WOW BarBAR
(WOW酒吧; WOW Jiǔbā MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %028 8525 2653; 2nd fl, 6 Taiping Nanxin Jie; 九眼桥太平南新街6号2楼 h2pm-late)
Anchoring the Jiǔyǎn Bar Street, a free welcome cocktail and free beer till 10pm makes this place a no-brainer for starting a night out. If you're looking for a big Friday night, there's a weekly chugging contest, with the winner getting a bottle of vodka to take home. Drinks from ¥20.
BookwormCAFE
(老书虫; Lǎo Shūchóng MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %028 8552 0177; www.chengdubookworm.com; 2 Yujie Dongjie, 28 Renmin Nanlu; 人民南路28号、玉洁东街2号 h9am-1am)
This hopping bookstore-cafe, like its branches in Běijīng and Sūzhōu, is a gathering place for expats and a pleasant spot for a beer or coffee (from ¥30). It also serves decent Western food (mains ¥35 to ¥95), though service can be painfully slow. You can buy or borrow from the English-language section, or stop by for author talks, live music and other events.
3Entertainment
Chéngdū is the birthplace of Sìchuān opera, which dates back more than 250 years. Besides glass-shattering songs, performances feature slapstick, martial arts, men singing as women, acrobatics and even fire breathing. An undoubted highlight is biànliǎn (变脸; face changing), where performers change character in a blink by swapping masks, manipulating face paint and other prestidigitation.
oShǔfēng Yǎyùn TeahouseSìCHUāN OPERA
(蜀风雅韵; Shǔfēng Yǎyùn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %028 8776 4530; www.shufengyayun.net; inside Culture Park; 文化公园内面 tickets ¥140-500; hticket office 3-9.30pm, nightly shows 8-9.30pm)
This famous century-old theatre and teahouse puts on excellent 1½-hour shows that include music, puppetry and Sìchuān opera's famed fire breathing and face changing. Come at around 7.15pm to watch performers putting on their elaborate make-up and costumes. For ¥50 to ¥100, kids (and adults) can try on garb and have a costume artist paint their face.
New Little BarLIVE MUSIC
(小酒馆芳沁店; Xiǎo Jiǔguǎn Fāngqìn Diàn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %028 8515 8790; http://site.douban.com/littlebar; 47 Yongfeng Lu & Fangqin Jie; 永丰路47号丰尚玉林商务港5楼,芳沁街 h6pm-2am)
This small pub-like venue is the place in Chéngdū to catch live local bands; they play most Fridays and Saturdays, and occasional weekdays, usually from 8pm. Live music carries a cover charge of around ¥15, depending on who’s playing. Check online for the schedule.
7Shopping
Fancy-pants shopping centres dot the city, with the highest concentration around the Chūnxī Lù shopping district (春熙路步行街; Chūnxīlù Bùxíngjiē MAP GOOGLE MAP ; m2) east of Tiānfǔ Sq. At the south end of town sprawls the New Century Global Center (新世纪环球中心; Xīn Shìjì Huánqiú Zhōngxīn %028 6273 2888; 1700 Tianfu Bei Dadao; 天府北大道1700号 m1 to Jincheng Square), the world's largest mall.
For traditional Tibetan shopping options, try the shops (藏族用品一条街; Zàngzú Yòngpǐn Yītiáo Jiē MAP GOOGLE MAP ) in the Tibetan neighbourhood southeast of Wǔhóu Temple.
Outdoor enthusiasts gearing up for mountains trips should head to Sanfo Outdoors (三夫户外; Sānfū Hùwài MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %028 8507 9586; www.sanfo.com; 243 Wuhouci Dajie; 武侯词大街243号 h10am-8.30pm) or Decathlon (迪卡侬运动超市; Díkǎnóng Yùndòng Chāoshì GOOGLE MAP ; %028 8531 0388; 9 Zhanhua Lu, Gaoxin District; 高新区站华路9号 h10am-10pm; m1).
Tai Koo LiSHOPPING CENTRE
(太古里; Tàigǔlǐ MAP GOOGLE MAP ; m2)
An upscale extension of Chūnxī Lù shopping district with big international brand names in an ancient-style architectural zone, this is also one of the best places in town to fill up on foreign food and beer.
8Information
Medical Services
Global Doctor Chéngdū ClinicHOSPITAL
(环球医生; Huánqiú Yīshēng MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %028 8528 3660, 24hr emergency 139 8225 6966; www.globaldoctor.com.au; 2nd fl, 9-11 Lippo Tower, 62 Kehua Beilu; 科华北路62号力宝大夏2层9-11号 h9am-6pm Mon-Sat)
English- and Chinese-speaking doctors and a 24-hour emergency line, and can even make house visits. Consultations cost ¥840; after-hours visits ¥1050; house calls ¥1700.
West China Hospital SCUHOSPITAL
(四川大学华西医院; Sìchuān Dàxué Huáxī Yīyuàn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %24hr emergency assistance in Chinese & English 028 8542 2761, for appointment 028 8542 2408; http://eng.cd120.com; 37 Guoxue Xiang; 国学巷37号 g1)
This hospital complex is China’s largest and is among the most well regarded. Foreigners should head for the International Hospital here, where doctors and some staff speak English. Note that some treatments without qualifying insurance may require a deposit.
Money
Bank of ChinaBANK
(中国银行; Zhōngguó Yínháng GOOGLE MAP ; 35 Renmin Zhonglu, 2nd Section; 人民中路二段35号 h8.30am-5.30pm Mon-Fri, to 5pm Sat & Sun)
The bank's main Chéngdū branch changes money and travellers cheques, and offers cash advances on credit cards.
Bank of ChinaBANK
(中国银行; Zhōngguó Yínháng GOOGLE MAP ; h6.30am-11.30pm)
Inside the entrance to the North Railway Station metro station.
Permits
Sìchuān Mountaineering AssociationTOURIST INFORMATION
(四川省登山户外运动协会; Sìchuānshĕng Dēngshān Hùwài Yùndòng Xiéhuì MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %028 8543 8819; www.sma.gov.cn; 5th fl, 93 Xin Nanlu; 武侯区新南路93号亚华商厦5楼 h9.30am-5pm)
Permits generally take three days to process and cost from $300 per site. You'll need to provide passports, proof of medical insurance and a clear itinerary. For popular but treacherous mountains such as Sìgūniáng (四姑娘), the association will arrange for a mandatory guide/liaison (from ¥300 per day). It can also assist with gear, meals and horses.
Travel Agencies
Skip the gazillion Chinese travel agencies around town and head to the travel desks at one of Chéngdū’s many excellent hostels, or try the following:
Tibetan Trekking ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %028 8597 6083; www.tibetantrekking.com; 47 Yongfeng Lu, Yulin Fengshang Room 1035; 47永丰路丰尚玉林商务港5楼 h9am-noon & 2.30-5pm Mon-Fri)
Windhorse Tour (风马旅游; Fēngmǎ Lǚyóu MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %028 8559 3923; www.windhorsetour.com; Ste 904, 21st fl, Bldg C, 1 Babao Lu; 八宝街1号万和苑C座904室 h9am-6pm)
Extravagant Yak (%028-8510 8093; www.extravagantyak.com; Unit #1117, 2 Gaosheng Qiao Donglu, Chéngdū)
Visas
Chéngdū Entry & Exit Service CentreTOURIST INFORMATION
(成都市出入境接待中心; Chéngdūshì Chūrùjìng Jiēdài Zhōngxīn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %028 8640 7067; www.chengdu.gov.cn; 2 Renmin Xilu; 人民西路2号 h9am-noon & 1-5pm Mon-Fri, to 4pm Sat)
Visa extensions (in two working days), residence permits, and paperwork for lost passports are on the 3rd floor. It's in the building behind the Mao statue's right hand.
8Getting There & Away
Air
You can fly directly to Chéngdū Shuāngliú International Airport (%028 8520 5555; www.cdairport.com/front_en/index.jsp), 18km west of the city, from nearly any other major Chinese city in less than three hours. There are also direct international flights from Amsterdam, Bangkok, Doha, Frankfurt, Kathmandu, Kuala Lumpur, London, Melbourne, Mumbai, San Francisco, Seoul, Singapore, Tokyo and more.
Many travellers fly from here to Lhasa (¥892 to ¥1286; prepare for palpable oxygen deprivation). Flights to destinations within Sìchuān include Kāngdìng (¥470 to ¥923), Jiǔzhàigōu (¥830 to ¥1239) and Dàochéng-Yàdīng (¥701 to ¥1468), with Gānzī airport set to open in mid-2017.
Many hostels can book tickets, and the major Chinese airlines are also bookable online.
Air China Chéngdū Booking Office (国航世界中心; Guóháng Shìjiè Zhōngxīn GOOGLE MAP ; %nationwide bookings 95583; 1 Hangkong Lu; 人民南路四段航空路1号 h8.30am-5pm) By Tongzilin
metro station, on the north side of Hangkong Lu.
China Eastern Airlines (中国东方航空公司; Zhōngguó Dōngfāng Hángkōng Gōngsī MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %021 8615 5133; www.flychinaeastern.com; 6 Xiyu Jie; 西御街6号 h9am-4.30pm) On the north side of Xiyu Jie, just to the west of Tiānfǔ Sq.
China Southern Airlines (中国南方航空; Zhōngguó Nánfāng Hángkōng GOOGLE MAP ; %028 8666 3618; www.csair.com; 15th fl, New Hope Tower, 45 Renmin Nanlu 4th Section; 人民南路四段45号新希望大厦15室 h8.30am-5.30pm) Near Tongzilin metro station, just south of Hangkong Lu.
Dragon Air (港龍航空公司;; Gǎnglóng Hángkōng Gōngsī MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %400 888 6628; www.dragonair.com; 5th fl, Sheraton Chengdu Lido Hotel, 15 Renmin Zhonglu, 1st Section; 人民中路1段15號天府麗都喜來登飯店5樓 h9am-5pm Mon-Fri) Rather than visiting in person, it's possible to book tickets (in English) by phone from 7am to 11pm.
Bus
The main bus station for tourists is Xīnnánmén (新南门汽车站; Xīnnánmén Qìchēzhàn GOOGLE MAP ), officially the central tourist station; 旅游客运中心. Two other useful stations are Běimén (北门汽车站; Běimén Qìchēzhàn GOOGLE MAP ) and Chádiànzi (茶店子). Be prepared to be dropped at any one of these (and other) bus stations when arriving in Chéngdū. If you end up at Shíyángchǎng bus station (石羊场公交站), local bus 28 (¥2) connects it to Xīnnánmén and Běimén bus stations, as well as North Train Station Bus Station (火车北站汽车站; Huǒchē Běizhàn Qìchēzhàn GOOGLE MAP ). Limited buses also depart directly from the airport bus station (双流客运站).
Destinations from Xīnnánmén Station
ABamboo Sea ¥90 to ¥101, five hours, two daily (9.10am, 3.30pm)
ADānbā ¥141, eight hours, two daily (6.30am, 6.35am)
AÉméi Shān ¥41, 2½ hours, every 20 minutes from 7.20am to 7.20pm
AHóngyǎ (for Liǔjiāng) ¥38, two hours, every 45 minutes from 7.40am to 5.40pm
AJiǔzhàigōu ¥138, 10 hours, four daily (7.20am, 8am, 9am, 10am). Extra morning buses run in July and August. Note: these buses pass Sōngpān (eight hours), but you may have to pay the full fare even if you get off at Sōngpān.
AKāngdìng ¥147, seven hours, one daily (9am)
ALè Shān ¥49, two hours, every 20 minutes from 7.20am to 7.35pm
APínglè ¥20 to ¥24, two hours, six daily (8.20am to 3.30pm)
ASānxīngduī ¥50 return, two hours, one daily (9.30am)
AYǎ’ān (for Bìfēngxiá) ¥44, two hours, every 35 minutes from 7am to 7.30pm
Destinations from Chádiànzi Station
ALángzhōng ¥93, 3½ hours, every 30 minutes from 7.30am to 6.20pm
AYíbīn ¥103, four hours, six daily (7.20am to 5.40pm)
AZìgòng ¥84, 3½ hours, every 30 minutes from 7am to 7.20pm
Destinations from Chéngdū Shuāngliú International Airport
ALè Shān ¥54, two hours, about every two hours from 10.30am to 6.30pm
AYǎ’ān ¥49, two hours, three daily (11.20am, 2pm, 4.30pm)
AYíbīn ¥101, four hours, five daily (10.50am, 12.30pm, 2.30pm, 4.30pm, 7pm)
AZìgòng ¥82, 3½ hours, every hour from 11.20am to 5.20pm
Train
Chéngdū’s two main train stations are Chéngdū North Train Station (火车北站; huǒchē běizhàn) and the newer Chéngdū East Train Station (火车东站; huǒchē dōngzhàn), both of which connect directly to the metro.
Hotels, hostels and China Youth Travel Agency (CYTS; 中国青年旅行社; Zhōngguó Qīngnián Lǚxíngshè MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %028 6665 4311; www.cytstours.com; 283 Hongxing Lu; 红星路283号 h9am-10pm) can book tickets, usually for a ¥5 fee.
Destinations from Chéngdū North Train Station
The North Train Station ticket office (火车北站售票处; Huǒchē Běizhàn Shòupiàochù GOOGLE MAP ; Huochezhan Guangchang; 火车站广场 h24hr) is in the separate building on your right as you approach the station. Buy high-speed train tickets at the adjacent intercity trains ticket office (城际列车售票处; Chéngjì Lièchē Shòupiàochù GOOGLE MAP ; Huochezhan Guangchang; 火车站广场 h9am-6pm Mon-Fri).
AÉméi Town K/T seat ¥24, 2½ hours, five daily (7.21am to 2.57pm)
AKūnmíng K seat/hard sleeper ¥138/238, 18 to 22 hours, six daily (8.54am to 5.03pm)
ALhasa hard/soft sleeper ¥668/1062, 43 hours, one daily (2.48pm)
AQīngchéng Shān C seat ¥15, 45 minutes, four daily (6.48am, 8.49am, 4.41pm and 7.16pm)
AXī’ān seat/hard sleeper ¥112/194, 10 to 16 hours, 12 daily (7.36am to 10.16pm)
AYíbīn seat/hard sleeper ¥51/97, six to nine hours, six daily (8.54am to 10.02pm)
AZìgòng seat/hard sleeper ¥41/87, five to seven hours, five daily (8.54am to 10.02pm)
Destinations from Chéngdū East Train Station
Daily D/G-class trains depart from Chéngdū East Train Station for the following:
AChóngqìng 2nd/1st class ¥154/247, 1¾ hours, frequently (7.48am to 9.43pm)
AWǔhàn 2nd/1st class ¥355/425, 10 to 20 hours, seven daily (6.45am to 11.51pm)
Destinations from Chéngdū Shuāngliú International Airport
Sìchuān's newly completed high-speed train line stops at the airport (双流机场; Shuāngliú jīchǎng) on the way to two of the province's major tourist destinations:
ALè Shān 2nd/1st class ¥46/55, one hour, six daily (8.59am to 8.46pm)
AÉméi Shān 2nd/1st class ¥56/68, one hour, six daily (8.59am to 8.46pm)
8Getting Around
To/From the Airport
From Chéngdū Shuāngliú International Airport, airport shuttle buses cover five routes, reaching all corners of the city. Buses for Route 1 (机场班车; Jīchǎng Bānchē GOOGLE MAP ; www.cdairport.com/front_en/jt4.jsp; h6am-10pm) are the most direct to the city centre, stopping in front of the Jǐnjiāng Hotel on Renmin Nanlu, from where you can catch the metro. Buses for Route 2 (机场大巴; Jīchǎng Dàbā GOOGLE MAP ; www.cdairport.com/front_en/jt4.jsp; ¥10; h6am-8pm) reach the South Train Station (which also has a metro connection), and then stops frequently along Renmin Lu to North Train Station. Route 5 connects with Chádiànzi bus station for western Sìchuān departures.
A taxi will cost ¥70 to ¥90. Most guesthouses offer airport pick-up services for slightly more.
Bicycle
Chéngdū is nice and flat, with designated biking lanes, although the traffic can be a strain for cyclists. Youth hostels rent out bikes for around ¥20 per day. Always lock up your bike.
Bus
You can get almost anywhere in Chéngdū by bus, as long as you can decipher the labyrinthine routes. Stops are marked in Chinese and English and some post route maps. Fares within the city are usually ¥2.
Useful routes:
ABus 1 City centre–Běimén bus station–Wǔhóu Temple
ABus 28 Shíyángchǎng bus station–Xīnnánmén bus station–Běimén bus station–Chéngdū North Train Station
ABus 16 Chéngdū North Train Station–Renmin Lu–Chéngdū South Train Station
ABus 82 Chádiànzi bus station–Jīnshā Site Museum (stop is 青羊大道口站)–Wǔhoú Temple–Xīnnánmén bus station
ABus 81 Mao statue–Qīngyáng Temple
ABus 69 Chéngdū North Train Station bus station–Zhāojué Sì bus station
ATourist Bus 87 Zhāojué Sì bus station–Giant Panda Breeding Research Base
ATourist Bus 60 Traffic Inn–Giant Panda Breeding Research Base
Car & Motorcycle
For trips west into Kham, groups might consider booking an SUV (越野车; yuèyě chē) with a driver. Given the high cost of gas and the challenging road conditions, rates are generally high, starting at ¥850 per day including tolls and petrol, but excluding food and sleeping costs for the driver. Add at least an additional ¥150 per day if the driver speaks English or Tibetan.
Most of Chéngdū's hotels and hostels can assist with finding a reliable, properly insured driver. Before embarking, settle on the
itinerary, fee and what it covers, and what happens should the car break down or some other unpredictable, trip-altering problem arise.
Metro
Line 1 links Chéngdū North and South Train Stations, running the length of Renmin Lu and beyond. East–west Line 2 links Chéngdū East Train Station with the city centre, meeting Line 1 at Tiānfǔ Sq before continuing west to Chádiànzì bus station.
Line 3, which will run to the Giant Panda Breeding Research Base and Xīnnánmén bus station, and Line 4, for the new Chéngdū West Train Station, is slated for completion in 2017.
Rides cost ¥2 to ¥6 depending on the distance covered. Stations have bilingual signs, maps and ticket machines. The local public transit pass (天府通; Tiānfǔ tōng) is for sale at most metro stations, and also works for local buses.
Around Chéngdū
Dūjiāngyàn 都江堰
%028 / Pop 630,000
Two Unesco World Heritage sites in Dūjiāngyàn (都江堰), 60km northwest of Chéngdū, make for very different glimpses into the history of Sìchuān. Qīngchéng Shān, most notably famous as the birthplace of Taoism, offers the chance to hike through misty forests past cascading waterfalls and ancient temples with views back down to the Chéngdū plains. The Dūjiāngyàn Irrigation System, the first in the world to control river flooding without the use of dams, is right in the thick of the modern city of Dūjiāngyàn; a look into how ancient engineering marvels still play a role in the life of modern China.
1Sights
Qīngchéng ShānTAOIST SITE
(青城山; Azure City Mountain Dūjiāngyàn; Front Mountain adult ¥90, student/child/elderly ¥45, Back Mountain ¥20/10; h8am-5.30pm)
Lonely Planet China Page 151