Chengdu Metro Guide: Map, Lines & Travel Tips

If you are planning a trip to Sichuan’s capital, the Chengdu Metro is one of the easiest ways to understand the city. It connects airports, railway stations, shopping districts, temples, museums, university areas, local food streets, and newer business zones. For foreign travelers, it is usually clean, safe, bilingual, affordable, and far less stressful than road traffic during rush hour.

But Chengdu is not a small city. As of 2026, the network includes major numbered lines such as Lines 1–10, 13, 17, 18, 19, 27, and 30, plus S3 intercity rail and Rong 2 tram services. Newer Lines 13 and 30 opened in late 2025, which means many older travel articles are already outdated.

Chengdu Metro Map

A Chengdu Metro map is more than a transport chart. It is a practical way to decide where to stay and how to group your sightseeing days.

For first-time visitors, the most useful areas are:

• Tianfu Square: central transfer point, good for museums and city walks
• Chunxi Road / Taikoo Li: shopping, dining, nightlife, and easy hotel access
• Wenshu Monastery: temples, snacks, and old Chengdu atmosphere
• Panda Avenue: the closest metro access for Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding
• Chengdu East Railway Station: high-speed rail hub for Chongqing, Xi’an, Leshan, and beyond
• South Railway Station: useful for Tianfu Airport Line 18 and some intercity transfers

Local tip: do not judge distance only by the number of stops. Some airport and suburban lines cover long distances. A route that looks “simple” on the map can still take 60–90 minutes with transfers, walking corridors, security checks, and luggage.

Useful travel guide for you: Chengdu Travel Guide
Tour packages including Chengdu: Chengdu Tours

Chengdu Metro Lines at a Glance

Most lines begin service around 6:00–6:15 and finish around 22:30–23:30, but first and last train times vary by station and direction. For airport rides, early departures, or late arrivals, always check the live schedule in the Chengdu Metro app, Amap, Alipay transport section, or station display before travel.

Line	Main Route / Terminals	Approx. First–Last Train	Key Transfer Stations	Useful Attractions / Areas
Line 1	Weijianian – Science City / Wugensong branch	Around 06:10–23:50	Tianfu Square, South Railway Station, Sichuan Gymnasium, Incubation Park	Wenshu Monastery and Tianfu Square ideas, city center, South Railway Station
Line 2	Xipu Railway Station – Chengdu Academy of Governance	Around 06:10–23:40	Tianfu Square, Chunxi Road, Chengdu East Railway Station, People’s Park	People’s Park, Chunxi Road, Chengdu East Railway Station
Line 3	Chengdu Medical College – Shuangliu West Railway Station	Around 06:10–23:30	Chunxi Road, Panda Avenue, Sichuan Gymnasium, Taipingyuan	Chengdu Panda Base, Chengdu Zoo, shopping areas
Line 4	Wansheng – Xihe	Around 06:10–23:30	Luomashi, Chengdu University of TCM, Kuanzhai Alley, Chengdu West Railway Station	Kuanzhai Alley, Chengdu West Railway Station, cultural neighborhoods
Line 5	Huagui Road – Huilong	Around 06:10–23:30	Chengdu University of TCM, Gaoshengqiao, Qingyang Taoist Temple, Jincheng Avenue	Qingyang Temple, south Chengdu business areas
Line 6	Wangcong Temple – Lanjiagou	Around 06:10–23:30	Renmin North Road, Niuwangmiao, Western China International Expo City, Tianfu Commercial District	Expo City, eastern and southern districts
Line 7	Circular line	Around 06:10–23:30	North Railway Station, East Railway Station, South Railway Station, Taipingyuan	Railway station transfers, Jinsha Site Museum area
Line 8	Guilong Road – Longgang	Around 06:10–23:30	Dongdalu Road, Nijiaqiao, Dongguang, Zhujiang Road	Dongjiao Memory, Sichuan University areas
Line 9	Financial City East – Huangtianba	Around 06:10–23:00	Incubation Park, Jincheng Avenue, Huaxing, Chengdu West Railway Station	Financial City, western Chengdu
Line 10	Wuhou Shrine – Xinping	Around 06:10–23:20	Taipingyuan, Shuangliu Airport T1/T2, Shuangliu West Railway Station	Wuhou Shrine and Jinli, Shuangliu Airport
Line 13	Long’an – Wayaotan	About 06:10–22:50/23:00	Huaxiba, Xinnanmen, Qingyang Taoist Temple, Du Fu Thatched Cottage	Du Fu Thatched Cottage, Jiuyan Bridge, Sansheng Flower Town
Line 17	Jiujiang North – Gaohong	Around 06:10–23:00	People’s Park, Xiaonan Street, Hongxing Bridge, Erxianqiao	People’s Park, central cultural areas
Line 18	South Railway Station – Tianfu Airport North	Around 06:00–23:30	South Railway Station, Incubation Park, Tianfu Station, Tianfu Airport	Chengdu Tianfu Airport, Tianfu New Area
Line 19	Jinxing – Tianfu Airport North	Around 06:00–23:30	Shuangliu Airport T2 East, Tianfu Station, Tianfu Airport	Airport-to-airport transfer, Tianfu New Area
Line 27	Shifo – Shuxin Road	Around 06:10–23:00	Weijianian, Dongzikou, Jinfu, Yangxi Flyover	North Chengdu residential and local areas
Line 30	Longquanyi Railway Station South – Shuangliu Airport T2 East	About 06:10–23:10	Huiwangling, Jiaozi Flyover, Jinshi Road, Zhujiang Road	Shuangliu Airport, southern Chengdu
S3	Futian – Ziyang North Railway Station	Varies by intercity schedule	Futian with Lines 18/19	Ziyang connection, airport-region trips
Rong 2 Tram	Chengdu West Railway Station – Pixian West Railway Station, with branch	Daytime-focused tram service	Chengdu West Railway Station, Tianhe Road	West Chengdu local travel

Line 13 runs from Wayaotan to Long’an and Line 30 runs from Shuangliu Airport Terminal 2 East to Longquanyi Railway Station South. Both are useful additions for travelers because they improve access to cultural neighborhoods, airport areas, and southern Chengdu.

How to Reach Popular Chengdu Attractions

For pandas, take Line 3 to Panda Avenue, then continue by taxi, bus, or arranged transfer to Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. The metro gets you close, but not directly to the entrance. This is why morning timing matters. Pandas are usually more active earlier in the day, and arriving after a long metro-bus connection can cost you the best viewing window.

Useful travel guide for you: Baby Panda Facts & When to See Them
Tour packages including Chengdu: Chengdu Tours

For Wuhou Shrine and Jinli, Line 10 is now especially convenient because Wuhou Shrine station is on the route. This area works well in the late afternoon and evening, especially if you want history, lantern streets, snacks, and a slower city walk.

For Kuanzhai Alley, use Line 4 to Kuanzhaixiangzi Alleys. It is easy to combine with People’s Park by walking or taking one short metro ride. Our local preference is to visit People’s Park first, drink tea, watch daily Chengdu life, then move to Kuanzhai Alley before dinner.

For Wenshu Monastery, Line 1 is the easiest option. Around the monastery, you can find vegetarian food, local snacks, tea houses, and calmer streets than Chunxi Road. It is a good half-day choice for travelers who want Chengdu culture without rushing.

For Du Fu Thatched Cottage, Line 13 is now very useful. This newer route makes the cottage easier to include with Qingyang Temple, People’s Park, or western Chengdu neighborhoods in one day.

For food experiences, metro is useful for getting into central areas, but restaurant choice still matters. Chengdu food can be wonderful and overwhelming at the same time. If you want to understand local dishes such as hotpot, chuan chuan, dandan noodles, and mild options for children or seniors, useful food guide for you: Lengguo Chuan Chuan
Tour packages including Chengdu: 8-Day China Food Tour

Airports and Railway Stations by Metro

Chengdu has two major airports: Shuangliu International Airport and Tianfu International Airport. The right one depends on your flight route, hotel area, and next destination.

For Shuangliu Airport, Line 10 serves Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, while Line 19 and Line 30 also improve airport-area connections. If you stay around Wuhou, Gaoshengqiao, or parts of south Chengdu, Shuangliu can be much easier than Tianfu.

For Tianfu Airport, Line 18 is the main airport metro route from South Railway Station, while Line 19 also connects Tianfu Airport with Shuangliu Airport. This makes it easier for travelers who need airport-to-airport movement or who are staying in southern Chengdu.

Useful travel guide for you: Chengdu Airport Guide

For railway stations:

• Chengdu East Railway Station: Line 2 and Line 7. Best for many high-speed rail routes.
• Chengdu South Railway Station: Line 1, Line 7, and Line 18. Useful for Tianfu Airport connections.
• Chengdu West Railway Station: Line 4, Line 9, and Rong 2 tram.
• Chengdu Railway Station / North Railway Station area: Line 1 and Line 7.

Useful travel guide for you: How to Take High Speed Train in China

Local warning: do not plan a tight airport-to-rail connection just because the Chengdu subway appears direct. Security checks, station walking distance, luggage, and platform changes can quietly eat 20–40 extra minutes.

Tickets, Booking and Payment Tips

For most foreign travelers, the Chengdu subway is easy after the first ride. Stations have ticket machines, security checks, gates, bilingual signs, and route boards. You can usually use single-journey tickets, a metro QR code through Chinese payment apps, or local transport apps depending on your setup.

The real pain point is not the train itself. It is the first travel day: jet lag, luggage, weak data, payment verification, and not knowing which exit is closest to the hotel. That is why we usually suggest using metro for simple city-center movement, but not forcing it into every arrival, departure, or family day.

Useful travel guide for you: How to Use Metro in China

For how to use Chengdu Metro as a foreign traveler, remember three practical rules:

1. Check the terminal station name, not only the line color.
2. Screenshot your route in English and Chinese before entering the station.
3. For luggage days, children, senior travelers, or late-night arrivals, consider a private transfer instead of proving you can handle everything by metro.

This is where a tailored Chengdu plan helps. FoyoChinaTrip can combine metro, private car, English-speaking guide, restaurant planning, airport pickup, and sightseeing order into one realistic route. You can start with custom China tours or contact us with your dates, hotel idea, flight, and travel style.

Recommended Chengdu Tour Ideas

A good Chengdu Metro map helps with city movement, but a good Chengdu itinerary helps protect your energy. The city rewards slow pacing: pandas in the morning, tea in the afternoon, hotpot or Sichuan opera at night, and one or two carefully chosen day trips if time allows.

Recommended Chengdu routes:

• Chengdu Tours — best for pandas, food, local culture, and flexible private travel.
• 13-Day China Family Tour — good for families combining Beijing, Chengdu, Chongqing, and Shanghai.
• 8-Day China Food Tour — ideal for travelers who want Chengdu as part of a deeper food route.
• Jiuzhaigou Tours — useful if you want to extend from Chengdu into Sichuan’s mountain scenery.
• Chengdu Panda Volunteer Experience — for travelers who want a more meaningful panda-related experience.

Our honest view: use the metro when it saves time, but do not let transport control the whole trip. A private car is often worth it for Panda Base mornings, Dujiangyan, Mount Qingcheng, Leshan, airport transfers, family travel, senior travelers, and days with strict ticket times.

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