Chongqing / itinerary

Chengdu to Chongqing by High-Speed Train: Stations, Times, Tickets

Q: Which Chengdu station do the trains leave from?

Almost all fast trains leave from Chengdu East, which is on Chengdu Metro Lines 2 and 7. In one 12306 search for a mid-October 2026 date, 120 of the 131 priced Chongqing trains left from there. A few trains use Chengdu South, and the slow K, T and Z trains leave from Chengdu West and take three hours or more. If a fare looks oddly cheap, check the station and the train letter.

Q: How do you get from the station to Jiefangbei or Hongyadong?

- From Shapingba: Line 1 east, no change, to Xiaoshizi for Hongyadong. For Jiefangbei, change at Jiaochangkou to Line 2 for Linjiangmen. - From Chongqing West: Loop Line to Shapingba, then Line 1 as above. - From Chongqing North: Line 10 to Zengjiayan and change to Line 2 for Linjiangmen, or Line 3 from South Square to Niujiaotuo and change to Line 2. Chongqing's city government says passengers at Shapingba, Chongqing West and Chongqing North do not go through a second security check when they move from the train to the metro.

The fastest Chengdu–Chongqing trains take about an hour from Chengdu East to Shapingba. Which station to pick at each end, what tickets cost, and how to reach Jiefangbei.

Published October 20, 2026

Shapingba Railway Station in Chongqing seen from the street, with its name in red Chinese and English letters above a covered entrance plaza, photographed during construction work.

Take a G train from Chengdu East (成都东) to Shapingba (沙坪坝) if you want the fastest ride: the quickest run in about 1 hour 2 minutes, and Shapingba's Line 1 goes straight to Xiaoshizi for Hongyadong. Most trains take about 1.5 hours, and there are more than a hundred a day, so outside public holidays you rarely need to book far ahead. The catch is stations: both cities have several, and your ticket names one.

Which Chengdu station do the trains leave from?

Almost all fast trains leave from Chengdu East, which is on Chengdu Metro Lines 2 and 7. In one 12306 search for a mid-October 2026 date, 120 of the 131 priced Chongqing trains left from there. A few trains use Chengdu South, and the slow K, T and Z trains leave from Chengdu West and take three hours or more. If a fare looks oddly cheap, check the station and the train letter.

Which Chongqing station should you arrive at?

Pick by where you are sleeping, then pick the train:

| Arrive at | Fastest from Chengdu East | Metro | Good for | |---|---|---|---| | Shapingba (沙坪坝) | about 1h02m | Lines 1, 9, Loop | Hongyadong, Jiefangbei; the fewest trains | | Chongqing West (重庆西) | about 1h06m | Loop, Line 5 | the most G trains; one change to the centre | | Chongqing North (重庆北) | about 1h17m | South Square: Lines 3, 10, Loop. North Square: Lines 4, 10 | cheaper D trains; Guanyinqiao |

Chongqing North has two squares with separate metro stations. They are linked underground since the 2021 rebuild, but they are not the same stop on a map app. Chongqing East (重庆东), opened in June 2025, and the old Caiyuanba station are different places: Caiyuanba has had no passenger trains since 2022. On the 12306 English site the names appear as Chongqingbei, Chongqingxi, Shapingba and Chongqingdong.

How much is a ticket, and how do you buy one?

Fares vary by train and date. In 12306 searches made in late September and early October 2026, second class was roughly ¥120–¥240 on G trains and ¥85–¥130 on D trains, with first class from about ¥200. Buy on the 12306 site or app with your passport; foreign passports are accepted for real-name tickets. Show the same passport at the gates. If second class is sold out, a standing ticket (无座) at the second-class price is a fair fallback for an hour.

How do you get from the station to Jiefangbei or Hongyadong?

From Shapingba: Line 1 east, no change, to Xiaoshizi for Hongyadong. For Jiefangbei, change at Jiaochangkou to Line 2 for Linjiangmen.
From Chongqing West: Loop Line to Shapingba, then Line 1 as above.
From Chongqing North: Line 10 to Zengjiayan and change to Line 2 for Linjiangmen, or Line 3 from South Square to Niujiaotuo and change to Line 2.

Chongqing's city government says passengers at Shapingba, Chongqing West and Chongqing North do not go through a second security check when they move from the train to the metro.

When should you go, and who is this for?

Any day outside the big holidays works; around Golden Week and Spring Festival, book as soon as sales open. Take the train if you are pairing the two cities. It is faster door to door than flying for nearly everyone. Read where to stay in Chongqing before you choose an arrival station, and see the three-day itinerary for what to do once you land.

Checked October 2026 (Asia/Shanghai). Times and fares come from 12306 searches reported by recent travel guides and from Chongqing government station notices. 12306 and the station notices win over this page: timetables change each season.

Cover photo: Junyi Lou / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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