Chengdu to Jiuzhaigou Train, Direct Train Not Far in 2024

Huanglong National Park 黄龙国家森林公园 enjoys the same fame as Jiuzhaigou Valley for its natural beauty, layered and colourful calcified ponds and snow mountains views. It is an unmissable highlight in China, especially in summer and autumn.

Considering the location and typical visit time of 3-5 hours, travelers often make Huanglong their first stop. Taking a private car is the only way to get to Huanglong National Park and transfer from Huanglong to Jiuzhaigou.
● Zhenjiangguan Railway Station to Huanglong National Park: 85 kilometers (53 miles), taking 1.5~2 hours by car;
● Huanglong National Park to Jiuzhaigou Valley: 106 kilometers (66 miles), taking 2~2.5 hours by car.

At present, independent travel to Jiuzhaigou remains challenging for foreign tourists, in terms of trouble booking tickets, bus transit, and language barriers. So, taking an all-covered tailor-made tour is the most comfortable and convenient way to get to the scenic spot for those with a sufficient budget. In addition, Jiuzhaigou National Park is extensive, with different highlights in different seasons, such as Reed Lake in winter, Nuorilang Waterfall in summer, and the Five Flower Lake in autumn, so the best tour routes also vary. Take our guided service and he will take you to enjoy the most beautiful scenery in each season and discover the most distinctive humanities.

Just contact us, tell us your schedule, and we will do the rest to create you a wonderful Jiuzhaigou tour.

3 Days Classic Jiuzhaigou Tour

Itinerary: Chengdu / Huanglong / Jiuzhaigou
Highlights: Huanglong National Park, Jiuzhaigou Valley

Zhengjiangguan Station offers shuttle buses to Songzhou Bus Station (松州客运站) in Songpan County, which is about 44 kilometers (27 miles) driving distance, taking about 40 minutes. After reaching Songzhou Bus Station, you need to transfer by different long-distance buses to the Jiuzhai Goukou (The Entrance of Jiuzhaigou Valley) Long-distance Bus Station (九寨沟口长途客运站). Currently, 3 buses are running every day, coinciding with the time of the high-speed train. Don’t forget to pre-book bus tickets online, especially during the peak season. You probably won’t get one if you buy the ticket on-site.

Long-distance buses from Songzhou Bus Station to Jiuzhaigou Goukou Bus Station usually take 3 hours (103km).

Note: Since this mode of travel requires transit, it is not recommended for tourists who do not speak Mandarin, carry heavy luggage, or travel with elderly and young children.

Huanglongjiuzhai Railway Station 黄龙九寨站 is expected to open in the middle of 2024 (we will continue to follow the latest news and keep updating), by which the time from Chengdu East to the station will be shortened to 2 hours from the 5.5 hours required by car.

In order to protect the pristine natural ecological environment of the Huanglong and Jiuzhaigou scenic areas, the final construction of the Huanglongjiuzhaigou Railway Station did not reach the entrance of the scenic area. Instead, it chose to build in Chuanzhongsi town 川主寺, which is 23 kilometers (14 miles) west of Huanglong National Forest Park (About half an hour by car) and 88 kilometers (55 miles) south of Jiuzhaigou Valley (About 1.5~2 hours by car).

There is no official news on whether the station will operate buses directly to Jiuzhai and Huanglong scenic spots. We’ll follow up in real-time. If you have a sufficient budget and want to save time and energy, it is highly recommended to book an all-inclusive trip directly with us, without worrying about transportation and accommodation, you can concentrate on enjoying the beautiful scenery of the natural scene.

If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact us.

Day 1: Taking the earliest train in the morning, you will reach Zhenjiangguan Railway Station at 9:00. The driver and tour guide will wait for you at the station’s exit and transfer you safely to Huanglong National Park. You will arrive at the entrance of the scenic area around noon (meal time included). Then, the whole afternoon is yours to appreciate the stunning nature of Huanglong, enjoy a light hike and take memorable photos with the help of your guide. Usually, taking a round cable car, 3~4 hours, is enough to explore Huanglong. If you don’t suffer from altitude sickness and prefer hiking, 5 hours of consistent hiking at a steady pace will suffice to reach the summit and return (Notice: Huanglong National Park attractions are more than 3,000 meters above sea level). After the exploration, your driver will escort you to your hotel near Jiuzhaigou Valley.

If you only have two days, you need to catch the train departing in the afternoon. In addition, you shall leave at least 3 hours (even more if the weather is not well) for car transfer to the Zhenjiangguan Railway Station, meaning your Jiuzhaigou Valley day tour should be ended at 14:00-15:00. Is 5 to 7 hours enough to explore the Jiuzhaigou Valley? “No” in peak season for the long queue for sightseeing buses, but “Yes” in the off-season for just exploring the seasonal essences. However, if you plan to return to Chengdu on the same day, you will not have time to have a lazy morning; you are recommended to enter the park as soon as it opens (opening time is 07:00 during peak season and 08:00 during off-season).

If you have sufficient time to travel, we highly recommend planning a complete 1-2 day trip at Jiuzhaigou Valley. This will allow you to fully enjoy the sparkling lakes at all three trenches and perhaps even have time for a photo shoot wearing Tibetan costumes.

More about recommended visiting routes for Jiuzhaigou Valley >>

From & To: Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport (CTU)/Chengdu Tianfu International Airport (TFU) → Jiuzhaigou Huanglong Airport (JZH)

Duration: about 1 hour

Taking a non-stop flight from Chengdu to Jiuzhaigou is the fastest way, because the air travel merely takes about 1 hour. In peak tourist season, there are over 10 flights each day while in off-season daily flights are also provided from Chengdu to Jiuzhaigou. After landing in Jiuzhaigou Huanglong Airport, tourists still need to take a bus from the airport to reach Jiuzhaigou Valley in the northeast. Huanglong National Park is located closer to the airport, about 40km.

Jiuzhaigou Airport to Jiuzhaigou Valley: about 88KM, 1.5 hour by bus

Recommended Chengdu Jiuzhaigou Tours (by flight):

☛ 3 Days Classic Jiuzhaigou Tour by Flight

Note: Jiuzhaigou Airport has a high elevation of 3,448m (11,312ft), some travelers may suffer from high-altitude sickness when flying from a plain area. It should be considered and reminded when choosing Chengdu to Jiuzhaigou flight.

More about Jiuzhaigou Flights & Airport 2024

From & To: Chengdu Chadianzi/Xinnanmen Bus Station → Jiuzhaigou Bus Station

Distance & Duration: about 440KM/ 6-8 hours

Travelling at a slower pace is also popular for lots of tourists. With enough time, you can take a bus from Chengdu to Jiuzhaigou, driving through Mianyang, Guangyuan, Wenchuan, Mao County, and Songpan, ultimately arriving at the valley entrance directly. Usually, the bus departs in the early morning, around 7:00, and gets to Jiuzhaigou in the afternoon. It’s indeed a long ride, you may feel tedious and uneasy, but various kinds of gorgeous scenery on the road will surprise you and leave you with a unique travel experience. You will be sent directly to the scenic area in the end, so you can stay overnight, acclimatize to high altitude and prepare for the next day’s trip to Huanglong National Park.

Discover more about drive to Jiuzhaigou >>

Recommended Chengdu Jiuzhaigou Tours (by private car):

☛ 4 Days Jiuzhaigou Private Tour from Chengdu

☛ 5 Days Jiuzhaigou Ruoergai Superb Scenery Tour

Our Advice: Bus rides are more suitable for those who have more time, want to see the landscape on the road in Northwestern Sichuan and people who are advised to adapt to high elevation gradually.

More Chengdu to Jiuzhaigou Transportation >>

Chengdu is the most crucial gateway to Jiuzhaigou by air and road. Known as a world-famous destination with a cute Giant Panda, delicious Sichuan Cuisine, a relaxing leisure lifestyle and a long history, Chengdu gives tourists many exciting things to explore.

Before or after the Jiuzhaigou tour, you can take 1 to 3 days to visit landmarks in Chengdu, including seeing adorable Giant Pandas in Panda Base, walking around Jinli Ancient Street, drink Chinese tea in People’s Park, watch a wonderful Sichuan Opera show, visit serene Wenshu Monastery. Side trips from Chengdu to Mount Qingcheng in Dujiangyan, Leshan Giant Buddha and Mount Emei in Leshan, and Sanxingdui Museum in Guanghan are recommended when you have more time to discover the World Heritages near Chengdu.

1~4 Days Chengdu Tours with UNESCO World Heritage sites

Usually, tourists will leave for 3 to 4 days to visit Jiuzhaigou Valley and Huanglong National Park together.

☛ 7 Days Sichuan Discovery Tour

You can have a classic private tour or an in-depth hiking trip. You can return to Chengdu to continue your China tour from Jiuzhaigou to other destinations in China, maybe Qinghai and Gansu.

3~7 Days Qinghai Tours | 4~8 Days Gansu Tours

☛ 8 Days Qinghai Gansu Jiuzhaigou Land Tour

Travel with China Discovery

If you book a tour from China Discovery, our skilled driver and knowledgeable guide will pick you up at the airport or railway station and escort you to your hotels, restaurant, the pier and other tourist destinations. You won’t need to worry about the complicated transportation anymore and just focus on sightseeing. >>Contact us now