Jiuzhaigou nestles among great mountains, and is isolated from other cities in Sichuan Province. Chengdu, the capital city of Sichuan, remains the gateway to Jiuzhaigou. There are both flights and buses connecting Chengdu with Jiuzhaigou.
By Air
Jiuzhai Huanglong Airport
- Airport name in Chinese: 九寨黄龙机场; or 九黄机场 for short
- Location: Chuanzhusi Town in Songpan County, about 88 km from Jiuzhaigou and 43 km from Huanglong.
- Chengdu to Jiuzhaigou flights: about 1 hours' duration
From Chengdu to Jiuzhaigou: Flights from Chengdu to Jiuzhaigou arrangements vary according to different dates. There will be 5 or 7 flights a day in the high season (usually from April to October). During the off-season, flights are limited, with roughly one flight per day, and not available every day.
From other domestic cities to Jiuzhaigou: A few cities have direct flights to Jiuzhaigou such as Beijing. Most flights still need to transfer in Chengdu.
International flights: There are no direct international flights to Jiuzhaigou. You will need to get to Chengdu first.
Jiuzhai Huanglong AirportTransportation between the Airport and Jiuzhaigou
Airport buses run between the airport and Jiuzhai Valley. The journey takes about one and a half hours. At the time of writing, it costs 45 yuan for a single trip, and 80 yuan for a round-trip. The cost of hiring a car is about 200 yuan; though bargaining is essential for a good deal.
Recommended tours:
By High-Speed Train
High-speed trains are available from Chengdu to Jiuzhaigou:
- Chengdu to Jiuzhai Huanglong Station (most recommended): The journey takes about 2 hours. This is the closest railway station to Jiuzhaigou, requiring a 1.5-hour drive to reach the valley.
- Chengdu to Songpan Station (second recommendation): The journey lasts around 1.5 to 2 hours. From here, it's approximately a 2.5-hour drive to Jiuzhaigou Valley.
- Chengdu to Huangshengguan Station (third recommendation): The trip takes 2 to 2.5 hours, followed by a 2-hour drive to Jiuzhaigou.
When booking a Jiuzhaigou tour with us, we will arrange the train tickets and private transfers from the station to the valley.
Recommended tours:
- 6-Day Essential Chengdu and In-Depth Jiuzhaigou Tour
- 7-Day Chengdu, Mount Emei and Jiuzhaigou Scenic Tour
By Long-distance Bus - Less Recommended
Jiuzhaigou is about 440 km from Chengdu. The bus journey takes about 9-10 hours. There are two main bus stations in Chengdu running buses to Jiuzhaigou: Xinnanmen Bus Station (新南门车站) and Chadianzi Bus Station (茶店子车站). Make sure with the station staff that your bus will stop at the Valley (and not just the county).
Buses departing from Xinnanmen are generally newer and in better condition than those from Chadianzi. Natural scenery on the journey is beautiful, with valleys, lush mountains and snow-capped mountains in the distance.
Jiuzhaigou Kou Tourist Bus Center (九寨沟口旅游客运中心) offers buses traveling to Huanglong, Songpan and Chengdu. The bus center is about 5 minutes' walk from Jiuzhai Valley National Park.
Transportation within Jiuzhaigou
Taxi
You can easily to flag down a taxi in Jiuzhaigou. The rate of the taxis in Jiuzhaigou County is 4-6 yuan for the first 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) due to the different car types. Make sure to use the taximeter when taking a taxi or you can negotiate the price with the driver before boarding.
A sightseeing bus in Jiuzhai ValleyJiuzhai Valley National Park Electric Sightseeing Bus
As the park is very large and you can end up very tired if you walk all day, there are sightseeing buses inside the park, costing 100 yuan per person. You can get on and off the different sightseeing buses as many times as you want in a day. And the buses follow a route which goes to and stops at the main attractions in the park.
Tour Jiuzhaigou with Us
You can use our Create My Trip service to tailor-make your tour. With rich experience in designing and arranging Jiuzhaigou tours, our travel experts can help you arrange your transportation to make your trip smooth and comfortable. See our recommended Jiuzhaigou tours: