Overview
The Chengdu Metro is the rapid transit system of Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan, China. It opened with Line 1 on 27 September 2010 and has since undergone rapid expansion — so rapid that, following the opening of Lines 6, 8, 9 and 17 on 18 December 2020, it became the fourth-longest metro system in the world. As of September 2025 the network has 17 operating subway lines totalling 721.3 km (448.2 mi) of track with 447 stations, plus one light rail line (Line T2) covering 39.3 km (24.4 mi) with 36 stops. The system serves about 6 million trips per day, and roughly 2.2 million people live within 500 m of a station and 4.6 million within 800 m.
Riding it end to end as a visitor is straightforward. Plan your route in advance with a mapping app such as Amap (高德地图) or Baidu Maps, selecting the "Metro" option — these show the lines you need, your transfer stations and even the recommended exit number. Screenshot the route before you descend, because you may lose signal underground. At the station, send your bags through the X-ray machine at the entrance (knives and lighters are prohibited), then tap or scan your ticket at the gate reader on your right-hand side. Follow the signs to your line and the correct direction — platforms are signed with the line number and the terminus, for example "Line 1 · Science City方向" — and confirm the final stop matches your app. Wait behind the yellow line and let passengers off before you board. On the way out, scan your QR code or insert your token to open the exit gate.
The network
Chengdu's public transport is dominated by its subway, supported by a light rail line, an extensive bus network and a loop BRT service. The subway lines are numbered rather than named, so the local name of each is simply the number plus 线 (xiàn, "line").
- Line 1 (一号线, Yīhào Xiàn) — runs north–south through the city centre along Renmin Road and Tianfu Avenue, from Weijianian to Science City, with a branch from Sihe to Wugensong. It connects the North and South railway stations and passes Tianfu Square. Its colour is dark blue.
- Line 2 (二号线, Èrhào Xiàn) — a crosstown northwest–southeast trunk route from Xipu to Longquanyi, serving Chengdu East Railway Station, Tianfu Square and Chunxi Road. It opened on 16 September 2012 and its colour is orange.
- Line 3 (三号线, Sānhào Xiàn) — runs northeast–southwest from Chengdu Medical College to Shuangliu West Station, serving tourist spots including Chunxi Road, Chengdu Zoo and Panda Avenue. It opened on 31 July 2016 and was Chengdu's final line to use the lower-capacity Type B trains. Its colour is magenta.
- Line 4 (四号线, Sìhào Xiàn) — runs east–west from Wansheng in Wenjiang to Xihe in Longquanyi, serving Kuanzhaixiangzi Alleys (Wide and Narrow Alley) and Chengdu West Railway Station. It opened on 26 December 2015 and was the first line to use the longer, wider and higher-capacity Type A trains. Its colour is green.
- Line 5 (五号线, Wǔhào Xiàn) — a crosstown north–south trunk line from Huagui Road to Huilong, running parallel to Line 1 and relieving crowding on it. Despite its number it was the seventh line to open, on 27 December 2019. Its colour is purple.
- Line 6 (六号线, Liùhào Xiàn) — a crosstown northwest–southwest pivotal line from Wangcongci to Lanjiagou, the second-longest metro line in Chengdu and the line with more stations than any other metro line in China (54, with two more infill stations planned). It opened on 18 December 2020 and its colour is brown.
- Line 7 (七号线, Qīhào Xiàn) — the loop line circling downtown Chengdu. It interchanges with all other lines as well as the North, South and East railway stations, and passes the Jinsha Site Museum. It opened on 6 December 2017 and its colour is sky blue.
- Line 8 (八号线, Bāhào Xiàn) — a crosstown northeast–southwest line from Shilidian to Lianhua, connecting the Wangjiang and Jiang'an campuses of Sichuan University and serving the city's musical area and Donghu Park. Phase 1 opened on 18 December 2020 and Phase 2 on 19 December 2024. Its colour is chartreuse.
- Line 9 (九号线, Jiǔhào Xiàn) — the first driverless metro line in Mid/West China, running from Financial City East to Huangtianba and serving Chengdu West Railway Station. It is planned to become the system's second circle line. Phase 1 opened on 18 December 2020 and its colour is bright orange.
- Line 10 (十号线, Shíhào Xiàn) — runs south–southwest from Xinping to Taipingyuan, serving both terminals of Shuangliu International Airport and Shuangliu West Railway Station. It opened on 6 September 2017 and its colour is blue.
- Line 13 (十三号线, Shísānhào Xiàn) — a metro line in central Chengdu that started operation on 16 December 2025.
- Line 17 (十七号线, Shíqīhào Xiàn) — runs west–northwest from Jitouqiao to Jinxing, with a transfer to Line 9; the plan is for it to become a city express line. Phase 1 opened on 18 December 2020 and its colour is pale green.
- Line 18 (十八号线, Shíbāhào Xiàn) — the city's first express metro line, running south–southeast from South Railway Station to Tianfu International Airport North and paralleling the southern section of Line 1 through Tianfu New Area. It is the third-longest metro line in China and the longest with no branches. It opened on 27 September 2020 and its colour is teal.
- Line 19 (十九号线, Shíjiǔhào Xiàn) — an express metro line linking Shuangliu International Airport and Tianfu International Airport, partly sharing track with Line 18 between Tianfu Station and Tianfu Airport North. It opened on 22 September 2023 and its colour is light purple.
- Line 27 (二十七号线, Èrshíqīhào Xiàn) — connects several northern regions of the city and is the city's second driverless metro line. Its colour is light blue.
- Line 30 (三十号线, Sānshíhào Xiàn) — links Shuangliu Airport and Longquanyi Railway Station.
- Line S3 (S3线, S3 Xiàn) — a regional line running from Futian to Ziyang North Station, with 7 stations.
- Line T2 (T2线, T2 Xiàn) — the system's light rail/tram line, with 36 stops over 39.3 km.
Beyond the rails, Chengdu has an extensive bus system including a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line in a loop. At each bus stop there is a list of the bus lines serving that road, and some city maps show the whole network — but bus lines and maps use Chinese characters only, and on-board announcements are usually in Chinese only. Most bus routes run from about 06:00 to 21:00. The Chengdu–Dujiangyan intercity railway connects Chengdu station with the suburbs of Dujiangyan and Pengzhou, operating in a way similar to a metro with cheap tickets (the highest fare is ¥15).
Tickets & fares
You have several ways to pay. Single-ride tickets can be bought from self-service ticket vending machines, which have an English interface and accept cash, WeChat and Alipay — international credit cards are also accepted at most ticket machines. You select your destination station, pay, and receive a token: tap it to enter and insert it into the slot on the right side of the gate to exit (the machine keeps the token). Ticket booths are also available if you want to pay in cash. Alternatively, you can ride with a QR code: search "Chengdu Metro" in Alipay or WeChat and scan the code at the gate. A contactless metro card — available as a card or a panda keyring, and also known as the Chengdu Transportation Smart Card (天府通, Tiānfūtōng) — gives you a 10% discount on all journeys.
Fares are distance-based and approximate; they change, so check the current price when you buy. The published single-trip scale runs from ¥2 for 0–4 km, ¥3 for 4–8 km, ¥4 for 8–12 km, ¥5 for 12–18 km, ¥6 for 18–24 km, ¥7 for 24–32 km, ¥8 for 32–40 km, ¥9 for 40–50 km, and ¥10 for journeys over 50 km. Children under 1.3 m (4 ft) ride free on all lines. As a sample of what this means in practice, a single-ride ticket from Tianfu Airport to the centre (Tianfu Square) cost ¥11 in October 2024. Airport shuttle buses are a separate service, costing ¥10–15 from Shuangliu Airport or ¥40 from Tianfu Airport.
From the airport
Chengdu has two airports, and both are connected to the metro.
- Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport (CTU, 成都双流国际机场) — 14 km southwest of the city centre, formerly Chengdu's main airport and now planned to serve mostly domestic routes, with international services increasingly transferred to Tianfu. Metro Line 10 serves separate stations at Terminals 1 and 2 and runs to Taipingyuan, where you can transfer to Line 3 and Line 7 and from there to other lines; the journey to the city centre takes about 30–40 minutes. Line 19 also serves Terminal 2.
- Chengdu Tianfu International Airport (TFU, 成都天府国际机场) — 53 km southeast of the centre, built to accommodate rising passenger flow for Southwest China and planned to take over most of Shuangliu's international services. Metro Line 18 runs from the airport to South Railway Station, where you can transfer to Lines 1 and 7 and onward to other lines; the journey takes about 50 minutes and trains run from approximately 06:00 to 23:00. Line 19 also serves Terminals 1 and 2 and Airport North, and its express train takes about 30 minutes between Tianfu Airport and Shuangliu Airport.
Airport shuttle buses also operate between the airports and the city centre. The main Shuangliu line #1 stops at the Air China airline office in a side street just off Renmin Nanlu, opposite the entrance of the Minshan Hotel; there are three other routes but they are less regular, so ask at the ticket desk outside the Arrivals lounge. Buses run all day but less frequently in the middle of the night. The shuttle bus to Tianfu Airport starts at Chengdu IFS near Chunxilu subway station.
Taxis are metered, with an average fare of about ¥45 from the airport to the city centre and no extra charge for luggage or additional passengers. Have your destination written in Chinese, as most drivers do not speak English, and when going from the city to the airport add about ¥10 to cover the Airport Expressway toll. At the airport, head for the domestic arrival area and the official taxi stand, where you queue for marked green-and-yellow or blue-and-yellow taxis; be wary of anyone over-enthusiastically steering you into their vehicle.
Etiquette & customs
- Queuing and boarding: wait behind the yellow line on the platform and let passengers exit the train before you board. On buses, you normally enter through the front door and alight by the rear door.
- Escalators: as in most Chinese cities, stand on the right and leave the left side free for people walking past.
- Security: every metro entry requires your bags to pass through an X-ray machine, and knives and lighters are prohibited — allow a little extra time for this at busy stations.
- Priority seating: seats near the doors are reserved for the elderly, pregnant passengers, parents with small children and people with disabilities; leave them free unless you qualify.
- Eating and drinking: keep food and drinks off the trains and out of the paid areas — it is not the local custom and is generally discouraged.
- Rush hour: the system carries about 6 million trips a day, so expect crowding at peak times. Move down the carriage, keep your bag in front of you, and let people off before pushing on.
- Quiet: keep phone calls and music volume low; the carriage is a shared, generally calm space.
Survival terms
- 地铁 (dìtiě) — subway / metro
- 票 (piào) — ticket
- 线 (xiàn) — line (as in 一号线, Yīhào Xiàn, Line 1)
- 入口 (rùkǒu) — entrance
- 出口 (chūkǒu) — exit
- 换乘 (huànchéng) — transfer
- 单程票 (dānchéng piào) — single-ride ticket / single fare
- 一日票 (yīrì piào) — day pass
Before you descend underground, screenshot your route and your destination's Chinese name, because you may lose signal on the platform and a written address will save you time in a taxi or at a ticket window.