Top 7 airport-transfer services for Chengdu in 2026

We scored each option on reliability, price, and English support, then took points off for surge pricing. In Chengdu, though, the airport you land at matters more than the company you book. Tianfu International sits roughly 50 km southeast of Tianfu Square, while Shuangliu (CTU) is about 16 km southwest of the centre. Line 18 came out on top for one reason: its express trains reach Chengdu South Railway Station in roughly 35 to 40 minutes, and the fare on the ticket machine stays the same at 9pm as at 9am. At about 6.7 yuan to the US dollar, that fare still costs less than a latte in Taikoo Li. DiDi came a close second. Once you have two big suitcases and a hotel tucked into the lanes behind Wenshu Monastery, a car is worth the extra money.

Timing decides the choice on late flights. Line 18 departures from Tianfu currently end around 11pm, and the posted last-train time on the station board is the one to trust. If your flight from Guangzhou or Bangkok lands after about 10pm, baggage and immigration at T1 or T2 might push you past that last train, so plan on the official taxi rank or DiDi instead. The most common mistake is planning the transfer from the wrong airport. Most long-haul international flights moved to Tianfu after it opened in 2021, but plenty of domestic Sichuan Airlines and Air China routes still use Shuangliu, so check the three-letter code on your ticket before you book anything. The second mistake is taking a ride from the touts in the Tianfu arrivals halls, who tend to quote flat fares well above the meter. The third is landing without Alipay or WeChat Pay set up, since DiDi and most Chengdu taxis currently expect mobile payment, and some drivers seem reluctant to break a 100-yuan note at 1am.

Line 18 is not for everyone. Families traveling with a stroller and three bags may find the change at Chengdu South Railway Station more effort than expected, since the walk to the Line 1 platforms is long. If you are staying out in Wenjiang, or north near the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, the metro journey could run past 90 minutes, and a pre-booked Trip.com car is the saner choice, the only option on this list that waits for a delayed flight after midnight.

Shuangliu works differently. Metro Line 10 leaves from beneath Terminals 1 and 2 and reaches Taipingyuan, where you can change to Line 3 or Line 7, and from there it is a short ride to Chunxi Road or the Wuhou Temple area around Jinli. Because Shuangliu sits about 16 km from the centre rather than 50 km, a metered taxi to Kuanzhai Xiangzi tends to cost well under half of the Tianfu fare. That smaller gap between train and taxi is why Line 10 ranks below Line 18 on value.