Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport is located 20km (12 mi) outside of Chengdu city centre and is one of the main air hubs in China, recently ranked 4th in passenger volume. It serves flights to/from most major cities in China, many smaller cities within Sichuan, and some international destinations including [wiki=3eb8670d999ac077dd0e2c345cb7c905]Amsterdam[/wiki], [wiki=3d147c6ba113929f5a004a5e9dcc832e]Bangkok[/wiki], [wiki=4312d5c8cdda027420c474e2221abc34]Frankfurt[/wiki], [wiki=8b476ff778119b8d49588f3daadf69a1]Hong Kong[/wiki], [wiki=233f617d842ce6b68ebb5290f7c383ab]Kathmandu[/wiki], [wiki=59ead8d1e124ccfb79f3ace06f43e703]London[/wiki], [wiki=e20d37a5d7fcc4c35be6fc18a8e71bfa]Paris[/wiki], [wiki=7c885b9c7c703a77befcabeea54944d5]Melbourne[/wiki], [wiki=8ebaad59980c95ade797c903761fa815]Mumbai[/wiki], [wiki=0d70a380fe641d8206c6d43c185b9c23]Osaka[/wiki], [wiki=0d021d5b6d6f7424119928cbb5ed257c]Phnom Penh[/wiki], [wiki=dc5df51ea7e4a83d5663ca4ced03a1aa]Kuala Lumpur[/wiki], [wiki=f4334fdfa1c728eae375fe781e2e2d9d]San Francisco[/wiki], [wiki=fd38499c5c04df42d1d78807aa4b7d7d]Seoul[/wiki], [wiki=458e4cbc78201c1aec5fc53a31c59378]Singapore[/wiki], [wiki=7a4e1add2047d025b98f55dbb33382b5]Taipei[/wiki], and [wiki=62413a57c5e3dc51177995fa175d3286]Tokyo[/wiki].
Bus #1 operates an express service between the airport and the city centre, costing ¥10, stopping at the Air China airline office on Renmin Nanlu (2. Section) next to the entrance of the Minshan Hotel (there is no bus stop! just look for a bunch of taxis/pedicabs, since they are also waiting for the bus. The last bus leaves the airport around 01:00. Bus #2 also runs from the airport, and is not an express, so can take some time. It runs all the way to the North Railway Station. Fares vary, but to Tianfu Square it's ¥10. The buses have luggage compartments. They are well signposted within the airport terminal and, because they leave from immediately outside, are easy to find.
Taxi fare from the airport to the city centre averages ¥45. There is no extra charge for luggage or additional passengers. When going from the city to the airport, add an additional ¥7 to cover the toll on the Airport Expressway. If you intend to take a taxi from the airport, head for the domestic arrival area and exit the terminal where you should see the official taxi stand where you can queue for marked, green-and-yellow or blue-and-yellow taxis. If you are coming from an international flight, this is right at the other end of the terminal - almost past domestic arrivals. Beware scammers and pirate taxi operators who are waiting to prey on foreign tourists with unmarked vehicles both inside and outside the terminal. Beware some who may sport official-looking, but fake, identification. Even official taxis that you might pass on the way to the taxi stand will try to negotiate a fare instead of using the meter. The fare offered will often exceed ¥100, and if you bargain with them, you may find yourself sitting in the cab for a while until agreeing to raise the price back up.
Train connections are available to most cities, such as [wiki=78fb473f134eed43c959f9ebdeeb4050]Beijing[/wiki], [wiki=5466ee572bcbc75830d044e66ab429bc]Shanghai[/wiki], [wiki=08b9a179ae67e6d81b865889bc2e9417]Kunming[/wiki] in [wiki=8469a2a692154dfca07dc40ce316837c]Yunnan[/wiki], [wiki=55b210da416ad9696c6dd74e4b836b7e]Chongqing[/wiki] and [wiki=5da8b6870844479e692c0d9f102d6750]Xi'an[/wiki].
It is called Chengdu Station on railway ticket, but is usually referred as "North Railway Station(Huo Che Bei Zhan)" by local people and some maps. Handles most long distance services. Trains to Dujiangyan(the city that holds [wiki=71835aafc22dcfa9582512774fa39694]Qingchengshan-Dujiangyan National Park[/wiki]) also depart from this station.
New station serving local Sichuan destinations and most high speed train to Chongqing. Not to be confused with an old freight station, which is slightly east of Chengdu North Station as marked on some older maps
High speed train or Bullet trains to Chongqing (¥97-2014,No.)depart from both North Chengdu Station and East Chengdu Station. So you have to check the train time table certainly. If you go to the wrong station, you will miss the train which you want.
(This station is currently under construction.)
There are three bus stations in Chengdu, and they serve different destinations.
[wiki_table=e5a71123]
== From Xīnnánmén == (Updated 28 February 2015) ==
Leshan 7.20-19.35 (every 20 minutes)
Emei Mountain 7.20-19.20 (every 30 minutes)
Jiuzhai Valley 8.00
Hailuo Ravine 9.30
Ya’an Bifengxia 7.30-19.30 (every 35 minutes)
Mishan/ Mt.Mengding 7.40-18.50 (every 50 minutes)
Kangding/Mt.Paoma 7.10-14.10
Gaizi 10.00
Gaizi Jiulong Wuxuhal Scenic Spot 10.00
Daofu 6.30
Dacheng Yading 10.00
Hongya/Caoyutan 7.40-17.40 (every 45 minutes)
Qingshen/Zhongya Temple 8.30-18.00 (every 60 minutes)
Dacheng Yading Scenic Spot 14.00
Dujianayan Irrigation System 9.00
Guizhou Chishui (Guizhou Province) 8.50 13.50 17.00
Mt.Qingcheng & Dujianayan Irrigation System 7.20-18.50 (every 20 minutes)
Pengshan/ Mt.Fairy Maiden 7.30-19.00 (every 20 minutes)
Jiajing/Thousand Buddha Cliff 7.20-18.20 (every 30 minutes)
Pujiang/Chaoyang Lake 7.50-19.10 (every 30 minutes)
Luding Bridge 7.30 10.00 12.00
Gaizi Jiulong Wuxuhai Scenic Spot 6.40
Xinjin 7.30-19.00 (every 30 minutes)
Jiuzi/Chishui 14.50
Pingle Ancient Town 8.30 9.20 10.00 11.30 13.00 15.30
Guangxi Beihai 13.00
Huanglongxi Ancient Town 7.50-17.30 (every 20 minutes)
Yajiang/Bajiao Watchtower 7.00 8.00
Pengshan Qinglong/ Xiangshan Cave 8.30-18.50 (every 60 minutes)
Hejiang/ Buddha 10.30 12.50
Danlin/ Jiulong Mountain 11.00 15.40
Bamboo Sea in south of Sichuan 9.10 15.30
Xinling Snow Mountain 8.50
Yunan Lijiang 12.00
Luodai Ancient Town 7.40-18.30 (every 10 minutes)
Longquan/Peach Blossom 7.30-18.30 (every 10 minutes)
PengZhou 9.00
Stone Elephant Lake 8.30 9.50
Qionglai/ Baihe Mountain 7.30-18.30 (every 30 minutes)
Tiantai Mountain 7.30 8.20 9.00 9.40 10.20 11.00 13.00
Shawan/Guo Moruo’s Former Home 9.40 11.50 14.50 16.20 17.30
YingXiou Seasonal (summer)
BeiChuan Seasonal (summer)
The first line of the [url=http://www.cdmetro.cn/]Chengdu Metro[/url] opened in October 2010, slicing north-south through the city along Renmin Rd and connecting the North and South railway stations together. The fare for a single ride is ¥2-4 depending on distance. You can purchase tickets from machines (English available) with ¥1 coins or ¥5 and ¥10 notes. Ticket booths are also available if you don't have suitable notes.
When entering the metro you need to put your bags through an x-ray machine. Sep 2014: Don't have any fluids like a bottle of water in your luggage: you will have to have those checked separately. The ticket is flashed by the gates on the reader on your right side. You need the ticket to get out as well so keep it safe. When exiting the ticket is placed into a slot that collects it. Again this slot is on the right side of the gate, so pay attention since it's very easy to accidentally open the gate next to you. When exiting, you must wait behind the yellow line until the passenger in front of you has passed and the gate shows it now accepts your ticket. If you're beyond the line the gate won't let you through and you need to back away for it to accept you as a new passenger.
Line 2 of the Chengdu Metro was extended in October 2014. This line now runs from Xipu in the North West of Chengdu to Longquanyi in the South East, interchanging with Line 1 at Tianfu Square Station. Eventually, once construction is fully completed, 6 more Stations will be operational reaching out to Xipu, in the North West. From Line 2 you can switch to the BRT at Niushikou station.
Chengdu has an extensive system of city buses plying the streets. At each bus stop, there is a list of the bus lines coming through on this road, and on some city maps the whole network is displayed. However, the bus lines and maps only use Chinese characters, and even if the bus announces the station, it will usually only be in Chinese. Tickets are ¥1 for non-aircon (now very rare) and ¥2 for air-conditioned buses. The fare is paid by putting the exact amount into a metal box next to the driver. There's no possibility to get change so make sure you have the exact amount of cash available. Normally, you enter via the front door, and alight by the rear door. On the new articulated buses, you can enter at either the front or rear door, with the middle door designated for alighting only.
There's no official route map on the Internet but there is a well functional service available [url=http://ditu.baidu.com/]]in Chinese. Click on Chengdu on the map, then select the middle tab from (公交) from the search field. To show the route of a particular line, click 高级搜索 and type the line number to the search field that appeared on the right side. You can also select from and to destinations from the map via a context menu (the two topmost options) and the service shows the route with bus line numbers and also where to change the bus if needed. Classical bus useful for tourists are 1 and 99 (inside city), 300 (link between south airport to north railway station). You can also use the Google Maps app on your smartphone to plan your travel and it will tell you which bus and subway lines to take to your destination.
Another good service is available at [http://www.mapbar.com/search/#c=%E6%88%90%E9%83%BD%E5%B8%82[/url] in Chinese. You can select from and to destinations from the map via a context menu (the two topmost options) or type line number in the search window.
If you will be in Chengdu a while, you may want to purchase a transit card (公交卡). They are sold at all Hong Qi markets and at some pharmacies. Not only do you no longer have to worry about carrying correct change, but you get free transfers for two hours plus some discounts. The card costs ¥20 and can be loaded with three types of credit. The first is cash. You will receive a 10% discount off the cash fare when using your card's cash. So a regular bus ride will cost ¥1.80 instead of ¥2. You can also load credits (次) for this month and credits for next month. Each credit costs ¥0.50, and most bus rides use two credits (the increasingly rare non-aircon buses cost one credit). So most rides then cost you only ¥1. Credits expire at the end of the month for which they were designated, so it can take a little effort to not buy too many or too few. Note that some bus lines (usually higher numbered ones) and the subway only accept your cash balance (not credits), which does not expire. Other lines (usually those going way out to the suburbs) accept only cash. When you board the bus and tap your card, the display will show the number of this month's credits remaining (if you used credits) or the cash balance (if you used your card's stored cash value).
Official taxis are either green or blue and are equipped with meters. A free taxi will display an illuminated sign with Chinese characters (空车) in its dashboard. The meter is turned on by tilting the sign, make sure the driver does that and if not, you can try to do it yourself and the driver usually gets your point. Some taxi drivers may try to offer you a fixed price but don't take it unless you know it's cheaper than with the meter on. Taxi drivers don't speak English nor do they understand the map, so have an address written in Chinese with you. Drivers don't know many street names so it's best to have the address to some well known place close to your destination. Collect taxi cards from hotels and restaurants and show them to the drivers, and when close to your destination start instructing by pointing with your hand. This method usually gets you there - some drivers however will not follow your instructions or get angry for you travelling a longer distance than what they expected.
Taxi fare is ¥8 on flagfall for the older taxis ¥9 for the new ones, and increase at ¥1.9 per km after the first 2km. For rides from 10-60km the kilometre fare is increased by 50% to compensate the taxi returning empty. During night time the starting price is ¥1 more and per km price is ¥2.20. Waiting price for the taxi is one km fare per every five minutes, and the meter counts traveling with speed less than 12 km/h as waiting time. Taxis often refuse to accept ¥100 bills so try to have some change on hand.
Taxis can be difficult to find depending on the area. There are also unlicensed taxis in the city but they're quite hard to notice. If you use one, know your destination and expected price and negotiate the fare beforehand.
There are still some motorized bicycle-propelled pedicabs called san lun che (三轮车) which can take you moderate distances. Fix a price (¥5-15) in advance. The passengers ride behind the driver. The ride is fun, but san lun che are being phased out and are forbidden cross or ride on certain streets, and may be gone altogether soon. Until the year 2005, all of these pedicabs were modified bicycles actually pedalled by the driver. Today, virtually all are motorized, either by electric or gasoline powered engines.
Most guest houses have bicycles for hire. Check for technical problems before starting out unless you want to be held responsible for it later. If you leave your bicycle, do so in one of the designated "bicycle parks", where it will be guarded over for a small fee. If you can not find such a place, be sure to lock it securely against some structure. Be careful as the bike traffic flow can be intense.
Very nice place with lots of (expensive) tea houses, restaurants and local snacks. Great for relaxing. Streets date from late Qing-dynasty style but are rebuilt recently. Free government wifi in this place.
* This square, overlooked by an enormous Chairman Mao statue in the center of the city, has been spruced up. Every evening at dusk, as well as at noontime, an elaborate water show, synchronized to music, bursts out from the square's fountains. Below the square is the hub of Chengdu's subway system.
* This park is a important entertainment place for Chengdu citizen. Everyday, especially the holiday, there are many local people in it, that means tourist can find the real leisure life of Chinese old people. They are singing and dancing in separate group, follow the sound you can find them. Some practice calligraphy with water on the floor around a monument in the north-western corner of this park. Some parents take their unmarried children's information here want find potential candidate. There are many tea house in it, local people drink tea and play majong it, the average price of one cup of tea is ¥10. There also is a Sichuan snack restaurant Zhong's Dumpling(钟水饺), beside dumpling you can find almost all famous Sichuan snack in it, and with fair price.
* This huge four-storey museum is filled with interactive exhibits about science, aerodynamics, space, mathematics, robotics and physics. Children will love the interactive displays and indoor playground on the 4th floor. Adults will appreciate the descriptions in both English and Chinese. Everyone will love the crowd-pleasers like the robotic orchestra and walk-through maps of Sichuan's waterways. During weekdays this museum can either be overrun by local school groups or be so deserted it's almost creepy. Closed on Mondays. It is a complete waste of Y30. It is totally deserted, most of the exhibits have broken down or have fallen apart. Given there are multiple staff on each level (more than visitors) fixing, tidying and above all dusting the exhibits shouldn't be a problem, but clearly yes. Have your photo taken with Mao, but forget this absolute joke of a money raising operation. There's nothing scientific or technological about it that represents the real and new China, more so a 70s cold war relic.
* Offers all the typical animals that one might expect in a zoo (elephant, tigers, giraffes, monkeys, as well as panda bears). While the zoo itself is large and spread out, some of the cages are woefully small and the facility seems understaffed. Might be good for a family to visit. The zoo has vendors selling Chinese snacks as well as some carnival type rides.
* Excellent display of local artifacts and is worth while way of spending an hour or two. The museum is one of the better in China and there are four floors of well lite, air conditioned displays with decent English translations. Starting in the basement, enter the first room where dozens of stone carvings dating from the Han dynasty to the Tang are on display. The room next door has a moderately interesting display on the museum's history and numerous examples of ancient bronzes and stone age artifacts. The first floor is mostly artifacts from the Ming and Qing dynasty, including furniture, silk clothing, and an interesting display of leather puppets. The second floor has the perhaps the most engaging display: artifacts and daily use items from ethnic minority groups in China's southwest, including Tibetans, Miao, Yi, Qiang, Jianpo and Naxi. The third floor has a decent display of calligraphy scrolls, paintings, and ceramics. The museum is currently closed after the city changed the location of several universities. Plans are pending for a new museum to be built.
* Most guest houses and travel agencies offer to arrange visits to these traditional shows. It is more like a burlesque cabaret than an actual opera, sometimes including magicians, traditional musicians, shadow plays, comedy (spoken in Chinese though), and dancers besides the traditional pieces. Of course the most famous is never omitted: quick face-changing and fire spitting performed by dancers clad in colourful traditional costumes. You will follow the story sitting at your table, sipping on your constantly refilled tea cup and nibbling some salted snacks. Note that there are many teahouses in the city that offer the show every night. Try the local favorite at Shu Feng Ya Yun (蜀风雅韵) teahouse located in Chengdu Culture Park (文化公园) on Qintai Road (it is beside Qingyang Temple). You will be seated on a covered open ground (cooled by fan; no A/C), which is actually the center of the traditional teahouse building. You might have to book in advance or just ask the concierge of your hotel to book it for you.
* This temple is built for commemorating Zhuge Liang(诸葛亮[[Zhuge Liang]),|he is minister of Shu(蜀) in Three Kingdoms Period. He is famous through the Chinese novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms[url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romance_Of_Three_Kingdoms]].]There are dozens of dust covered statues of obscure historical figures behind glass and not much else. The gardens are attractive, but not extensive. It is next to Jinli Ancient Street.
* This neighborhood is part of the old city of Chengdu; it features hotels and small stores in old-fashioned style. Antiques are sold in a variety of different stores. It is very popular among both tourists and locals, especially at night, with many bars, restaurants, and nightclubs. You will find a lot of famous local snack food over there, prices ¥1-10. Restaurants and bars in Jin Li are more expensive than outside. There are also antique hotels in there. Some consider Jin Li is to be tourist trap, which is partly true. However, this 'new old street' offers regional and fairly affordable street food specialties as well and can be combined with a visit to the Wuhouci Temple (entry fee 60 yuan, unless you are the holder of a Panda Card). Don't forget to take your camera.
* Recently discovered site featuring various tools and art pieces from around 3,000 years ago. The amount of unearthed items is just massive. They include pottery, blades, jade items, building foundations and various golden art pieces. There are two main buildings: the hall constructed over the centre of the excavation site and the modern exhibition hall with various artifacts on display.
* This Tang Dynasty Buddhist temple is the most impressive, and perhaps also the most used, temple in Chengdu. It is dedicated to the Buddhist representation of Wisdom, Wenshu Pusa (Manjusri Bodhisatva), and contains more than 450 Buddha statues and other precious relics. In addition to the halls and gardens, the temple also has a charming tea house that offers an insightful window of Chengdu life as it is frequented by locals who engage in games of chess, reading, knitting and just chatting with family and friends. The temple also has a delightful vegetarian restaurant with seats offering views over the gardens (NOTE - as of September 2012, the tea house and restaurant are closed for renovations). Entry fee is a steal at only 5 yuan. Some of the English signs pointing here say "Manjusri Temple". There are shops around the temple.
* This Taoist temple is the oldest and biggest of its kind in the area, located in the west of downtown. A large and still-active temple that takes into consideration Taoist philosophy in its construction, and with both a park next door and a number of relaxed courtyards inside. While it has a long history, the buildings are modern, cheaply-made concrete constructions, and it quite frequently shows. The statues inside are also cheap modern constructions of no real interest. A teahouse and a vegetarian restaurant can be found within the temple complex.
* Moderate size amusement park with 3 main roller coasters, Water Rides, Kids zone and water park (in Summer). Overall Good day out for both adults and families, makes a nice break from the city and has enough attractions to fill a full day out, As of 2011 the entrance to the park is now a sports retail outlet, Imax and Indoor Sky diving Centre with Resturants
*Provincial Museum of Sichuan Province. A wide range of excellent collection (Bronze wares, Chinese paintings (with a featured collection of Sichuanese painter Zhang Daqian(Chang Dai-chien)), Buddhistic sculpture of various periods; Tibetan artefacts, objects of anthropological interest from ethnical minorities within the province and a live show of Sichuanese silk weaving, etc.) on permanent display.
* A contemporary art gallery in Chengdu exhibiting Chinese and international artists. Exhibit openings generally happen once a month, and other events also take place.
*Four Girls Mountain is located in the county territory, Qionglai mountains, by the four adjacent Xuefeng, perennial snow, such as four beautiful white fairy standing in the hills, hence the name. Four Girls Mountain and famous male and high, steep mountain, directed at the blue sky, as all mountaineers attention.
*Opened in August 2013 as the World's Largest Building. The building houses a large mall, indoor water park, IMAX movie theater, skating rink, and a couple five-star hotels. It is located on top of the Century City metro station on Line 1, making it very easy to get to. The water park, known as Paradise Island, is about $30 per person for a pass and is not really worth the money. The wave pool requires life jackets to be worn by all swimmers, something that will be new to Western water park goers. Aside from its hotel (which you cannot find from inside incidentally), the building is operational. It is nothing more than an oversized shopping center with a great deal of unused space. The water park is over securitised, there is no English for the IMAX Movies and there are very few choices in terms of stores, most of which are over-priced. There is a great selection of food on the top floor, but outside that its a good opportunity to go, have a photo taken out front, do a quick photo taking inside then get back on the metro to see the same stores in town.
*Liujiang Old town alt="柳江古镇" Liujiang town, located 25 km southwest of the county to spend Hongya River tributary of Liujiang sides. Town was founded in the Southern Song Dynasty, and modern architecture across the water from the Ming and Qing era buildings.
The park includes a moderate selection of rides (water, relaxing and thrill), and various recreation activities. Weekends can get packed, so try to go during a weekday.
* This is the biggest facility of this kind in the world. Due to habitat destruction and other reasons, the giant panda is maybe the most famous endangered animal. It is home to some 60 giant pandas, but also has some red pandas and a colony of black-necked cranes. The pandas are basically on display for tourists but views are much closer than is possible at most Western zoos. A small museum and a cinema screening related documentaries is also available. A restaurant and souvenir-stalls top off the tourist installations. The best time to visit is in the morning (early, around 8AM is best), when pandas are most active. Pandas sleep during the hottest time of the day. Feeding time is around 8:30-9:30 (depending on the time of year). It is recommended to arrive as early as you can to avoid the hordes of school and tour groups that arrive every morning and more importantly because panda are fed between 8h and 10h and most are starting a 6h nap between 10h to 11h. Park opens at 8am but expect people to be waiting starting around 730am. You can take a photo holding a baby/young Panda for ¥2000 (MAY2013). Contrary to lots of reviews and other writeups, this is now a solid number and cannot be negotiated (as of early 2013). The Chinese government began a crackdown on tourism prices and this became one of them, there is an official log book with prices paid as well, and all money goes right back into the Panda center rather than the pockets of a select few. While you hold the panda, staff will take photos with your camera, and they will also take photos with their camera so that they can print out the best photo and give it to you in a frame. If you ask nicely (and bring a flash drive!), they may be willing to give you digital copies of all the photos that they took of you on their camera.
* Over 1 km long streets with older building (in various states of disrepair) lined with stores. The primary attraction is the many different types of food and snacks available, especially Hakka food, that are hard to find in other places (along with some amount of stores selling standard tourist crap and costumes to rent for photos). The buildings that line the street are of some, but not great, interest; more interesting are a number of older buildings and halls that give one a feel for older China. Signage and shops appear to be Chinese-language only.
*Jiezi(gaizi in local accent) Old Town(街子古镇)Jiezi town, 25 km northwest of the city in Chongzhou the Fengqi mountain, the mountain connected with Qingcheng.
Freshly made to order pizza. Authentic New York style pizza pie, stone-baked. Now has a restaurant on tongzilin nan lu (桐梓林南路. Will deliver to downtown Chengdu area and are based out of the south of Chengdu. See website above for details.
In the grounds of a monastery and run by monks. Offers a huge selection of traditional vegetarian dishes, including some containing imitated meat.
* Authentic Japanese food. Serves curry, tonkatsu, unagi-don, fried rices, sushi, ramen noodles, and various other selections. Serves Chinese and Japanese beers, as well as a selection of plum wine and sake. Food quality varies.
* Supposedly opened by the Mapo herself in 1862. The place to eat Mapo Doufu, it does not get any more authentic than this. Spicy food eaters will love this, those who do not like spicy food should probably skip it altogether.
* Specializes in Indian and Nepalese cuisine, particularly tandoori and curries. Great for vegetarians and omnivores alike.
* Specializes in Thai cuisine. Great food and exceptional service when you need a break from oily and spicy Sichuan food.
One hundred percent geared towards foreign backpackers and is a good place to organize a tour or buy tickets. Traffic Inn Hostel has a nice common area with a large collection of DVD's and western food on the roof top bar&restaurant .Happy hour every Friday! The rooms are very clean and come with a reliable air conditioner. Washing machines are available for ¥20 per load,includes washing powder. Free WiFi and very good English-speaking staff at the hostel.
* Various kinds of rooms are available, very clean and they offer good service. Travel office and extremely helpfull English speaking staff, 24h large volume hot shower, nice common area with bar (cheap beers) and table soccer, 24h hot water for tea, free Wi-Fi. The hostel seems to be set up for bike travellers - they offer washing machine and dryer for ¥10 each plus safe bicycle parking.
* Dorm beds and private rooms of various sorts available. Travel office and English help, 24 hour large volume hot shower, a roof-top bar, garden tea house, kitchen for self cooking. Tends to be frequented by Chinese tourists more than foreigners, but the hostel staff have at least 2-3 people that speak perfect English.
* With cheap beds, and lots of people. Wi-fi for laptops, free Internet. Atmospheric building with a lot of Tibetan knick-knacks. The staff all seem somewhere around twenty. If you call ahead and book they will pick you up from the train or bus station.
* Though not as trendy or cool as other hostels in Chengdu, Holly's has a better location than most other hostels in the city. Situated across the Jinli Street, a good starting point for traveling through Chengdu, Wuhouci Dajie also has lots of tibetan restaurants, hot pot restaurants, noodle joints, massage parlors, and camping/climbing stores. Staff speaks excellent english and will help you with your traveling needs. Dorm rooms are nothing fancy but are clean and serve their purpose. Western cafe on the roof, internet access, dvd, etc. Social atmosphere. Perfect for those who want a good hostel and do not care about being hip.
* Very modern hostel.super chill atmosphere with a large common area makes it great to mingle and meet others. Use to be a printing factory but now converted to a contemporary style hostel. Has free pool table, free Internet access, free umbrellas, free lockers and more.. even TV and DVD room. Rooms are clean.
* Fantastic hostel wonderfully located in central Chengdu. Caters to foreigners and Chinese alike with excellent English spoken by all staff. Amenities include: DVD room, kitchen, fusball table, suhu board and laundry machines. Knowledgeable tour desk with information available for surrounding regions including trips to Tibet and discovering Sichuan. Restaurant with fantastic food at reasonable prices which Mr. Panda cooks himself. Free wifi on all floors. Hostel is clean and well frequented.
*
* Previously managed by an experienced travelers couple (Singaporean husband and Japanese wife). Has a small garden and great atmosphere and look. Toilets are equipped with paper, there is a lockable security box at your bed, mosquito-coils adorn the rooms and corridors, the bar-restaurant provides guitars and cold beers, Western and Chinese food and so on. Staff is friendly, helpful, speaks English and are able to arrange tours. Free quality Chengdu map available. There is internet access for ¥5 per hour at the bar. Free WiFi access which works in most bedrooms. If you do not want to stay in the dorm, is advisable to make a reservation some days in advance. Transport can be arranged to pick up from the airport.
The vast majority of Chengdu's mid-range hotels are not affiliated with a national or international brand and generally charge ¥300-700. The hotels in this category can generally put up the facade of the more luxurious hotels, but often suffer noticeably from deferred maintenance or haphazard customer service. Many are geared mostly towards Chinese and Asian tour groups. The hotels listed below are the best of the bunch with lobby staff who speak at least a basic level of English and usually offer a free Chinese breakfast.
* In addition to being happily underpriced for the value provided, fans of Fawlty Towers will find themselves confronted by Basil Fawlty's good twin in the person of Mr. Robert Barsby, a true John Cleese lookalike, this hotel's proprietor and veteran of the administrations at a number of the city's finer hotels. Over a free breakfast which can include western style eggs and toast, he will be happy to share with you his experiences and his reason for having created one of the better "boutique" hotels in China. Rooms are spacious, scrupulously clean and well heated, although you need to be careful when showering that the drain is functioning properly, otherwise you're likely to flood the toilet enclosure. The annexed restaurant is a moderately priced decent traditional Chinese establishment, but will not accept the credit card you may have used at the hotel. Certainly one of the best values in any market.
* A four star hotels that offers air-conditioned accommodation rooms, all of which have television, private bathroom, and telephone. Some of its amenities include night club, fitness center and sauna, and a swimming pool.
* The hotel offers a wide range of rooms from single to family. This attractive courtyard-style hotel is situated on one of the more tourist-friendly streets in the city, surrounded by buildings in a similar Han and Tang Dynasty style. The courtyard is a perfect place for tired travelers to relax with a drink and play a borrowed game of mahjong or just chat.
* Rooms all boast individually controlled air-conditioning, free Internet connectivity, satellite TV, mini-bar, and IDD phone.
* Part of a China-wide hotel chain; 3 locations in Chengdu; the South Chengdu Yulin location is near Renmin Nan Rd and the U.S. Consulate. Good value for money. Rooms are small but clean and well apportioned. Breakfast and free internet provided. Secure lobby area and friendly staff.
* Nanfu Bund Hotel is a five star hotel located in Jinjiang District. While staying at this hotel, you might want to visit some of their tourist spots which includes Jinjiang River and Wangjiang Park. They have air-conditioned rooms that has a cable TV, private toilet and bath, hair dryer, and a free high-speed Internet access.
* Three-star hotel featuring air-conditioned guestrooms that has cable TV, a private toilet and bath, safe, hair dryer, and a free broadband Internet connection.
* Offers 97 air-conditioned guestrooms with a satellite TV, IDD telephone, private toilet and bath, and mini-bar.
* The residence is located in the city central. The 200 apartments, which range from studio to penthouse, each has a kitchen, home entertainment system and modern furnishings.
* Free internet. No breakfast. Rooms are small and poorly designed.
* The Chengdu Tibet Hotel (Chengdu Xizang Fandian) is popular as a point of departure for flights into neighboring Tibet. Designed to five-star standards and sponsored by the Tibet Autonomous Region government, the Chengdu Tibet Hotel has been specially designed to provide a full range of services for trips into Tibet.
* Four star garden-style hotel. The guest rooms are designed in trendy and simple style. The hanging garden measuring 2,000 sq. m. is a good place for enjoying the sunlight. The hotel has a Chinese restaurant serving traditional Sichuan dishes, tea house in the lobby and professional foot massage for relaxation.
* It offers air-conditioned accommodation rooms, all of which have TV with VCR player and sound system, free broadband Internet access, and a mini-bar. Some of its amenities include Chinese and Western Restaurant, spa and sauna, and business center and meeting rooms.
Chengdu's luxury hotels provide world class service at very reasonable prices. Business and leisure travelers can expect, at a minimum, to find fluent English speaking staff, Western and Chinese restaurants, full conference facilities, business center, sauna and concierge service at all of these hotels. Room rates are US$115-200 per night for a standard or deluxe room. The Kempinski and the Jin Jiang Hotel are generally the lowest price within this category.
* Modern, American managed hotel conveniently located in in the center of Chengdu near Tian Fu Square and the sports stadium, but a few blocks away from shopping districts. This hotel can accommodate the most discriminating of guests in luxury and world class service.
* French managed, overlooks Fulan River, similar to but more expensive than the Sheraton.
* Chengdu's first international luxury hotel, the Jin Jiang still offers good service. While it has been eclipsed in luxury by the newer hotels listed in this section, it offers reasonable room rates and great service, with good facilities for conferences of all sizes.
* German managed hotel offers hospitality and luxury. Great German events, including Oktoberfest, Christmas and New Year's parties. Excellent gym, pool and workout facilities. Close to the United States Consulate.
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* Very creative buffet restaurant.
* Business hotel offering upscale meeting room facilities, convention center, and business center. It is also a four-star quality accommodation in Chengdu that offers luxurious amenities to vacationing tourists. It has elegant guestrooms, posh restaurant, full service spa, and recreational rooms. Online reservations are now available.
* Four-star hotel offering over 150 guestrooms, all elegantly furnished. Other hotel facilities include banquet halls, restaurants, gift shop, spa, and KTV. Online reservations are now available.
China's country code is 86. Chengdu's area code is 28. Coin-operated pay phones are located throughout Chengdu, and calling cards can be purchased from many vendors. Local landline phone numbers are eight digits long; cellular phone numbers in Sichuan are eleven digits long and start with 13 or 15.
Internet access can be found in most guesthouses and through cheap internet cafes all over town. Look out for Web-character 网 and the Pacman-character 吧 in the Chinese name for internet bar: 网吧.
A large Internet cafe is located on the second floor of the Xinnianmen bus station, just 100 meters from the Jiaotong Fandian hotel. The connection is fast and access is ¥2/hour.
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If you need to make a visa extension, You can visit Chengdu Police Security Bureau but be warn of the 7 days delay. Most people in a hurry will try to do their renew in Leshan or Songpan where it seems delay is about 1h to 1d, if the (only) officer is here.
* For visa extension/renew, you need to fill a form, 1 picture, passport+visa copy. You can pay either at nearby ICBC bank in cash (get a ticket, but if wait is too long, ask the security guy. it seems after some time, he makes people with PSB receipt cut the queue), either by chinese (only) bank card at downstairs counter 16. Delay is 5 opened days which makes a week, so could be better to ask in smaller cities like Leshan where there is only 1 day delay.
Families and those short of time might consider hiring a car with driver (¥300-900 per day, depending upon type of car and experience of driver, with cars booked at the luxury hotels the most expensive and highest quality).
* The ancient town of [wiki=b58ffcaecf06a14efe3d878935dd399a]Anren[/wiki], about 45 km to the south.
* The Giant Buddha in [wiki=0390aba277ab1eb82845b07d60f4bd99]Leshan[/wiki] is probably the most popular nearby destination. A day trip to this ancient man-made wonder should be about ¥100-150. Two day tours are available which combine the Buddha with a visit to the nearby Buddhist holy mountain. If going by public transport, get bus from Xinnanmen bus station ¥48. The journey takes about two hours. After you get off at the bus station in Leshan take bus no. 13 ¥1. Look out for scammers who work with the bus driver to take you past the main entrance to the back entrance where the ticket counter attendants will ask you to fork out ¥160 instead of the ¥90 to get you inside to see other sites not worth visiting. Hop off and pay ¥10 to motorbike cabs to take you back to the main entrance or walk for about 15 minutes. Don't waste time with the many temples around the Grand Buddha, the queue to see the Grand Buddha takes almost two hours if you are unlucky enough to bump into Chinese tour groups. [wiki=02d048a9a9ca0a3abf287933b3c1ce08]Emei Shan[/wiki].
* Mount Qingcheng (青城山) and the Dujiangyan irrigation system (都江堰, built 250 BC) [wiki=71835aafc22dcfa9582512774fa39694]Qingchengshan-Dujiangyan National Park[/wiki] are easy day trips about 40km from Chengdu and make for a fascinating visit. You can do both sites in one long day, or better yet, plan to spend a day at each. Qingcheng is a beautiful mountain with an extensive and well kept network of steps and pathways; it includes many pagodas, a small lake, and a chair-lift for those who don't want to walk. Qingcheng is an important site in the Taoist religion. Dujiangyan has a fascinating history and a marvelous swinging pedestrian bridge. Both trips involve lots of walking. The entrance fees for both sites are not cheap. The mountain is ¥90. The cable car up is ¥35 one way or ¥60 round trip. There is a boat one can take to cross a lake for ¥5. The irrigation system costs an additional ¥90 to enter. There is a high-speed train from Chengdu Railway Station to Dujiangyan and Qingchengshan that opened in May 2010. Trains travel up to 220 km/h and the trip takes about half an hour, costs ¥15. From Qingchengshan train station take bus 101 which takes you about 2km from the Mount Qingcheng area entrance, or bus 101A to Dujiangyan irrigation system. From Dujiangyan train station there is another bus directly to the Dujiangyan irrigation system area - takes about 30 minutes. Each bus costs ¥2 per person each way. Return buses to the train station run until 18:00.
* Stone Elephant Lake Ecological Resort(石象湖) [url=http://www.selake.com]]is a fantastic park with acres upon acres of live tulips and tiger lily flowers as well as nature walks and boat rides, and stone carved animals. The best time to go is during the Tulip Festival in early Spring and when the Tiger Lillies bloom in late summer, however, various flowers are usually in bloom from March through August and the nature walks are open year round. Bring your camera. Also bring a picnic lunch or eat in one of the several Chinese restaurants and noodle shops there. The park is about an hour and 15 minutes drive of pure highway driving south of Chengdu. Arrange a car to take you there or ask about bus service. ¥50.
* Jian Chuan Museum Cluster (建川博物馆)[url=http://www.jc-museum.cn/en/[/url]Industrialist]Fan Jian Chuan built this campus of museums to explain the history of 20th Century China. This is the first privately owned museum in Sichuan (privately operated museums in China have only been permitted since the year 2001). The Museum campus contains four buildings about World War II in China - one explaining the Communist Party role, one the Kuomington, one about the American volunteer group "Flying Tigers", and one about Sichuan volunteers. There is also a the modestly named "New China Porcelian Museum", which actually tells the story of the Cultural Revolution through porcelians of that era. A museum that more directly addresses that era is under construction. You will also see buildings explaining the practice of foot-binding and one about prisoners of war. Nearby, you can also walk through a landlord's manor. Make a day trip out of it; the Museum is in the nearby county of Dayi about an hour's drive from Chengdu. Admission is ¥60. Get around the museum cluster by walking or rent a bicycle built for two; a tea-house is located on site.
* Bi Feng Xia[url=http://www.bifengxia.com[/url]]Bi Feng Xia is a large ecological park in the mountains about a two and a half hour drive from Chengdu. It centers around a huge gorge with waterfalls. One can hike down into the gorge on well marked paths and take an elevator back up. The park also has special panda habitats, as well as a more traditional "zoo". The main reason to go here is for the walks and hikes into the gorge. The zoo, although filled with animals such as tigers, lions, bears, monkeys, and even a drive-through section, has woefully inadequate and sometimes smelly enclosures. (The enormous bird aviary is one exception). Admission is about ¥80, with additional charges for bus rides between different sections of the park. There is an expensive hotel and basic restaurants on site. Direct buses to the park (via [[Ya'an[/url]]) leave from Xinnanmen station every 30mins.
* Huang Long Xi (黄龙溪, "Yellow Dragon Creek ancient town")[url=http://www.huanglongxi.com/english/]]is worth a day trip. Buses start from Xinnanmen station (新南门车站) and take an hour. The little town features a few original dwellings and old temples but mainly recreated buildings from various periods. It does contain a street or two of authentic buildings and nice river view. Perfect biking destination in the countryside.
* The Ancient Town of Pingle is a cute town about 2 hours away by bus. Five buses leave and return daily from Xinnanmen Bus Station, the earliest leaving Chengdu at 8:30am. The town is known for its numerous tea houses lining the riverfront. Visitors can meander the winding lanes, shop, and see bamboo forest less than a kilometer northwest from the town center.
* The Ancient Town of Luodai (洛带)[url=http://www.luodai.gov.cn/ywweb/main.aspx[/url]]is billed as an ancient village inhabited by the Hakka minority. Most of it is a recreation but still somewhat charming. It's a pleasant day-trip from Chengdu. Buses start form Wuguiqiao bus station(新南门车站 - south Chengdu, next to Tazishan Park) and take about an hour. Alternatively, take a taxi out (about 75 yuan) and come back by bus as return taxi's can be hard to find.
* Jinlong (Little) Great Wall: This (replica) Great Wall is situated not far from Luodai Ancient Town. Buses from Luodai bus station or minivans (from eastern city gate) take you there or in about 20 minutes (2-10 yuan). Upon arrival, you can climb this local Great Wall, but be warned: although the wall is only a few kilometres long, it's a steep climb which is best not undertaken in hot weather (i.e. summer). Going all the way up will probably take seasoned hikers 1-1.5 hours.
* [[Sanxingdui[/url]] (三星堆 sanxingdui) [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanxingdui]- This is an ancient Chinese city where archaeologists discovered remarkable artifacts that radiocarbon dated circa 12th-11th centuries BCE, and Sanxingdui (Three star mound) is the name given to this previously unknown Bronze Age culture. The Sanxingdui archaeological museum is located about 40 kilometers northeast of Chengdu in Sichuan Province and 10 kilometers east of the city of Guanghan. From Zhaojue Temple Bus Station catch a bus to Guanghan (¥14) and from there use public bus No. 6 to reach the museum (¥2). ¥82 (¥42 for students). 0838-5651550. Hire a taxi from Chengdu city center for ¥500-¥800 round-trip, including wait time.
You can trek out to the Tibetan areas of Sichuan. Buses leave everyday for Moxi and other towns. These long bus trips from [wiki=f4aa575f70b3f78887deb96ce611b187#By_bus]Xinnanmen-bus station[/wiki] (it's about seven hours to Moxi, and the heating systems on buses in the winter are painfully inadequate) pass through incredibly steep mountain valleys wandering through the Gongga Mountain range. This all terminates at the [wiki=f315216912ffd41e5de8504d700328c2]Hailuogo Glacier[/wiki], a massive park nearly nine hours from Chengdu. A good two or three day trip.
* The [wiki=7cd6794c14e73b9b140f351bcbfc2ea4]Jiuzhaigou[/wiki] (九寨沟) [url=http://www.jiuzhai.com/language/english/index.html]Valley[/url] to the north of Chengdu is famous for its stunning nature and the cyan water terraces. The morning bus from Chengdu leaves at 09:00, and takes roughly 9-10 hours, providing that the weather is good. See the [wiki=7cd6794c14e73b9b140f351bcbfc2ea4]Jiuzhaigou[/wiki] page for more information about getting there from Chengdu.
* [wiki=2b862136c1bb6217e0c697548697c48c]Mianyang[/wiki] City (绵阳市), two hours to the north, is Sichuan's second-biggest city. As a large city, it has plenty to do and could serve as a day or multi-day trip. Nearby Xianhai (仙海) resort town is a lovely countryside getaway, easily accessible from the city center. The Holy Water Temple (圣水寺) in the northern suburbs is also very attractive. Mianyang is a 2-hour train ride from North Train Station (¥20).
* Siguniang Scenic Park (四姑娘)[url=http://www.sgns.gov.cn/en/].] Located to the northwest of Chengdu, these mountains are sometimes called "China Alps" but are also known as the "four girls" or "four maidens". Prior to the 12 May 2008 earthquake, buses could be caught between 06:30 and noon from Chadianzi (茶店子) tourism bus station (6-9 hours). As a result of the quake there is now a single bus at 06:40 that takes up to 12 hours. Catch the bus to Xiaojin (小金) and let the driver know your destination is Rilong village (日隆镇).
* The city of [[Xian[/url]], 13-18 hours by train. Direct flights also available from Chengdu.
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