How to Get from Shanghai to Chengdu by Flight & Train

Watching the cute Giant Pandas is also a popular thing to do for many travelers to China. After your modern city exploration in Shanghai, it’s very convenient to transfer to Chengdu, the hometown of Giant Pandas, which is also a gateway city to many UNESCO World Heritages of Sichuan, such as the Leshan Giant Buddha, Mount Emei, Jiuzhaigou Valley, Mount Qingcheng.

Both flight and train are available for getting from Shanghai to Chengdu. What’s the journey time of each way? Which one is better? To help you find the most efficient and convenient way, China Discovery gives detailed Shanghai to Chengdu transportation guide below, including the flight & train (including high speed bullet train) schedule, duration and advantages.

Most Popular Chengdu Tours:

☞ 1 Day Chengdu Relaxing Panda Highlights Tour / ☞ 4 Days Classic Leshan Giant Buddha & Mount Emei Tour

☞ 2 Days Best Chengdu Leshan Giant Buddha Tour / ☞ 4 Days Jiuzhaigou Huanglong Highlights Tour

Shanghai to Chengdu Distance

Where is Shanghai: Shanghai lies on the south estuary of Yangtze River, East China and borders Jiangsu Province to the north and Zhejiang Province to the west. It is about 1,175km southeast of Beijing (2.5 hours by flight; 4.5~6 hours by high speed bullet train), 1,355 km from Xian (around 2.5 hours by flight; 6.5~10 hours by high speed bullet train), 175 km northeast of Hangzhou (about 1 hour by high speed bullet train) and 100 km from Suzhou, almost 0.5 hour by bullet train.

Where is Chengdu: Chengdu is located in central Sichuan Province, about 60 km, 1.5 hours’ drive from Dujiangyan Panda Base; about 145 km, 1 hour’s high speed bullet train journey to Leshan; 150 km, 2 hours’ drive from Mount Emei; around 53 km, 8.5 hours’ drive from Jiuzhaigou Valley.

How Far is Chengdu from Shanghai? Chengdu is situated nearly 1,950 km (1,212 mi) west of Shanghai. You can either take a direct flight (almost 3.5 hours), or a high speed bullet train (about 11 ~14 hours), a normal speed train (about 35 ~38.5 normal train) to get from Shanghai to Chengdu. Read on to find more details and decide your perfect way to go.

Option 1: Get from Shanghai to Chengdu by Flight (Most Efficient & Recommended Way)

● Flight Time: about 3.5 hours

● Frequency: over 70 direct flights per day

● From & To: Shanghai Hongqiao & Pudong International Airport (SHA & PVG) 上海虹桥&浦东国际机场 → Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport (CTU) 成都双流国际机场

Flying by a non-stop flight is the fastest way of travelling from Shanghai to Chengdu. At present, there are more than 70 direct flights departing from Shanghai to Chengdu each day. Based on your location and time, you can choose to fly from Shanghai Hongqiao or Pudong International Airport. The air travel is nearly 3.5 hours. So, just within half day, you can get to Chengdu and enjoy a Giant Panda tour. As the most time-saving way, the direct flight has been became the first choice to travel from Shanghai to Chengdu. Check more updated Shanghai Chengdu Flight Schedule >>

✔Classic Chengdu Tours: 1 Day Chengdu Relaxing Panda Highlights Tour / 2 Days Leisure Chengdu Tour with Panda Visit

◆ Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport 上海虹桥国际机场 (SHA)

Address: No.2550, Hongqiao Road, Changning District, Shanghai 上海市长宁区虹桥路2550号

Transportation: about 20 km, 40 minutes’ drive from downtown Shanghai, the Bund, Yu Garden; 20 km, 50 minutes’ drive from Shanghai Museum; nearly 43 km, 1 hour’s drive from Shanghai Disney Resort.

◆ Shanghai Pudong International Airport 上海浦东国际机场 (PVG)

Address: No.6000, Yingbin Avenue, Pudong New Area, Shanghai 上海市浦东新区迎宾大道6000号

Transportation: about 46 km, 1 hour’s drive from downtown Shanghai; about 44 km, 50 minutes’ drive from the Bund and Yu Garden; about 45 km, 1 hour’s drive from Shanghai Museum; around 23 km, 30 minutes’ drive from Shanghai Disney Resort.

◆ Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport 成都双流国际机场 (CTU)

Address: Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport 成都双流国际机场 (CTU)

Transportation: about 20 km, 40 minutes’ drive from downtown Chengdu, Renmin Park (People’s Park); around 20 km, 50 minutes’ drive from Kuanzhai Alley; nearly 35 km, 1 hour’s drive from Chengdu Panda Base (Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding).

Useful Links:

>> Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport / Shanghai Pudong International Airport
>> Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport / Chengdu Transportation Guide

Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport

Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport

Option 2: Get from Shanghai to Chengdu by Train

Meanwhile, Shanghai provides nearly 10 trains to Chengdu every day, including fast high speed trains and a few slower normal speed trains. Compared to the flight, taking a train still takes quite a long time. But if you like slow-paced travel and want to see variation of different landscape from the East China to Southwest China, the train, especially a high speed bullet train may be a nice choice.

1.Shanghai to Chengdu High Speed Bullet Train

● Train Time: about 11 ~15.5 hours

● Frequency: about 8 high speed bullet trains per day

● From & To: Shanghai Hongqiao & Shanghai Railway Station 上海虹桥&上海站 → Chengdu East Railway Station 成都东站

● Running Speed: 300-350 km/h (G Train), 200 km/h (D Train)

After the operation of east-west Shanghai-Wuhan-Chengdu High Speed Railway (also named Huhanrong Passenger Railway), the train travel time between Shanghai and Chengdu has been shortened to 11 hours to 15.5 hours. Every day, there are about 4 G trains and 4 D trains running from Shanghai to Chengdu, which all starts in the morning and arrive in the evening on the same day. If you want to experience faster high speed train and newest Fuxing Train, you can go to Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station to take the G trains, which needs around 11 to 13 hours. Besides, both Shanghai Hongqiao and Shanghai Railway Station have D trains to Chengdu, spending around 12.5 to 15.5 hours. The first train leaves at 06:00 in the early morning and the last one departs at about 11:00 am. After arrival, it’s very easy to transfer to downtown and major attractions in Shanghai.

◆ Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station 上海虹桥站

Address: No.1500, Shengui Road, Minhang District, Shanghai 上海市闵行区申贵路1500号

Transportation: about 20 km, 50 minutes~1 hour’s drive to the Bund; 20 km, 1 hour’s drive to Shanghai Museum; 23 km, 1 hour’s drive to Shanghai World Financial Center; 35 km, 40 minutes’ drive to Zhujiajiao Water Town; 43 km, 1 hour’s drive to Shanghai Disney Resort.

◆ Chengdu East Railway Station 成都东站

Address: No.333, Qionglaishan Road, Chenghua District, Chengdu 成都市成华区邛崃山路333号

Transportation: about 10 km, 30 minutes’ driver from downtown Chengdu; about 17 km, 25 minutes’ drive from Chengdu Panda Base; aroubd 12 km, 40 minutes’ drive from People’s Park and Kuaizhai Alley.

Useful Links:

>> Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station / Chengdu East Railway Station

Shanghai Chengdu High Speed Railway Map

Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station

Chengdu East Railway Station

Check the real-time Shanghai to Chengdu high speed bullet train timetable below with updated train numbers, times, train tickets and fares.

2.Shanghai to Chengdu Normal Train

● Train Time: about 30 hours ~ 38.5 hours

● Frequency: about 3~4 normal trains per day

● From & To: Shanghai & Shanghai South Railway Station 上海&上海南站 → Chengdu Railway Station 成都站

● Running Speed: 120 km/h (K Train)

Shanghai still runs several normal speed trains to Chengdu daily. Because running at a very slow speed of 120 km/h, passengers can only arrive in Chengdu on the second and even the third day. Though the normal train ticket is cheaper, the train travel time is nearly 3 times that of a high speed train and the facilities are also simple. So hardly anyone take the long and tedious normal train journey from Shanghai to Chengdu.

◆ Shanghai Railway Station 上海火车站

Address: No.303, Moling Road, Jingan District, Shanghai 上海市静安区秣陵路303号

Transportation: about 50 km, 1 hour’s drive from Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG); about 6 km, 20 minutes’ drive from the Bund; almost 7 km, 20 minutes’ drive from Yu Garden; about 35 km, 40 minutes’ drive from Shanghai Disney Resort.

◆ Shanghai South Railway Station 上海南站

Address: No.9001, Humin Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai 上海市徐汇区沪闵路9001号

Transportation: about 43 km, 50 minutes’ drive from Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG); about 14 km, 25 minutes’ drive from the Bund; almost 14 km, 30 minutes’ drive from Yu Garden; about 30 km, 40 minutes’ drive from Shanghai Disney Resort.

◆ Chengdu Railway Station 成都站

Address: No.1, Zhandong Road, Jinniu District, Chengdu, Sichuan 四川省成都市金牛区站东路1号

Transportation: about 5 km, 20 minutes’ by drive/metro from downtown Chengdu; about 11 km, 30 minutes’ drive from Chengdu Panda Base; only 5 km, 25 minutes’ metro from People’s Park and 5 km, 20 minutes’ drive from Kuanzhai Alley.

Shanghai Railway Station

Chengdu Railway Station

How to Plan a Shanghai Chengdu Tour

The most popular and classic Shanghai Chengdu tour itinerary is to spend 4 days, 2 days in Shanghai and Chengdu each to discover the top highlights. If you want to spend more time in one or both destinations, you’re suggested to take 1 to 2 extra days, visit more attractions to make in-depth city tours.

While in Shanghai, you can experience the flying speed of Maglev Train, marvel at towering modern skyscrapers, such as Shanghai World Financial Center, Shanghai Tower, Oriental Pearl Tower in Lujiazui, learn amazing city development history and see a large number of cultural treasure in Shanghai Museum, enjoy western style historical architectures along the Bund, visit local cultural icons like Yu Garden, Tianzifang, City God Temple, Zhujiajiao Water Town, have fun in Shanghai Disney Resort, sample various Shanghai food and snacks, etc.

Most Popular Shanghai Tours:

✔2 Days Classic Shanghai City Tour

✔3 Days Shanghai Past and Present Contrast Tour

During your trip in Chengdu, you can firstly visit Chengdu Panda Base in the morning to closely see the lovely Giant Pandas, learn their interesting living habits, Next, you can visit major landmarks in downtown area, such as try a relaxing tea time in People’s Park, explore ancient history in Wuhou Temple, sample delicious local snacks in Jinli Old Street, enjoy peaceful Buddhist culture in Wenshu Temple, etc. From Chengdu, you can conveniently make day trips to Leshan Giant Buddha, Mount Qingcheng, or use 2 and more days to hike the Mount Emei, visit Jiuzhaigou Valley, and even go further to view beautiful nature and discover distinctive ethnic culture in western and northern Sichuan.

Top Recommended Chengdu Tours:

✔2 Days Classic Chengdu City Tour - Panda Experience & Leisure Chengdu

✔4 Days Classic Leshan Giant Buddha & Mount Emei Tour

✔6 Days Chengdu Jiuzhaigou In-depth Tour

Taking advantage of the well-developed transportation network, you can extend trip from Chengdu to more destinations in nearby Southwestern China and other regions. You can travel to neighboring Chongqing, feel the special “Mountain City”, and take a Yangtze River Cruise, to ancient capital - Xian to see the wonderful Terracotta Army, to colorful Yunnan to capture unique natural and cultural sights of Lijiang, Dali, Shangri-La, Kunming, to holy land of Tibet, to mysterious minority province of Guizhou, to Lanzhou for your Silk Road adventure, to idyllic Guilin to enjoy picturesque Li River, to Beijing to realize your Great Wall hiking trip, etc.

Most Popular China Tours from Chengdu:

✔9 Days Pandas Terracotta Warriors Great Wall Encounter by Bullet Train

✔5 Days Classic Tour by New Xian Chengdu High Speed Train

✔15 Days China Best Treasure Tour with Yangtze Cruise & Zhangjiajie Landscape

Sanchez Family Visited the Bund with China Discovery

Reindorp and His Family Enjoyed Chengdu Giant Panda Tour

Our Tailor-made Group Tour to Mutianyu Great Wall, Beijing

Travel Shanghai & Chengdu with China Discovery

As a leading travel agency in China who dedicates to offering high-quality China tours, China Discovery has helped thousands of travelers enjoy their trips to Shanghai, Beijing, Xian, etc., in China. Travel with us, you can enjoy worry-free tour services as well as well-organized itineraries, even our assistance of Chinese Visa application, convenient airport/train station pick-up & drop-off and transfer between all scenic spots, knowledgeable tour guide, safe & licensed private vehicle, satisfactory accommodation and dining and so on. To fully focus on the trip itself without worry any details, you can choose from our most popular Chengdu tour packages or contact us to design a memorable holiday in Shanghai, China.