The Chengdu to Chongqing train is one of the easiest first rides in China: short, frequent and fast. Book ahead online, carry your passport, and plan to be at the station well before departure.
If a train in a country you do not know feels daunting, that is normal. This route is a gentle place to learn how it all works.
How long is the ride?
The line is about 307 km long and opened in December 2015[1]. Chengdu East to Chongqing West takes roughly 1 hour 20 to 1 hour 30 minutes on typical fast trains, and the quickest are reported near 1 hour 7 minutes[2].
The ride is short, but the travel day is not. Add the metro or taxi to the station, the security queue and the wait on the platform.
How do you book it?
Foreigners with ordinary passports can verify their details and buy tickets on 12306[3]. Verification asks for your name, nationality and passport number, or a photo of the passport page[4].
Tickets usually go on sale 15 days before departure[5]. Our guide to booking China train tickets as a Malaysian walks through the steps.
Do this a few days before you fly, not at the station gate.
Why does the passport matter so much?
Foreigners show a passport to buy a long-distance ticket and to pass the platform gates, because travel is ticketless[6]. The name on your booking must match the passport exactly.
Keep the passport in one fixed pocket for the whole day. Photograph the photo page as a backup, but remember the original is what the gate reads.
What is the station day like?
Expect an X-ray bag check at the entrance, and arrive 30 to 40 minutes before departure at major stations[7]. Our station security and boarding guide explains each step.
A realistic travel day looks like this:
- Check out of the hotel and leave with your luggage.
- Take the metro or a taxi to the station and allow time for traffic.
- Pass the bag check, show your passport, and find your waiting room.
- Board when your train is called, then settle into your seat.
- On arrival, follow the exit signs and plan the last leg to the hotel.
Which station should you choose?
Pick the station nearest your hotel on both ends. Big cities have more than one high-speed station, and a ticket to the wrong one can add an hour of metro or taxi time.
Read the station name on your ticket in Chinese and English before paying. If you are flying into Chengdu’s newer airport, note that Tianfu Airport station has been in operation since December 2023 and links north to Chengdu East[8].
Is it worth doing as a day trip?
Only if you have been to both cities before. For a first visit, give Chengdu and Chongqing at least a night each, so the train is a calm morning transfer rather than a rush.
Read our Chengdu and Chongqing as a pair page to decide how long to stay in each, and use the pace checker before you lock the dates.