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Chengdu Airport to the City: Tianfu, Shuangliu, Metro and Bus

Last updated: 24 September 2026

Every time, fare, station name and service detail below comes from the airport operator's own transport pages, the Chengdu metro operator's line list, or the airports' official websites, all listed at the end. Where a figure is published by those sources it is reproduced; where it is not, this page says so instead of estimating.

1. Chengdu has two international airports, and they are not in the same place

The first thing to settle is which airport is on your ticket, because the two are served by different metro lines and different bus pick-up points.

Chengdu Tianfu International Airport is the one that documents its ground transport in detail on its official English site, with dedicated pages for metro, airport bus, long-distance coach, taxi, ride-hailing and transfers between the two airports. Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport runs its own official site, which publishes sections for the airport bus, airport coach terminal, shuttle, inter-city rail, metro, scenic-spot bus and urban passenger transport terminal, together with its published enquiry numbers.

The searches that lead people to this page suggest the confusion is common: alongside queries about travel time, people ask how many airports Chengdu has, where the airport is, and which airport is closest to the city. Neither official site publishes a straight "which one is nearer the centre" comparison, so this page does not invent one — it tells you how each airport is served instead.

If you are still choosing flights, note that the metro line serving Tianfu Airport is Line 18, and that a Line 19 service also runs through to the airport. Shuangliu Airport is reached by Line 10 and by Line 30's first phase, whose western terminus is Shuangliu Airport Terminal 2 East Station.

2. Metro Line 18: the main link from Tianfu Airport into the city

The airport's own transport page describes Metro Line 18 as running along the east side of Tianfu Avenue, starting from Chengdu South Railway Station in the north and ending at Tianfu International Airport North Station in the south, passing Century City, Western China International Expo City and Terminals 1 and 2 of the airport on the way. Pick-up is at the north transfer hall of the Ground Transportation Center.

Operating mode	Stops on the published list	Time to Airport T1 & T2	Time to Airport North Station	Service hours
Regular line	Chengdu South Railway Station — Incubation Park — East of Jincheng Square — Century City — Haichang Road — Western China International Expo City — Xinglong — Sancha — Airport T1 & T2 — Airport North Station	About 44 minutes	About 46 minutes	06:00–23:30
Express line	Chengdu South Railway Station — Incubation Park — Haichang Road — Sancha — Airport T1 & T2 — Airport North Station	About 37 minutes	About 39 minutes	Within the same published window

Two details from the same page are worth carrying into your plan. First, the express pattern is scheduled to suit peak traffic in the morning, at noon and in the evening, and runs as six trains; outside those periods the line runs its regular stopping pattern. Second, the published fare from Chengdu South Railway Station is RMB 10 whether you get off at Terminals 1 and 2 or at Airport North Station — the airport publishes one figure for both.

The metro operator's own line list gives the line's scale: Line 18 opened in 2020, runs 66.83 km and has 13 stations. The same list records that Line 19 opened in stages in 2020 and 2023, covers 100.59 km with 22 stations, and that its south-eastern end reaches Tianfu Airport North Station.

A discrepancy between the two official sources, recorded rather than smoothed over. The airport's transport page describes Line 19 as running from Jinxing in Wenjiang District through Wenjiang, Shuangliu and Tianfu New District to Tianfu Station, and reaching Tianfu Airport North Station via Line 18. The metro operator's line list instead names Tianfu Airport North Station as Line 19's south-eastern terminus. Both are official; treat the network map in the Chengdu Metro app as the deciding document before you rely on a single-seat ride.

3. Line 19, and getting from one Chengdu airport to the other

If your trip involves both Chengdu airports — a domestic feeder flight into Shuangliu and an international departure from Tianfu, for example — the airport's transfer page sets out the options it will let you compare.

Option	Published route	Published time	Published fare
Metro, via Line 10 → Line 9 → Line 18	Line 10 from Shuangliu Airport Terminal 1 or Terminal 2 → Huaxing (change to Line 9) → Incubation Park (change to Line 18) → Tianfu Airport Terminals 1 & 2	About 65 minutes	RMB 11
Metro, Line 19 express	From Shuangliu Airport Terminal 2 East to Tianfu Airport Terminals 1 & 2	About 30 minutes	RMB 10
Metro, Line 19 regular	Same endpoints, all stops	About 50 minutes	RMB 10
Airport Special Line (night bus)	Tianfu International Airport → Century City → Shuangliu International Airport	Runs 00:00–05:00, every 60 minutes	Published on the airport's page
Private vehicle	Shuangliu Airport → Chengdu Airport Expressway S6 → Chengdu Ring Expressway G4202 → Tianfu Airport Expressway S3 (T1T2 Toll Station) → Tianfu Airport	Not published	Tolls and fuel are your own

The published Line 19 fare differs from Line 18: the airport's page gives RMB 12 for the full journey from Jinxing to either Terminals 1 and 2 or Airport North Station.

4. Airport buses at Tianfu: six lines, published as a 24-hour service

The airport's transport page states that Chengdu Gongjiao Group Xingchen Bus Co., Ltd. currently operates six airport bus lines, providing 24-hour integrated transport services that link the airport with the city and with the railway network. Boarding points are given precisely, which matters in a terminal this large:

You arrive at	Published airport bus pick-up point
Terminal 1	Level 1, outside Gate G01, on the connecting corridor between Terminal 1 and the Ground Transportation Center (GTC)
Terminal 2	Level 1, outside Gate G03, on the connecting corridor between Terminal 2 and the GTC

Ticketing is online through the airport page's stated channel, Chengdu Public Transport Group's own app, and the airport lists a 24-hour hotline and a separate bus service hotline. The page also carries a caution worth repeating verbatim in substance: route, stop, schedule and fare adjustments are subject to the information actually posted at the station.

5. The long-distance coach station inside the airport

Tianfu Airport has its own long-distance bus station inside the Ground Transportation Center, built to the standards of a national first-class passenger transport station. The airport describes it as having a ticketing hall on Level L2, with the waiting hall and departure platforms on Level L1, and as serving routes radiating to major cities around Chengdu plus customised lines.

Two practical points come from the same page. Tickets can be bought in person at the counter with a valid ID, or reserved online through the third-party platforms the airport names (Tuanzi Travel, Tongcheng, Ctrip, Meituan and Fliggy), then collected at the station's self-service kiosks with a passport or a collection code. And the station applies a real-name system for ticket sales and inspection under the Ministry of Transport's road passenger transport rules — so carry your passport. Taxis and coaches are not the only ways out; see our guide to booking China's high-speed rail tickets for the rail channels.

6. Taxi and ride-hailing: metered, with published pick-up gates

For taxis, the airport states that rides are strictly charged by the meter if your destination is inside Chengdu's administrative boundaries, with no empty-return surcharge applied. Pick-up points are outside Gate G02 on the Terminal 1 side and outside Gate G04 on the Terminal 2 side, both on the ground level connecting corridor to the Ground Transportation Center.

Ride-hailing is supported, with a dedicated boarding area on Level 1 of Parking 1. If a driver asks you to meet somewhere other than the published area, that is worth questioning rather than following.

Shuangliu Airport publishes its own contact routes on its official site: an airport hotline, plus separate complaint numbers. Its transport menu also sets out the airport bus, air-coach, shuttle, inter-city rail, metro, scenic-spot bus and urban passenger transport terminal services it provides.

7. Which option fits your arrival

Your situation	Take	Why
Land at Tianfu in the day, staying near the city centre or South Railway Station	Metro Line 18	One line from the terminal; the airport publishes about 44 minutes to Terminals 1 and 2 and RMB 10
Land at Tianfu late, or want the fastest published run	Metro Line 18 express, or a taxi	The express pattern is about 37 minutes to Terminals 1 and 2; taxis run from Gates G02/G04
Land after the metro has stopped for the night	Airport bus, or the published night bus line	The airport documents six bus lines as a 24-hour service and lists a 00:00–05:00 service
Carry large or heavy luggage and dislike stairs	Taxi or ride-hailing	Both have published pick-up areas at ground level and at Parking 1
Arrive at Shuangliu and depart from Tianfu	Metro transfer via Line 10, 9 and 18, or Line 19	Published at about 65 minutes and RMB 11, or about 30 minutes express at RMB 10
Continuing to another Chinese city	Rail from Chengdu South Railway Station	Line 18 terminates there, so the metro drops you at the railway station

8. One planning note that is easy to miss

The metro network is not static. The airport's transport page carries a service notice stating that, because of construction at certain railway stations, the eastern section of Chengdu Metro Line 2 was modified: from 20 December 2025, six stations in that section suspended service temporarily, with operations expected to resume in October 2026 and the exact date to be announced separately. If your onward plan assumes a Line 2 connection, check the current status before you travel.

9. Onward travel from Chengdu

Chengdu South Railway Station is both Line 18's northern terminus and a main-line railway station, which makes it the natural interchange if you are continuing by train. China Railway runs its own English-language ticket site at 12306.cn, and our high-speed rail guide covers the booking channels, the passport requirement and the check-in process. If you are still deciding where to sleep, the same logic that applies in Shanghai and Beijing applies here: an airport-side hotel removes a pre-dawn gamble, while a station-side hotel shortens the onward leg. Our Guangzhou page shows the same trade-off for a third city, and the city guides hub is where the Chengdu city guide will sit once published.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

All sources retrieved 24 September 2026. This page is an independent reading of the sources listed; the official pages themselves are the specification.

Fact used on this page	Source
S1 — Metro Line 18 and Line 19 at Tianfu Airport; operating modes, stops, running times, service hours and fares; airport bus lines, operator, pick-up gates and hotlines; long-distance coach station layout, booking channels and real-name rule; taxi metering rule and pick-up gates; ride-hailing boarding area; Line 2 eastern-section service notice: Line 18 runs along the east side of Tianfu Avenue from Chengdu South Railway Station to Tianfu International Airport North Station, passing Century City, Western China International Expo City and the airport's T1 & T2; pick-up at the north transfer hall of the GTC. Regular line stops and times: around 44 minutes to T1 & T2 and around 46 minutes to Airport North Station, service hours 06:00–23:30. Express line stops and times: around 37 minutes to T1 & T2 and around 39 minutes to Airport North Station. The express pattern is scheduled for peak morning, noon and evening traffic and runs six trains; otherwise the regular pattern applies. Fares: Line 18 from Chengdu South Railway Station to T1 & T2 is RMB 10, and to Airport North Station is RMB 10; Line 19 from Jinxing to T1 & T2 is RMB 12 and to Airport North Station is RMB 12. QR-code riding uses the Chengdu Metro app linked to Alipay or WeChat, interconnected with Chongqing, Xi'an and Zhengzhou. Airport bus pick-up points: Level 1 outside Gate G01 on the T1–GTC connecting corridor, and Level 1 outside Gate G03 on the T2–GTC connecting corridor; Chengdu Gongjiao Group Xingchen Bus Co., Ltd. currently operates 6 airport bus lines providing 24-hour integrated transport linking the airport with the city and the railway network; 24-hour hotline 028-62676868; online ticketing via Chengdu Public Transport Group's app; bus service hotline 028-85076868. Long-distance bus station inside the GTC: national first-class passenger transport station standards; ticketing hall on Level L2, waiting hall and departure platforms on Level L1; in-person purchase with original valid ID or online reservation through Tuanzi Travel, Tongcheng, Ctrip, Meituan or Fliggy, with collection at self-service kiosks using a passport or collection verification code; real-name system for sales and inspection under the Ministry of Transport's Provisions on the Administration of Road Passenger Transport and Passenger Transport Stations; inquiry hotline 028-86905511; payment by WeChat Pay, Alipay, cards or cash. Taxi: if the destination is within Chengdu's administrative boundaries, rides are strictly charged by the meter with no empty-return surcharge; pick-up outside Gate G02 (Terminal 1–GTC corridor) and outside Gate G04 (Terminal 2–GTC corridor). Ride-hailing: dedicated boarding area on Level 1 of Parking 1. Line 2 notice: due to construction at certain railway stations, from 20 December 2025 six stations on the eastern section suspend service temporarily, with operations expected to resume in October 2026 and the exact date to be announced separately. Line 19 description: runs generally northwest to southeast from Jinxing in Wenjiang District, through Wenjiang, Shuangliu and Tianfu New District, to Tianfu Station in Tianfu New District, and runs through to Tianfu Airport North Station via Line 18. Chengdu Metro service hotline 028-61638000. The page states that any adjustments to routes, stops, schedules or fares are subject to the actual information posted at the station	Chengdu Tianfu International Airport, official English site — Comprehensive Transportation (retrieved 2026-09-24) https://www.sctfia.com/EN/traffic/tramode/tramode.html?id=590
S2 — Transfers between Shuangliu and Tianfu airports; night bus line: transfer is possible by private vehicle, metro or the Airport Special Line. Metro via Line 10 → Line 9 → Line 18: from Shuangliu Airport Terminal 2 or Terminal 1 take Line 10 to Huaxing, transfer to Line 9, transfer at Incubation Park to Line 18, to Tianfu Airport Terminals 1 & 2; estimated total travel time 65 minutes; fare RMB 11. Line 19 express from Shuangliu Airport Terminal 2 East to Tianfu Airport Terminals 1 & 2: approximately 30 minutes; regular service on the same pair approximately 50 minutes; fare RMB 10. Night bus: Tianfu International Airport Airport Bus Night Bus Line 5 routed Tianfu International Airport → Century City → Shuangliu International Airport, operating 00:00–05:00 every 60 minutes. Self-driving route: Shuangliu Airport → Chengdu Airport Expressway S6 → Chengdu Ring Expressway G4202 → Tianfu International Airport Expressway S3 (T1T2 Toll Station of Tianfu Airport) → Tianfu Airport	Chengdu Tianfu International Airport, official English site — To and From the Airport (retrieved 2026-09-24) https://www.sctfia.com/EN/traffic/tofrom/tofrom.html?id=346
S3 — Existence and self-description of the Tianfu Airport official English site; published airport hotline and site structure: the site is published as Chengdu Tianfu International Airport, gives 028-86906666 as its hotline, and organises ground transport under Traffic — To and From the Airport, Comprehensive Transportation, Parking Structure and Parking Lot in Public Area	Chengdu Tianfu International Airport, official English site — home page (retrieved 2026-09-24) https://www.sctfia.com/EN/
S4 — Scale, opening years, termini and station counts of the metro lines named in this page: Line 18 opened in 2020, runs from Tianfu Airport North Station in the east to Chengdu South Railway Station in the west, 66.83 km with 13 stations. Line 19's first phase opened in 2020 and its second phase in 2023, running northwest from Jinxing Station to Tianfu Airport North Station in the southeast, 100.59 km with 22 stations. Line 30's first phase opened in 2025, running east from Longquanyi Railway Station South Station to Shuangliu Airport Terminal 2 East Station in the west, 27.96 km with 24 stations. Line 10's phases opened in 2017, 2019 and 2025, running east from Wuhouci Station to Xinping Station, 41.54 km with 19 stations	Chengdu Rail Transit Group, official website — line roster (retrieved 2026-09-24) https://www.chengdurail.com/
S5 — Existence, transport sections and published contact numbers of the Shuangliu Airport official site: the site is published as Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport; its traffic menu lists City Map, Parking Lot, Taxi, Airport Bus, Airport Coach Terminal, Shuttle, Inter-city Rail, Metro, Scenic Spot Bus and Urban Passenger Transport Terminal; it publishes 028-85205555 as an airport and airport-bus enquiry number, and 028-85205678 and 028-85205432 as complaint numbers	Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport, official English site (retrieved 2026-09-24) https://www.cdairport.com/en/
S6 — Existence of China Railway's own English-language ticket site: the page at the cited address is titled "12306 CHINA RAILWAY" and is served from the China Railway domain	12306 China Railway, official English site (retrieved 2026-09-24) https://www.12306.cn/en/index.html

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