Five days gives you two hotpot nights, a street food morning and a tea house afternoon, with a short high-speed rail ride between the two cities. It is a trip built around meals, so the walking is gentle.
This plan is written for friends and couples who want to eat well without finishing every day in pain.
Who is this route for?
It suits friends splitting costs and couples who love food more than sights. It is less suited to anyone who dislikes chilli entirely, though a mild path is possible.
For a bigger picture of what to eat, read the Sichuan food guide.
What does the route look like?
- Day 1: arrive in Chengdu, a light dinner
- Day 2: Chengdu snacks, tea house, first hotpot night
- Day 3: train to Chongqing, riverside evening
- Day 4: Chongqing street food, second hotpot night
- Day 5: fly home
Day by day
Day 1: arrive and eat lightly
Check in, walk a little and have a gentle dinner of noodles or soup. Save your stomach for tomorrow.
Day 2: Chengdu food day
Start with a breakfast of local dumplings or noodles, then spend the afternoon in an old tea house. For your first hotpot, choose a clear broth beside a spicy one, so nobody is forced.
Tipping is not customary on the Chinese mainland[1], so pay the bill and say thank you.
Day 3: Chengdu to Chongqing
Take a morning train. The intercity line opened in December 2015 and runs about 307 km[2], and fast trains take roughly 1 hour 20 to 1 hour 30 minutes[3]. You need your passport to buy a ticket and pass the gate[4].
Check in, rest and walk the riverfront at dusk. Our Chongqing night guide explains the evening.
Day 4: Chongqing street food and hotpot
Eat your way through the lanes, but share plates so you can taste more. For the second hotpot, try a different spice level from Chengdu and compare the numbing flavour with the heat.
Day 5: fly home
Eat a plain breakfast and leave early. Keep your passport in your hand bag.
How do you pay at food stalls?
Set up Alipay or Weixin Pay before you leave. Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB, Discover and Diners Club cards can be linked without a Chinese bank account[5]. Renminbi cash is legal tender, and merchants should accept it[6], so keep a small amount as backup.
Where should you stay?
- Chengdu: near a metro line and a walkable food street; see the Chengdu hotel areas guide
- Chongqing: near the riverfront, so you can walk back after dinner
Think in areas, not hotel names, and ask whether a taxi can reach the door.
How can you adapt it?
- Mild eaters: order clear-broth pots and non-spicy dishes, and keep rice at hand.
- Halal meals: the Hui avoid pork[7], so look for a Hui-run kitchen. Ask about the broth base and shared utensils.
- Shorter: drop one hotpot night and keep a free evening.
- Seniors: pick restaurants with lifts or a ground-floor table, because some sit up flights of stairs.
What should you book ahead?
Book flights and, if you want a popular hotpot at peak hours, ask your hotel to help reserve a table. Do not expect to queue at ease, since waits can be long on weekends.
Check the plan with the pace checker and price it in ringgit with the budget planner. The itineraries topic page shows other routes.