 35-50 minutes, at a low fare (roughly 4-6 CNY), operating from about 6:00 to 23:00.

Airport shuttle bus lines (e.g. Line 1) also run downtown, but take longer (45-70 minutes) and cost more (roughly 10-15 CNY) than the metro since they're subject to Chengdu's traffic.

Metered taxis to the city center generally run somewhere in the 50-100 CNY range and 35-90 minutes depending on traffic; insist the driver uses the meter, and expect a night surcharge (roughly 20-30%) after 11pm. Currency: CNY, and these figures should be treated as a general guide rather than a fixed rate.

Didi (China's dominant ride-hailing app) operates at CTU, but it is built primarily around a Chinese phone number and Alipay/WeChat Pay; an international 'Didi Rider' variant exists for foreign phone numbers and cards, but foreign-tourist usability and reliability at a regional hub like Chengdu is less consistently documented than in Beijing or Shanghai — treat it as workable but plan for possible friction, and have your destination written in Chinese characters as a backup.

Rental counters exist at the airport, but self-drive is impractical for most foreign visitors: a standard foreign driver's license is not valid for driving in mainland China without an official Chinese permit/translation, so hire-with-driver services are the realistic option for non-residents.