The 5-day Chengdu & Chongqing itinerary gives three nights in Chengdu for pandas, hotpot, and a Leshan day trip, then two nights in Chongqing for its vertical streets and Yangtze views. Budget about ¥420 / US$58 a night in Chengdu’s Tianfu Square core and ¥480 / US$67 near Jiefangbei in Chongqing — both on Metro Line 1/2 and walking to the good stuff.
Quick Answer
Five days, two Sichuan-basin cities, five nights. Chengdu is the relaxed one — tea houses, the panda base, and the world’s calmest people-watching. Chongqing is its louder cousin: a city built up a mountain, where the metro runs through apartments and the night view rivals Hong Kong’s. The intercity train is just over an hour, so the move between them is painless.
- Day 1 — Chengdu: Tianfu Square, Kuanzhai alleys, hotpot.
- Day 2 — Chengdu: Giant Panda Base at opening.
- Day 3 — Leshan Big Buddha day trip, back to Chengdu.
- Day 4 — Train to Chongqing; Hongyadong and Jiefangbei night.
- Day 5 — Chongqing: cable car, Ciqikou, depart.
- Bases — Tianfu Square (Chengdu) and Jiefangbei (Chongqing).
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Day 1 — Chengdu: Tianfu Square, Kuanzhai & Hotpot
Check in near Tianfu Square, the geographic center and a Metro Line 1/2 hub. Walk the Kuanzhai (Wide-Narrow) alleys for teahouses and ear-cleaning chairs, then commit to a proper Sichuan hotpot dinner — order “midium” spice unless you truly mean it. Chengdu moves at a stroll; lean into it.
WHERE TO STAY TONIGHT: The where to stay near the Giant Panda Base (Chengdu) guide notes most visitors actually base downtown and taxi to the pandas — the base area has thin lodging. Keep this room three nights.
Day 2 — Chengdu: Giant Panda Base at Opening
Arrive at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding by 7:30 a.m. — the pandas are active before the heat and the crowds. Give it three hours. Afternoon: the Wuhou Shrine and Jinli street for snacks. Evening back downtown; you’ve earned a milder dinner.
WHERE TO STAY TONIGHT: Same Chengdu hotel.
Day 3 — Leshan Big Buddha Day Trip
A 50-minute high-speed train from Chengdu East to Leshan, then a bus or Didi to the Leshan Giant Buddha — a 71-meter carving you can walk down beside via a cliff staircase. Pre-book the stair ticket or you’ll queue an hour. Train back to Chengdu for your last Sichuan night.
WHERE TO STAY TONIGHT: Final Chengdu night; pack for the Chongqing move tomorrow.
Day 4 — Chengdu to Chongqing: Hongyadong at Night
The G-train to Chongqing North takes about 75 minutes (¥154 / US$21). Drop bags near Jiefangbei, then walk the riverside to Hongyadong, a stilt-house complex that glows at night and looks like a Miyazaki set. Ride the Liziba monorail (the one that passes through a building) for the quintessential Chongqing photo.
WHERE TO STAY TONIGHT: Jiefangbei / Liberation Monument core. The hill-climb is real, so pick a hotel near the river terrace rather than up the stair-streets if you hate slopes.
Day 5 — Chongqing: Cable Car, Ciqikou & Departure
Morning on the Yangtze River cable car (¥30, cash or Alipay), then the old town of Ciqikou for lunch. Afternoon flight from Jiangbei airport ( metro Line 3 + airport link, ~40 min) or train onward. I’ve left Chongqing for Xi’an by D-train in under six hours — a natural next leg.
Where to Stay
| Base area | City | Nightly (¥ / US$) | Nearest metro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tianfu Square | Chengdu | ¥400–650 / US$55–90 | Line 1, Line 2 |
| Chunxi Road | Chengdu | ¥450–700 / US$62–97 | Line 2, Line 3 |
| Jiefangbei | Chongqing | ¥460–720 / US$64–100 | Line 1, Line 2 |
For budget travelers, the best budget hotels in China that accept foreigners list flags Chengdu chains that take passports reliably. I keep guests in Tianfu Square for the metro reach; Chongqing’s Jiefangbei is unbeatable for the night view but expect stairs everywhere.
Getting Between Cities
Chengdu–Chongqing is the showcase of the west’s high-speed network: 75 minutes, trains every 30 minutes, ¥154 second class. Book on Trip.com or 12306 (China Railway (12306)) with the passport exactly as printed. The Chengdu East and Chongqing North stations are huge — follow the bilingual signs and allow 30 minutes from metro to platform.
Caveat worth repeating: Chongqing’s terrain means “near the station” can mean a 15-minute uphill walk. I always tell guests to confirm the hotel’s actual elevation and entrance on the map, not just the pin.
Foreigner Check-in & Payment Tips on the Road
Two cities, two passport scans, two deposits. Chengdu held ¥300 on my Visa; Chongqing’s Jiefangbei hotel took ¥500. Sichuan is relaxed about foreigners but smaller Chongqing guesthouses occasionally lack the license — book a named property to be safe. The can foreigners book hotels in China rules are identical here.
Hotpot joints are cash-light; Alipay or WeChat covers nearly all of them. The China hotel deposit & foreign credit cards guide explains the pre-authorization if yours sticks. When I checked into a Chunxi Road hotel last autumn, the front desk spoke good English and the deposit reversed in four days — Chengdu is an easy city for first-timers.
Book via book on Trip.com for English confirmations that match the desk.
When to Go & What It Costs
Spring (March–April) and autumn (October–November) are best — the basin is mild and the hotpot doesn’t cook you from outside. Summer is a 35°C steam bath with humidity to match; I only go then if I must. Winter is grey but cheap, and Chongqing’s night view cuts through the drizzle fine.
| Season | Chengdu | Chongqing | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 18°C, mild | 20°C, fresh | Pandas active |
| Summer | 30°C, humid | 35°C, steamy | Panda base early |
| Autumn | 21°C, clear | 23°C, dry | Best overall |
| Winter | 8°C, damp | 10°C, grey | Lowest prices |
Mid-range per-person daily budget:
- Hotels: ¥400–720 / US$55–100 (two bases).
- Train: ¥154 / US$21 Chengdu–Chongqing.
- Food + entries: ¥150–300 / US$21–42 (hotpot is a steal).
Expect roughly US$170 a day all-in, pandas and cable car included. Sichuan’s food is the budget hero — a great hotpot for two rarely tops ¥200 / US$28. Book the panda-base and Leshan tickets online to skip the on-site queue, which also saves a sweaty hour. If your trip lands in summer, shift the panda visit to the earliest slot and save Ciqikou for evening when the stone lanes cool. Chengdu’s teahouse culture is the real draw — budget an unhurried afternoon at Heming or a riverside stall, watching the city’s famous leisure unfold. Chongqing’s Liziba monorail photo spot fills by 9 a.m., so go at open or accept the crowd. Both cities take foreign cards at hotels, but carry yuan for the smaller hotpot alleys where plastic rarely works.
