Planning a Trip
Getting There
Jiangbei Airport is 25km (15 miles) north of Chongqing, and 30 minutes by taxi (around ¥65/$8/£4). It offers daily domestic service to Beijing, Chengdu, Guilin, Hong Kong, Kunming, Shanghai, and Xi'an; it offers service to Lhasa twice a week. International destinations include Tokyo, Seoul, Bangkok, and Dusseldorf. The Minhang (CAAC) airport shuttle bus (tel. 023/6386-5824) leaves every half-hour from 6am to 6pm from Shangqing Si for ¥15 ($1.95/£1). Domestic and international air tickets are also on sale here from 7:30am to 6:30pm. Dragonair has offices in the Metropolis Building (Daduhui Shangsha), Zourong Lu 68 (tel. 023/6372-9900).
The Main Railway Station and Long-Distance Bus Station are next to each other on Nanqu Lu, near the Yangzi River. Trains from Shanghai and Beijing take approximately 28 and 25 hours, respectively. Trains from Chongqing Bei Zhan (Chongqing North) to Chengdu take 3 1/2 hours, costing ¥51 ($6.65/£3.30). The soft-seat waiting lounge is on the far right of the station complex.
Luxury buses with a uniformed attendant and bathroom onboard connect Chongqing to Chengdu; the 4-hour trip costs ¥125 ($16/£8). The bus makes two stops in Chongqing: the first, at Chenjia Ping, for those going to the wharf; the second, at the Fuyuan Binguan, next to the Long-Distance Bus Station. As you exit, ignore the throng of private drivers vying to overcharge you. Walk across the parking lot to the taxi queue in front of the railway station. Insist on using the meter. The ride to any of the major hotels is ¥5 to ¥10 (65¢-$1.30/35p-65p). Large Volvo and Mercedes buses leave the Long-Distance Bus Station for Chengdu every half-hour throughout the day for ¥125 ($16/£8). Buses to Le Shan leave from the Jiefang Bei Qiche Keyun Zhan (Liberation Monument Bus Station) at Linjiang Lu 60.
Getting Around
There are three types of taxis. Rates for midrange Xiali are ¥5 (65¢/35p) for 3km (2 miles), then ¥1.80 (25¢/10p) per kilometer thereafter. The rate increases to ¥2.30 (30¢/15p) from 10pm to 7am. In addition to the 10 bridges that span the Jialing and Yangzi rivers, there is a cable car line across each river. Leave from Xinhua Lu to cross the Yangzi for ¥2 (25¢/15p), or leave from Cangbai Lu to cross the Jialing for ¥1.50 (20¢/10p). Cable cars run from 6:30am to 10:30pm. Buses/trolleys serve all parts of the city. Rides with air-conditioning are ¥1.50 to ¥2.50 (20¢-35¢/10p-15p); rides without are ¥1 to ¥1.50 (15¢-20¢/10p). Cable cars and some buses/trolleys have attendants. At the moment, the light rail only has one line running from Yuzhong District center (Jiao Chang Kou) to the Jialing River side, to Jiulongpo District, and ending at Dadukou District's Xinshancun. Fare is ¥2 to ¥5 (25¢-65¢/15p-35p); from 6:30am to 10pm. Two more lines -- one connecting Chaotianmen and Shapingba -- are scheduled to be completed in 2010.
Visitor Information
CITS is located near the People's Square (Renmin Guangchang). This branch, at Zaozi Lanya Zheng Jie 120, second floor (tel. 023/6385-0693; fax 023/6385-0196; citscq@cta.cq.cn.), is particularly helpful.
Planning a Trip
Getting There
Jiangbei Airport is 25km (15 miles) north of Chongqing, and 30 minutes by taxi (around ¥65/$8/£4). It offers daily domestic service to Beijing, Chengdu, Guilin, Hong Kong, Kunming, Shanghai, and Xi'an; it offers service to Lhasa twice a week. International destinations include Tokyo, Seoul, Bangkok, and Dusseldorf. The Minhang (CAAC) airport shuttle bus (tel. 023/6386-5824) leaves every half-hour from 6am to 6pm from Shangqing Si for ¥15 ($1.95/£1). Domestic and international air tickets are also on sale here from 7:30am to 6:30pm. Dragonair has offices in the Metropolis Building (Daduhui Shangsha), Zourong Lu 68 (tel. 023/6372-9900).
The Main Railway Station and Long-Distance Bus Station are next to each other on Nanqu Lu, near the Yangzi River. Trains from Shanghai and Beijing take approximately 28 and 25 hours, respectively. Trains from Chongqing Bei Zhan (Chongqing North) to Chengdu take 3 1/2 hours, costing ¥51 ($6.65/£3.30). The soft-seat waiting lounge is on the far right of the station complex.
Luxury buses with a uniformed attendant and bathroom onboard connect Chongqing to Chengdu; the 4-hour trip costs ¥125 ($16/£8). The bus makes two stops in Chongqing: the first, at Chenjia Ping, for those going to the wharf; the second, at the Fuyuan Binguan, next to the Long-Distance Bus Station. As you exit, ignore the throng of private drivers vying to overcharge you. Walk across the parking lot to the taxi queue in front of the railway station. Insist on using the meter. The ride to any of the major hotels is ¥5 to ¥10 (65¢-$1.30/35p-65p). Large Volvo and Mercedes buses leave the Long-Distance Bus Station for Chengdu every half-hour throughout the day for ¥125 ($16/£8). Buses to Le Shan leave from the Jiefang Bei Qiche Keyun Zhan (Liberation Monument Bus Station) at Linjiang Lu 60.
Getting Around
There are three types of taxis. Rates for midrange Xiali are ¥5 (65¢/35p) for 3km (2 miles), then ¥1.80 (25¢/10p) per kilometer thereafter. The rate increases to ¥2.30 (30¢/15p) from 10pm to 7am. In addition to the 10 bridges that span the Jialing and Yangzi rivers, there is a cable car line across each river. Leave from Xinhua Lu to cross the Yangzi for ¥2 (25¢/15p), or leave from Cangbai Lu to cross the Jialing for ¥1.50 (20¢/10p). Cable cars run from 6:30am to 10:30pm. Buses/trolleys serve all parts of the city. Rides with air-conditioning are ¥1.50 to ¥2.50 (20¢-35¢/10p-15p); rides without are ¥1 to ¥1.50 (15¢-20¢/10p). Cable cars and some buses/trolleys have attendants. At the moment, the light rail only has one line running from Yuzhong District center (Jiao Chang Kou) to the Jialing River side, to Jiulongpo District, and ending at Dadukou District's Xinshancun. Fare is ¥2 to ¥5 (25¢-65¢/15p-35p); from 6:30am to 10pm. Two more lines -- one connecting Chaotianmen and Shapingba -- are scheduled to be completed in 2010.
Visitor Information
CITS is located near the People's Square (Renmin Guangchang). This branch, at Zaozi Lanya Zheng Jie 120, second floor (tel. 023/6385-0693; fax 023/6385-0196; citscq@cta.cq.cn.), is particularly helpful.
