Getting There--Shuangliu Airportis 17km (11 miles) south of Chengdu. Destinations include Beijing (eight or nine flights daily); Guangzhou (eight or nine flights daily); Hong Kong (one or two flights daily); and Kunming (8-10 flights daily). To Lhasa, there are one to four flights daily, but it's always best to book the 6am flight; later flights are often canceled or delayed. As of January 2003, travelers were no longer required to enter Tibet with a group of five or more, but Tibet Tourism Bureau (TTB) permits are, for the time being, still required. The price of a one-way flight to Tibet, TTB permit, and airport transfer in Chengdu is around ¥2,000 ($250). All flights can be booked with any of the several English-speaking travel agents at and near the Traffic Hotel.Dragonairhas an office in the Sheraton Lido (tel.028/8676-8828) at Renmin Zhong Lu 15, 1 Duan. Anairport shuttlefrom the China Southwest office on Renmin Nan Lu (next to Min Shan Fandian) takes 45 minutes and costs ¥10 ($1.25); it departs every half-hour. A less direct CAAC shuttle (Minhang Banche), no. 303, leaves every half-hour from 7am to 7pm from the CAAC office at the North Railway Station. The 22km (14-mile) ride takes 70 minutes and costs ¥6 (75¢). Ataxifrom the city center to the airport costs ¥50 to ¥75 ($6.25-$9), including a ¥10 ($1.25) toll.
The mainrailway stationis at the northern end of Renmin Bei Lu, 8km (5 miles) north of the Mao statue in the city center. The ticket office, open 24 hours, is to the right of the main building. Try to purchase tickets at least 2 days in advance. Major destinations include Beijing (fast trains 26 hr.; hard sleeper ¥418/$52), Kunming (fast trains 18 1/2 hr.; ¥222/$27), and Shanghai (15 1/2 hr.; hard sleeper ¥400-¥500/$50-$62).
Xin Nan Men Bus Station (Xin Nan Men Qichezhan),at the corner of Xin Nan Lu and Linjiang Zhong Lu and next to the Traffic Hotel, is clean, efficient, and tourist-friendly (has signs in English). Air-conditioned buses leave from here for Le Shan (2 1/2 hr.; ¥32/$3.90) and for Emei Shan (2 hr., 15 min.; ¥32/$3.90). Air-conditioned buses to Chongqing leave throughout the day from the equally clean, efficientWu Gui Qiao Bus Station (Wu Gui Qiao Qichezhan)southeast of the city center on Yinghui Lu (4 1/4 hr.; ¥121/$15). Buses to Jiuzhai Gou, Wolong, Dujiang Yan, and Qingcheng Shan now leave from theChadianzi Keyun Zhanin Chengdu's western suburbs near the new Third Ring Road (San Huan Lu).
Visitor Information-- Pick up the free monthly English-languageGo West Magazinein hotels and Western-style restaurants for its listings of entertainment and shopping in Chengdu and Chongqing.
Getting Around-- Chengdu's flat terrain and many bike lanes make walking and biking easy, but blocks are long, and crossing the river can require a trek before reaching a bridge. Renmin Lu bisects the city on the north-south axis. Its east-west counterpart is less straightforward: At the heart of the city (Tianfu Sq.), Renmin Xi Lu runs west from the square and Renmin Dong Lu runs east; after a block in either direction, the names change every block or so. Unfortunately, most of Chengdu's avenues have a multitude of names, making a street map essential. Traffic Hotel (Jiaotong Binguan) at Linjiang Zhong Lu 77 rentsbicyclesfor ¥15 ($1.85) per day with a ¥300 ($25) deposit. Take bus no. 6, 49, 50, or 55 and get off at the Xin Nan Men stop. Citybuses(¥1/15¢; air-conditioned ¥2/25¢) serve all parts of the city. Some buses charge ¥1 (15¢) extra at night. Routes are on city maps. Both bus no. 16 and minibus no. 5 (not the full-size no. 5) running the length of Renmin Lu from the North Railway Station to the South Railway Station are useful lines. The most commontaxiis the midrange Jetta. Taxi rates are ¥5 (65¢) for the first kilometer, then ¥1.40 (20¢) per kilometer thereafter; the rate increases to ¥2.10 (20¢) per kilometer above 7km (4 1/3 miles). From 10pm to 7am the first kilometer costs ¥6 (75¢); after that the fare is ¥1.70 (20¢) per kilometer for the first 7km and ¥2.40 after that.
Tours-- Chengdu has enough good, English-speakingindependent travel agentsthat you needn't bother with CITS and its generally higher rates. The best deals can be found inside and in the vicinity of the Jiaotong Binguan (Traffic Hotel). TheTraffic Travel Service(inside the hotel) andTianfu International Travel Serviceat the entrance to the hotel both book air and train tickets and offer a variety of tour packages. For aprivate guide,Mr. Tray Lee is a highly recommended freelance guide. His prices are competitive, his English excellent, and he's always reachable by mobile phone (tel.0139/8160-5307;message only 028/8555-4250; fax 028/8556-4952; lee_tray@hotmail.com). His "Sichuan Opera" tour costs ¥80 ($10) for admission, a backstage visit, one-way transportation, and an English-speaking guide. Die-hards stay for the whole 4 hours, but that's not required.BikeChina Adventures(www.bikechina.com/index.htm), an American company based in Chengdu, arranges adventure bicycle tours through any part of China.