Livin’ in The Chonx

Check all your options This site is useful for checking all available flights from any airport to another in the world (It only shows schedule, cannot book tickets here): Flight Schedules All Over The World

Booking tickets Book your tickets online and have them delivered to you from Elong the Chinese branch of Expedia. I have heard mixed reviews about this site, but it’s the only English plane ticket booking service available. Otherwise you can visit a nearby travel agent. Look for the words 飞机票 Fei Ji Piao or 旅行 Lü Xing.

Getting there and back
The airport is located way out in the Northeast reaches of the city (Yubei).

• Taxi: Going to the airport they will always start at around 100 RMB, but you can bargain it down to half that (keep in mind your distance from the airport). However, from the airport into the city is always 100 RMB, and they rarely settle for less.
• Airport Shuttle Bus: 机场大巴 (Ji Chang Da Ba) 15 RMB/Ticket. Shuttles depart approximately every 30 minutes from 6 am-8:20 pm. Then it generally takes between 40 min-1 hr to get to the airport, depending on traffic conditions. There are two locations in the city where the shuttle picks up and drops off passengers. One is in the north part of the city, near Guanyin Qiao (观音桥) in Jiangbei District. The second is closer to the center of the city, Shang Qing Si (上清寺) in Yuzhong District.

Continue reading »

Buses are often unpredictable due to road construction, traffic, buses breaking down, and other unforeseen circumstances. Couple that with the prices being about twice that of a hard seater on a train and you’ll understand why if there is a choice, many people opt to take the train instead of a bus out of the city.

How do I choose?: For a listing of all the stations, the destinations they serve, bus schedules, and ticket prices go to: Long Distance Bus Station Schedules (Only available in Chinese)

Where are the stations? There are five major long distance bus stations in Chongqing. Continue reading »

Schedules & Pricing Here are a couple of the websites available for checking train schedules and ticket prices online. Keep in mind that some trains do not leave every day (for example the T22 Chongqing-Lhasa is every other day). So once you have the train number it’s still a good idea to double check with a ticket office.

• Train Schedules at TravelChinaGuide (In English; prices listed in US$ when you click on the train number)
• Train Schedules at Lieche (More comprehensive; but you must be able to type and read some Chinese; prices listed in RMB)

Getting to the station
There are three train stations in the city proper. Continue reading »

Under Construction!

Construction on the subway began in Shapingba in Spring of 2007. They plan to have it running to Chaotianmen by 2010.

As of 2007 only one line of the Chongqing light rail has been completed. This line (Green Line 2) runs between Jiao Chang Kou 较场口 and Xin Shan Cun 新山村. If a location mentioned in this guide is near a light rail station there will be a Light Rail Tip. Trains run every day from 6:30 am-10:00 pm. Ticket prices range from 1-5 RMB depending on how far you are traveling.

Chongqing Metro Wiki

Official Website (Chinese Only)

Did You Know?

Light Rail Card: If you frequently travel by Light Rail you might consider purchasing a permanent Light Rail card (as opposed to the one time use ones that you return when you exit the station). Just go to any of the ticket purchasing booths and ask for a Chu Zhi Ka 储值卡. First time purchase is 100 RMB (all the money goes into your card to be used on the light rail). After that you can recharge the card with any amount you choose. No more waiting in line & save 10% on all your Light Rail travel.

The Basics Bus stops are located along just about every major street. Most bus stops are very clearly marked and labeled with Chinese and pinyin. It is usually a 15-20 minute walk between stops. There is a wide range of inner city buses, and most of them pass by the bus stops every 5-10 minutes (which is why locals often wait for the next one if the first is overcrowded).

How much does it cost? Fares start at 1 RMB and may increase to 1.5 or 2 depending on how far you are going (the highest fare I know of is 3.5 RMB and it takes you clear across the city).

Which one do I take? Each destination mentioned in this guide has aBus Tip that shows the Chinese and pinyin for the nearest bus stop. Print out or copy the Bus Tip and take it to your nearest bus stop. [Note: Some Bus Tips may show more than one stop. The first stop listed is the closest, the second is not as exact, but generally has more buses that stop there.] On one side of the bus stop there is usually a sign that shows which buses will stop there. When you become more familiar/faster you can also check the buses directly as they pass. The front of the bus will show the two final destinations, and on the side many buses list all the stops they go to on a small sign near the doors. Continue reading »

Where to catch it Wave down a taxi pretty much anywhere along the street, but there are official taxi stops along the streets where you may have more luck. At the train stations and busy walking squares there are certain areas marked off for taxis, most people politely wait in line in these areas, but there are some exceptions.

How much does it cost? Yellow Taxis start at 5 RMB for the first 3km and 1.8 RMB for each additional km. After 10 pm the meter starts at 5.9 RMB. On average it costs around 40-50 RMB from one major district to the next (ex. Shapingba to Jiefangbei, Yangjiaping to Nanshan). Between destinations within one district it averages 20-30 RMB.

To the Airport Bargain with taxi drivers if you want to go to the airport. They almost always start at 100 RMB–but depending on your distance from the airport you can usually get a ride for less (50-70 RMB)—most drivers will refuse to take you if you want them to use the meter.  From the airport into the city is always 100 RMB, and they rarely settle for less. Continue reading »