In short
Let us clear up the question everybody searches first: there is no metro here. Not at the airport, and not in any of the three cities it serves. The Shantou transport bureau has said publicly that the city does not yet qualify to apply for a metro or light-rail project, and neither Chaozhou nor Jieyang has urban rail either, so this is an official position rather than a gap in our data. What Jieyang Chaoshan does have is its own railway station. Jieyang Airport station sits on the Meizhou–Chaoshan railway right against the south side of Terminal 1, two to three minutes on foot from the arrivals hall, and after the April 2026 timetable change around 54 trains a day call there. From that platform Shantou station is 39 km and 35–47 minutes away at ¥23–25 in second class, Jieyang station is 22 km and 13 minutes at ¥12–13, and Chaoshan station, the regional high-speed junction, is 10 km and as little as 9 minutes away at ¥10–12. Toward Chaoshan and Shantou the first train leaves at 07:35 and the last at 22:59; toward Jieyang and Meizhou West they run 07:21 to 21:31. Rail fares float, so read those as ranges and check 12306 for your date. The second way in is the airport express coach network: ¥30 to Shantou on the east or west line and to Chenghai, about 70 minutes, ¥22 to Chaozhou and ¥22–25 to Jieyang old town, about 60 minutes, all sold at the Airport Express counter inside Gate 6 of the terminal. The third is a taxi or a ride-hailing car. Taxis queue outside Exit 4 of the arrivals hall in three lanes signed for Shantou, Jieyang and Chaozhou, and this is the part that surprises visitors: each cab meters at the tariff of the city on its plate, so a Yue D car to Shantou, a Yue V car to Jieyang and a Yue U car to Chaozhou are three different price lists, starting at ¥8 for the first 2 km in Jieyang and ¥10 for the first 2.6 km in Shantou and Chaozhou. No official airport-to-city fare is published anywhere; the figures circulating online, roughly ¥110–120 to central Shantou and ¥80–90 to Chaozhou or Jieyang, are third-party reference ranges rather than official prices. One more thing worth knowing before you set off: the airport stands in Rongcheng District, Jieyang, not in Shantou, and central Shantou is still about 40 km of road away. And if your real destination is Chaoshan railway station rather than a city centre, there is a much better answer waiting for you — a free shuttle, described at the end of this page.
- Metro to the airport
- None — no urban rail in Shantou, Chaozhou or Jieyang
- The airport railway station
- Jieyang Airport station, 2–3 min walk from Terminal 1
- To Shantou station
- 39 km, 35–47 min, ¥23–25 second class
- To Jieyang station
- 22 km, 13 min, ¥12–13 second class
- To Chaoshan station
- 10 km, as little as 9 min, ¥10–12 second class
- First and last trains
- 07:35–22:59 southbound; 07:21–21:31 northbound
- Express coach fares
- ¥22–30 by destination; tickets inside Gate 6
- Coach journey times
- About 60–70 min, published by the operator
- Taxi rank
- Outside Exit 4, three lanes sorted by destination city
- Taxi flag drop
- ¥8 per 2 km in Jieyang; ¥10 per 2.6 km in Shantou and Chaozhou
- Airport-to-city price
- Not published; third-party ranges ¥110–120 to Shantou, ¥80–90 to Chaozhou and Jieyang
How to take each option
Recommended: the train from Jieyang Airport station
Time 35–47 min to Shantou, 13 min to JieyangFare ¥23–25 to Shantou, ¥12–13 to Jieyang
- After baggage claim, follow the railway signs out of the south side of the terminal: Jieyang Airport station is right against Terminal 1, a two to three minute walk with no shuttle needed.
- Check that day’s departures and fares on 12306 or in the search box above first: fares float between dates on the same train, so buy ahead at busy times.
- Clear security and enter with your ID or a collected ticket; trains toward Shantou, Chaoshan and Shenzhen use the southbound platform, those toward Jieyang and Meizhou West the northbound one.
- Find your seat by coach number, paying ¥23–25 to Shantou or ¥12–13 to Jieyang in second class, and keep an eye on bags left in the vestibule or on the rack.
- Follow the exit signs on arrival: both Shantou and Jieyang stations sit on the edge of town, so the last leg is a taxi, a ride-hailing car or a bus.
This is the cheapest and steadiest option here, and the only price is waiting for a train: toward Shantou the first service leaves at 09:17 and the last at 20:47, with another source listing trains until 22:15, and toward Jieyang they run 07:21 to 21:31. Miss the last one and you are back to the coaches or a cab.
Airport express coaches: ¥22–30 to the hotel districts
Time About 60–70 minFare ¥22–30
- Buy your ticket at the Airport Express counter inside Gate 6, naming whether you are going to Shantou, Chaozhou, Chenghai or Jieyang old town; the enquiry line is 0663-3828788.
- Follow the airport bus pick-up signs to the ground floor of the terminal and check the destination board on the front of the coach before you queue.
- Stow big bags in the hold, keep valuables with you, and listen for the announcements: most lines finish at a hotel or a coach terminal.
- Fares run ¥30 on the Shantou east and west lines and the Chenghai line, about 70 minutes, ¥22 on the Chaozhou line and ¥22–25 on the Jieyang old town line, each about 60 minutes.
The Shantou east line starts at 07:30 with a last scheduled coach at 17:20, after which departures follow arriving flights with a guaranteed last coach before 02:00; the west line runs scheduled coaches from 10:00 to 14:00 and switches to flight-led departures after 16:00. These two are the ones to look for after dark.
Taxis: queue by destination city, three tariffs
Time About 45 min to central Shantou (third-party)Fare Metered
- Follow the taxi signs out to Exit 4 of the arrivals hall and check the lane sign before queuing: Yue D plates for Shantou, Yue V for Jieyang, Yue U for Chaozhou, and Yue V for anywhere beyond the three cities. Join the wrong lane and you will be sent back.
- Show the driver the Chinese name and address of your destination before you get in, say clearly that you want the meter, and refuse any flat all-in price.
- Three tariffs apply. Jieyang cabs start at ¥8 for 2 km then ¥2.2 per km, with 50% added beyond 20 km and 30% between 22:00 and 07:00. Shantou cabs start at ¥10 for 2.6 km then ¥2.40 per km, with 30% beyond 25 km and 20% between 23:00 and 06:00. Chaozhou cabs start at ¥10 in a 1.6-litre car or ¥9 in a 1.3-litre car, both for 2.6 km.
- Pay what the meter shows plus any expressway or bridge tolls, ask for the receipt and keep the cab number; for refusal to carry, flat-fare dealing or overcharging, call 12328.
No official airport-to-centre fare or mileage has ever been published. Third-party travel sites give reference ranges of about 40 km and ¥110–120 in roughly 45 minutes to central Shantou, around Junhua Hotel; about 23 km and ¥80–90 to Chaozhou People’s Square; about 25 km and ¥80–90 to the Jieyang municipal government area; and about 12 km and roughly ¥50 to Chaoshan high-speed station. These are reference ranges, not official prices.
Ride-hailing: the express lane near Gate 6
Fare Market-priced
- Order in the app and set the pick-up point to the ride-hailing express lane near Gate 6: drivers wait for orders inside a geofenced area in bays 19 to 33 of the passenger car park and only drive over once they have accepted.
- It is often faster to order once you are through the barrier, because signal is weak inside the multi-level terminal and drivers and passengers lose each other.
- Queues of twenty minutes or more are common at flight banks and during holidays, and the fare follows the pricing rules each platform publishes because ride-hailing is market-priced rather than government-set.
The Jieyang government’s own monitoring report for the second half of 2024 counted just 57 cruising taxis in the whole city against 3,742 licensed ride-hailing vehicles, so waiting for a cab can take far longer than ordering one. If you are in a hurry or carrying several bags, prefer ride-hailing or a pre-booked pickup.
Late-night and early-morning arrivals
Here is the order in which things still work after dark. First, the express coaches: the Shantou east line after 17:30 and the west line after 16:00 dispatch to match arriving flights, with a guaranteed last coach before 02:00, which is the only public transport here with any guaranteed last departure. Second, ride-hailing and taxis, which run as long as aircraft are landing — though Jieyang city had only 57 cruising taxis in operation in the second half of 2024, so the rank can be slow in the small hours and an app is steadier. For rail there are two cut-offs to watch: the last train from Jieyang Airport station toward Chaoshan and Shantou leaves at 22:59, a figure from third-party timetable mirrors that moves with every timetable change, so confirm on 12306 for your date; and the free shuttle between the airport and Chaoshan station stops at 21:00, with the last run toward the station at 20:30. All three cities surcharge at night: Jieyang cabs add 30% from 22:00 to 07:00, while Shantou and Chaozhou cabs add 20% from 23:00 to 06:00.
Questions travellers ask
Is there a metro at Jieyang Chaoshan Airport?
No, not at the airport and not in any of the three cities. The Shantou transport bureau has replied publicly that the city does not yet qualify to apply for a metro or light-rail project, neither Chaozhou nor Jieyang has urban rail, and the eastern Guangdong intercity railway is still being pushed forward. The substitute is Jieyang Airport station on the Meizhou–Chaoshan railway, right against the south side of Terminal 1, two to three minutes on foot, with 35–47 minute trains to Shantou and 13 minute trains to Jieyang.
What is the fastest way from the airport to central Shantou?
Usually the train: Jieyang Airport station to Shantou station is 39 km in 35–47 minutes at ¥23–25 in second class, plus a two or three minute walk and whatever wait there is. The Shantou east express coach costs ¥30 and takes about 70 minutes, finishing near the Golden Gulf Hotel, while a taxi is metered and third-party sites put it at roughly 45 minutes and ¥110–120. In traffic the train’s advantage grows.
What is the cheapest way into town?
The train. Fares are ¥12–13 to Jieyang, ¥10–12 to Chaoshan and ¥23–25 to Shantou, all cheaper than the coaches, and if Chaoshan high-speed station is where you are going there is even a free shuttle at ¥0. The express coaches at ¥22–30 come next, and a taxi is the most expensive.
How much is a taxi from the airport to central Shantou?
No official reference fare exists, so the only thing you can check is the tariff. A Jieyang cab, Yue V, starts at ¥8 for 2 km then charges ¥2.2 per km, adds 50% on the part beyond 20 km and 30% between 22:00 and 07:00, and most cabs at the airport carry Jieyang plates. Third-party travel sites give a reference range of about 40 km, ¥110–120 and 45 minutes to the Junhua Hotel area — not an official price — with expressway tolls paid on top.
I am going to Chaozhou — is it the same route?
No, Chaozhou lies north-east of the airport. The easiest is the Chaozhou express line at ¥22 and about 60 minutes, finishing at Chaozhou Jinxin Hotel by the city coach terminal and calling at Chaoshan high-speed station on the way. You can also take a train to Chaoshan station and change, or take a Yue U Chaozhou cab starting at ¥10 for 2.6 km, with third-party sites quoting about ¥80–90 to People’s Square.
The airport is in Jieyang — how do I reach Jieyang city?
The airport sits in Rongcheng District, Jieyang, and the quickest route is the train: 22 km to Jieyang station in 13 minutes at ¥12–13. For the old town take the Jieyang old town express line at ¥22–25 and about 60 minutes, with three departures a day at 10:00, 13:10 and 15:20.
What time is the last train, and what if I miss it?
Toward Chaoshan and Shantou the last train leaves at 22:59, a figure from third-party timetable mirrors that moves with every timetable change, so check 12306 for your date; toward Jieyang and Meizhou West the last is 21:31. Miss it and fall back on the express coaches — the Shantou east line follows arriving flights after 17:30 with a guaranteed last coach before 02:00 — or take a cab.
Can I pay with a foreign card, WeChat Pay or Alipay?
None of the three cities’ price or transport documents regulates payment methods, so there is no official line. In practice cash, WeChat Pay and Alipay QR codes all work and foreign plastic generally does not, so carry some cash or link an international card to WeChat Pay or Alipay before you fly. Train tickets can be bought with cash, WeChat Pay, Alipay or through 12306.
Is there any public transport if I land in the small hours?
Yes, but only one thing: the Shantou east express line after 17:30 and the west line after 16:00 dispatch to match arriving flights, with a guaranteed last coach before 02:00. The free shuttle closes at 21:00 and the last train leaves at 22:59. Beyond that it is ride-hailing or taxis, and with only 57 cruising taxis in Jieyang the app is usually quicker.
I actually need Chaoshan railway station — does this still apply?
No — Chaoshan station has a better and free answer: the shuttle outside Exit 8 of the ground-floor arrivals hall, every 20 minutes from 08:00 to 21:00, at ¥0. The train works too, 10 km in as little as 9 minutes at ¥10–12. See the page on getting to Chaoshan station for the detail.