Chengdu Airport to City Center: Tianfu & Shuangliu Guide

ByRui Yu Transport Guide
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Chengdu has two international airports and they are 60 km apart. Which one you land at changes your transfer plan entirely. Tianfu is the new one. Shuangliu is the old one.

chengdu airport Tianfu & Shuangliu

Chengdu has two airports and the one you land at is not in your control. According to the Civil Aviation Administration of China, both Tianfu and Shuangliu handle tens of millions of passengers annually. It is on your ticket. Check the airport code: TFU is Tianfu (new, south of city). CTU is Shuangliu (older, southwest). Both have metro connections to the city center. The transfers are different. Airport transfer overview: Airport Transfers in China.

Key Takeaways

  • Two airports: Tianfu (TFU) and Shuangliu (CTU). Check your ticket.
  • Tianfu Airport: Metro Line 18. 50 min to city, ¥12.
  • Shuangliu Airport: Metro Line 10. 35 min to city, ¥8.
  • DiDi available from both. Guide.
  • Chengdu city guide: Chengdu Travel Guide.
  • China metro overview: China Metro Guide.

Chengdu Tianfu International Airport (TFU)

Tianfu opened in 2021 and is the larger, newer airport. It is 51 km south of the city center. Metro Line 18 runs directly from the airport to Tianfu Square in the city center. Journey: approximately 50 minutes. Cost: ¥12. Trains run from around 6:00 AM to 11:00 PM.

At Tianfu Square, Line 18 intersects with Line 1. Line 1 runs north-south through the main sightseeing corridor: People’s Park (Renmin Park), Chunxi Road shopping area, and Jinli/Wuhou for the temple and street food district.

Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport (CTU)

Shuangliu is the older airport and still handles a substantial share of Chengdu’s traffic, particularly domestic and regional routes. It is 16 km southwest of the city center. Metro Line 10 connects both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 directly. Journey to Churong Road interchange: 35 minutes, ¥8. From Churong Road, transfer to Line 1 for the main city area.

Transfer Comparison

AirportMetroDurationCostDiDi estimate
Tianfu (TFU)Line 18 to Tianfu Square50 min¥12¥90 to ¥120, 50-70 min
Shuangliu (CTU)Line 10 to city interchange35 min¥8¥60 to ¥100, 30-50 min

Frequently Asked Questions

Chengdu Tianfu International Airport (TFU) opened in 2021 and handles most long-haul and major routes. Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport (CTU) handles regional and some international routes. Check your ticket carefully for which airport code appears. They are 60 km apart. Getting on the wrong metro line is an expensive mistake.

Metro Line 18 runs from Tianfu Airport to Tianfu Square (city center) in approximately 50 minutes for ¥12. Transfer to Line 1 at Tianfu Square for the main sightseeing area (Jinli, Wuhou Shrine, People’s Park). DiDi from Tianfu Airport to the city center takes 50 to 70 minutes and costs ¥90 to ¥120.

Metro Line 10 runs from Shuangliu Airport (both Terminal 1 and 2) to Churong Road in 35 minutes for ¥8. Transfer to Line 1 for the city center. DiDi from Shuangliu to the city center: 30 to 50 minutes, ¥60 to ¥100.

Check your ticket. The airline assigns the airport. However, Tianfu has the newer facilities and is handling more international routes from 2024 onwards. Shuangliu still handles Sichuan Airlines’ main domestic hub and many regional routes. Both have good metro connections.

Not directly by metro. The Panda Base requires a taxi or DiDi from the city (about ¥30 to ¥50) or bus line 87 from Xinnanmen. Most travelers go to the city first, check in, and visit the Panda Base the following morning.

For full airport transfer comparison: Airport Transfers in China. For the Chengdu city guide: Chengdu Travel Guide.

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