Transport · Metro · Chengdu
Chengdu Metro
成都地铁. A 14-line network reaching the Giant Panda Research Base, Kuanzhai Alley, and both high-speed rail stations across this sprawling Sichuan city.
About this metro system
Chengdu Metro has grown quickly since its first line opened in 2010, driven by the city's rapid expansion and its status as one of China's fastest-growing major metropolises. The network now covers 14 lines and continues to extend outward into the new satellite development zones that have expanded the city's footprint dramatically.
Line 3 is the most significant for visitors, running from the city centre north to a station close to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding — the primary facility for the conservation and public viewing of giant and red pandas. The base is about 10 kilometres north of the city centre; a combination of Metro Line 3 and a short taxi or shuttle completes the journey.
Line 4 serves the Kuanzhai Alley heritage district (Broad and Narrow Alleys), which preserves a cluster of Qing dynasty courtyard architecture that has been converted into restaurants, teahouses, and small shops. Line 1 connects Chengdu East Railway Station to the south of the city. The Tianfu New Area, south of the old city, is served by Lines 1 and 6 and contains the new Chengdu Tianfu Railway Station for southbound high-speed services. Chengdu's metro is unusually comprehensive in linking tourist sites by design rather than incidentally.
Foreigner notes
Good English signage. The network has been extended specifically to reach the main tourist attractions including the Giant Panda Research Base (Line 3 to Xiongmao Dadao) and Kuanzhai Alley (Line 4). Alipay and WeChat QR code entry.
Peak hours
07:30–09:00 and 17:30–19:30 weekdays