In short
Tianfu Airport sits about 63 km from Chunxi Road in the city centre, but metro, high-speed rail, coaches, airport express buses and taxis are all consolidated inside the Ground Transport Centre (GTC) between Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, so you never step outside to change. The default is Metro Line 18: Tianfu Airport T1 & T2 to Chengdu South railway station takes 33 minutes and costs ¥10, with trains about every 6–8 minutes at peak and the first and last departures at 06:00 and 23:30. Chengdu South is an interchange with Lines 1 and 7 and is a railway station in its own right. Line 19 uses the same GTC entrance and links Tianfu with Shuangliu, Chengdu’s other airport, in about 40 minutes for a full-length fare of ¥12. To be dropped in the middle of town, airport express Line 1 runs around the clock via Chengdu East to Chunxi Road, below the IFS panda, for ¥15 by day and ¥25 between 23:30 and 06:00. Taxis are metered throughout: ¥8 or ¥9 covers the first 2 km, then ¥1.90 per km, plus the ¥19.50 Tianfu Airport Expressway toll. The provincial transport department publishes reference estimates of ¥192 by day and ¥219 at night to Chunxi Road.
- Airport → Chengdu South
- 33 min
- Line 18 fare
- ¥10
- Line 19 full fare
- ¥12
- First / last metro
- 06:00 / 23:30
- Metro entrance
- GTC, L1 interchange hall
- Distance to centre
- About 63 km, about 60 min by road
How to take each option
Metro Line 18 (recommended)
Time 33 minFare ¥10First 06:00Last 23:30
- After baggage claim, follow the metro signs into the GTC between Terminals 1 and 2; the metro entrance is on the L1 interchange hall.
- Buy a single-journey ticket at the machines with cash, WeChat Pay or Alipay, or tap through the gates with a QR code from the Chengdu Metro, Tianfutong, Alipay or Unionpay apps.
- Go down to the platform and board a train towards Chengdu South railway station; the full fare from the airport is ¥10.
- Alight at Chengdu South 33 minutes later and change to Line 1 or Line 7 for the rest of the city, or pick up a train at the railway station here.
The network-level official hours are 06:00 to 23:30; station-level listings also give 06:03 and 23:34, a figure quoted via an encyclopaedia entry and used for cross-checking only, so confirm on the day in the Chengdu Metro app. Line 18 also runs limited-stop services, about 37 minutes end to end against about 44 minutes for a stopping train. Century City is an intermediate interchange with Line 1.
Metro Line 19 (Shuangliu Airport and the west)
Time About 40 min between airportsFare ¥12 full lengthFirst 06:08Last 23:28
- Same entrance as Line 18: walk into the GTC and find the metro gates on the L1 interchange hall.
- Buy a ticket or scan through the gates; the full-length fare on Line 19 is ¥12.
- Check the platform screens for direction: towards Jinxing runs via Shuangliu Airport, Shuangliu Airport Terminal 2 East is the short-route terminus, and Tianfu Airport North is the opposite way.
- Shuangliu Airport is about 40 minutes away; for western Chengdu, get off at an interchange along the way and change lines.
Line 19 through-runs with Line 18 to Tianfu Airport North. Last trains differ by direction: 23:28 towards Jinxing, 23:38 for the Shuangliu Airport Terminal 2 East short-route terminus and 00:20 towards Tianfu Airport North, whose first train is at 06:36.
Airport express Line 1 (24 hours)
Time 80 minFare ¥15 / ¥25First 00:00Last 23:59
- Walk out to ground level at door G01 on the Terminal 1 link to the GTC, or door G03 on the Terminal 2 link.
- Buy at the ticket counter or from the driver: ¥15 for departures between 06:00 and 23:30, ¥25 between 23:30 and 06:00.
- Board for Chengdu East railway station; the line ends at Chunxi Road, below the panda on the IFS building. Put bags in the luggage hold.
This is the only airport express line that runs around the clock, which makes it the default for red-eye arrivals.
Taxi
Time About 60 min in free-flowing trafficFare Metered
- Follow the taxi signs to the ground level of the GTC link: outside door G02 on the Terminal 1 side, door G04 on the Terminal 2 side.
- Queue only at the official rank and ignore anyone touting rides inside the arrivals hall.
- Show the driver your destination written in Chinese, or your hotel address.
- Pay the metered fare plus the ¥19.50 Tianfu Airport Expressway one-way toll.
Ride-hailing has dedicated pick-up zones on level L1 of car parks 1 and 2, served by DiDi, Shouqi, CaoCao, T3 and Amap; note that ride-hailing cars pay a ¥39 expressway toll against ¥19.50 for a taxi.
Late-night and early-morning arrivals
The last Line 18 train leaves around 23:30, after which the metro is finished (the 00:20 Line 19 departure serves only the Tianfu Airport North area). You still have three options: express Line 1 runs 24 hours to Chunxi Road for ¥25 between 23:30 and 06:00; night lines cover other corners, with Night Line 2 to Jinsha from 20:30 to 07:30, Night Line 3 to the zoo terminus from 19:35 to 04:35 and Night Line 5 to Shuangliu Airport from 00:00 to 05:00; or simply queue outside door G02 or G04, since taxis run 24 hours, with a night surcharge between 23:00 and 06:00.
Questions travellers ask
What is the fastest way from Tianfu Airport to central Chengdu?
Metro Line 18: 33 minutes to Chengdu South railway station for ¥10, and the only option immune to traffic. Change there to Line 1 or Line 7, and you are in the Chunxi Road area roughly 50–60 minutes after leaving the terminal.
How much is the metro from Tianfu Airport?
Line 18 costs ¥10 for the full run to Chengdu South and Line 19 ¥12 for its full length. Ticket machines take cash as well as WeChat Pay and Alipay, and you can also scan in with a QR code from the Chengdu Metro or Alipay apps.
What time are the first and last metro trains?
At network level, Line 18 runs 06:00 to 23:30 in both directions. Line 19 varies by direction: 06:08 to 23:28 towards Jinxing, last train 23:38 for Shuangliu Airport Terminal 2 East, and 06:36 to 00:20 towards Tianfu Airport North. Check the Chengdu Metro app on the day.
How do I transfer between Tianfu and Shuangliu airports?
By day take Metro Line 19, which links the two airports in about 40 minutes for a full-length fare of ¥12 and never leaves the GTC. Between 00:00 and 05:00 there is night express Line 5, ¥25 and about 60 minutes. The airports are around 60 km apart, so allow 2.5–3 hours for a connection.
Which Chengdu airport does my flight actually use?
Chengdu has two far-apart airports, Tianfu (TFU) and Shuangliu (CTU), and international and regional flights now use Tianfu. Check the three-letter code on your ticket before you travel; if you turn up at the wrong one, call 028-86905511 or your airline.
How much is a taxi from Tianfu Airport to the city centre?
Chengdu taxis are metered: ¥8 or ¥9 covers the first 2 km, then ¥1.90 per km, plus the ¥19.50 Tianfu Airport Expressway toll. The Sichuan transport department publishes reference estimates of ¥192 by day and ¥219 at night to Chunxi Road including tolls — an estimate rather than a fixed price, and the meter decides what you actually pay.
Is there a bus straight to Chunxi Road?
Yes — airport express Line 1 runs via Chengdu East railway station to Chunxi Road, below the panda on the IFS building. It takes about 80 minutes and costs ¥15 for departures between 06:00 and 23:30, ¥25 between 23:30 and 06:00, running around the clock.
Are there options if I land after midnight?
Yes. Express Line 1 runs 24 hours to Chunxi Road, Night Line 3 until 04:35 and Night Line 2 until 07:30; taxis also run 24 hours, with a night surcharge from 23:00 to 06:00. The metro stops around 23:30.
Metro or taxi?
Travelling alone with light bags and not arriving in the small hours: Line 18, ¥10 and 33 minutes with a guaranteed time. Three or more together, heavy luggage, or a landing after midnight: a taxi is far less hassle door to door, at the cost of about 60 minutes of driving and a three-figure fare.
Are the metro and railway stations inside the terminal?
Everything is in the GTC: the metro entrance on the L1 interchange hall, Tianfujichang high-speed station on level B2, the coach ticket office on L2 with its waiting hall on L1, and the express buses and taxis at ground level. You never go outside.
Can I use a foreign credit card for tickets?
International credit cards are generally not accepted inside the taxi itself, and binding a foreign card to WeChat Pay or Alipay takes some setting up, so carry cash or arrive with a working Chinese payment app. Metro single-journey tickets can be bought with cash, WeChat Pay or Alipay.
I need to catch a train after landing — what is the easiest way?
If your next stop is Chengdu East, walk down to Tianfujichang station on level B2 of the GTC and take the Chengdu–Zigong–Yibin high-speed line: 27 minutes to Chengdu East from about ¥20–23 in second class. The same station also serves Chengdu South, Zigong, Yibin and Luzhou.