In short
Taxis at Tianfu Airport pick up only at the official ranks: ground level outside door G02 on the Terminal 1 link to the GTC and door G04 on the Terminal 2 link (the 2023 Chengdu Transport Bureau guide words it as "Terminal 1 / Terminal 2 side, level L1", a different description that appears to point to the same area). Chengdu’s central "11+2" area uses one tariff: a flag drop of ¥8 for cars priced up to ¥140,000 or ¥9 for cars between ¥140,000 and ¥250,000 covering 2 km, then ¥1.90 per km; when the car drops below 12 km/h you are charged one km-unit for every 5 minutes of waiting; beyond 10 km and up to 60 km a one-way return-empty surcharge of 50% of the per-km rate, about ¥2.85 per km, applies, but not on return trips; between 23:00 and 06:00 the flag drop rises by ¥1.00 and the per-km rate by ¥0.30; road and bridge tolls are the passenger’s to pay, and every airport trip also carries the ¥19.50 Tianfu Airport Expressway one-way toll, against ¥39 for ride-hailing. The Sichuan transport department publishes reference estimates including tolls: Chunxi Road ¥192 by day and ¥219 at night, Tianfu Square ¥195 and ¥222, Chengdu East ¥175 and ¥199, Chengdu South ¥175 and ¥199, and Chengdu railway station ¥203 and ¥232. These are official estimates rather than fixed prices — the meter decides what you pay.
- Flag drop
- ¥8 / ¥9 (first 2 km)
- Per km
- ¥1.90 per km
- Night surcharge
- 23:00–06:00: +¥1.00 flag, +¥0.30/km
- Expressway toll
- ¥19.50 (¥39 for ride-hailing)
- Pickup point
- Door G02 (T1) / G04 (T2)
- To Chunxi Road
- About 63 km, about 60 min
How to take each option
How to get a taxi
Fare Metered
- After baggage claim, follow the taxi signs to the link between the terminal and the GTC, then go down to ground level.
- Queue outside door G02 for Terminal 1 and door G04 for Terminal 2 — these two doors are the only official pick-up points.
- Show the driver your destination in Chinese, ideally your hotel address with the street number.
- Pay the metered fare plus the ¥19.50 Tianfu Airport Expressway toll; ask for the receipt printed by the meter if you need one for expenses.
Only board at the official rank and refuse touts who approach you in the arrivals hall. The airport states plainly that the meter is used with no airport pick-up premium.
Using a ride-hailing app
Fare Platform fare plus ¥39 toll
- Confirm the pickup point before you order: ride-hailing at Tianfu uses the dedicated zones on level L1 of car parks 1 and 2.
- DiDi, Shouqi, CaoCao, T3 and Amap all serve the airport, so follow the app’s walking route into the car park.
- Check the plate and driver details against the app before you get in.
Ride-hailing pays a ¥39 expressway toll against ¥19.50 for a taxi, but the app quotes the price up front, which is more predictable late at night or on a long run.
How the fare adds up
- The flag drop is ¥8 or ¥9 for the first 2 km depending on the car: ¥8 for vehicles priced up to ¥140,000, ¥9 for those between ¥140,000 and ¥250,000.
- The meter then charges ¥1.90 per km, and in jams below 12 km/h it adds one km-unit for every 5 minutes of waiting.
- Between 10 km and 60 km a one-way return-empty surcharge of 50%, about ¥2.85 per km, is added; it is not charged on return trips.
- Between 23:00 and 06:00 the night surcharge adds ¥1.00 to the flag drop and ¥0.30 per km.
- Tolls go on top: every airport trip carries the ¥19.50 Tianfu Airport Expressway one-way toll.
As an example, Chunxi Road is about 63 km away and the transport department’s reference estimate in free-flowing traffic is ¥192 by day and ¥219 at night, both including tolls. The real figure moves with traffic and route.
How to pay
- Have your payment ready before you reach the rank: WeChat Pay, Alipay or cash. International credit cards are generally not accepted inside the taxi.
- Scan the driver’s collection QR code, or hand over cash.
- Ask for the meter-printed receipt if you need proof of payment.
Neither the airport nor the city publishes an official list of payment methods accepted in taxis, so treat QR payment as common practice rather than a guarantee, and carry cash as well.
Late-night and early-morning arrivals
Taxis run 24 hours, with a night surcharge between 23:00 and 06:00 that adds ¥1.00 to the flag drop and ¥0.30 per km, typically 10–15% above daytime. Metro Line 18 stops around 23:30, after which express Line 1 still runs around the clock to Chunxi Road for ¥25, with Night Line 2 until 07:30 and Night Line 3 until 04:35. In the small hours, queue only at the official ranks outside doors G02 and G04.
Questions travellers ask
How much is a taxi from Tianfu Airport to the city centre?
Officially the fare is whatever the meter says, with no fixed price. The Sichuan transport department’s reference estimates including tolls are ¥192 by day and ¥219 at night to Chunxi Road, and ¥195 and ¥222 to Tianfu Square. It is about 63 km and about 60 minutes in free-flowing traffic, and the real figure moves with conditions.
What is the Chengdu taxi flag drop?
¥8 or ¥9 for the first 2 km: ¥8 for cars priced up to ¥140,000 and ¥9 for those between ¥140,000 and ¥250,000, then ¥1.90 per km.
Is there a night surcharge?
Yes. Between 23:00 and 06:00 the night surcharge adds ¥1.00 to the flag drop and ¥0.30 per km, typically 10–15% above daytime.
Who pays the expressway toll?
The passenger, on top of the metered fare: ¥19.50 for the Tianfu Airport Expressway one-way toll in a taxi, ¥39 in a ride-hailing car.
Where do I find a taxi?
Ground level outside door G02 on the Terminal 1 link to the GTC, and door G04 on the Terminal 2 link. An older transport-bureau guide words it as "Terminal 1 / Terminal 2 side, level L1", which appears to describe the same area.
Where does ride-hailing pick up?
Dedicated zones on level L1 of car parks 1 and 2, served by DiDi, Shouqi, CaoCao, T3 and Amap.
How long does it take to the city centre?
About 63 km and 60 minutes to Chunxi Road in free-flowing traffic; allow much longer at rush hour. Chengdu East is about 57 km away and Chengdu railway station about 67 km.
How much is a taxi to Chengdu East railway station?
About 57 km. The transport department’s reference estimate is ¥175 by day and ¥199 at night including tolls. Far cheaper is the high-speed train from level B2 of the GTC: 27 minutes from about ¥20–23 in second class.
Is there a taxi at 3 a.m.?
Yes, taxis run 24 hours. The metro has stopped by then, but express Line 1 still runs around the clock to Chunxi Road for ¥25 and Night Line 3 until 04:35.
Taxi or metro?
Metro Line 18 is 33 minutes and ¥10, cheap and predictable, but you change at Chengdu South. A taxi is door to door at the cost of about 60 minutes of driving and a three-figure fare. Choose the taxi late at night, with heavy bags, or with three or more people.
Can I pay with a foreign credit card?
Generally not directly. No official list of accepted payment methods is published; the common practice is WeChat Pay, Alipay or cash, so have at least one of them ready.
I went to Shuangliu Airport by mistake — what now?
Chengdu has two far-apart airports and international flights now use Tianfu. Call 028-86905511 or your airline if you turn up at the wrong one; by day Metro Line 18 takes about 40 minutes between them via Line 19, and between 00:00 and 05:00 night express Line 5 runs for ¥25.
Do I need to tip?
No — just pay the metered fare.