Chengdu to Jiuzhaigou Train, Direct Train to Chuanzhusi
Great News! The high-speed train from Chengdu to Huanglongjiuzhai Station is now officially in operation, shortening the travel time from Chengdu East to the station to 2 hours from the 5.5 hours required by car. For more details, click and jump to >>
As a representative of China’s natural landscape, Jiuzhaigou Valley has always been the desire of travelers at home and abroad. Nevertheless, it takes a long and arduous drive of 6-8 hours to get there, discouraging many tourists suffering from carsickness and altitude stress. All of the above situations will be solved after the opening of the section from Chengdu to Huanglongjiuzhai Railway Station 黄龙九寨站 (former Chuanzhusi Railway Station 川主寺站). It takes only 2 hours for the high-speed railroad. After exiting the station, tourists can directly transfer by cars/shuttle buses to reach the entrance of Huanglong National Park in about 40 minutes and Jiuzhaigou Valley in about 1.5 hours. Travelers are suggested to go to visit Huanglong National Park first before transferring to Jiuzhaigou, which is the most classic and time-saving Jiuzhaigou travel itinerary.
Keep reading to learn the expected opening date of Huanglongjiuzhai Railway Station, transportation tips from the Huanglong Jiuzhai railway station to the entrance of Huanglong National Park and Jiuzhaigou Valley, and the map and construction timeline of Sichuan-Qinghai Railway to discover how to plan a trip to western China!
Chengdu to Jiuzhaigou Train (To Huanglongjiuzhai Station) — 2.5 Hours
Chengdu to Jiuzhaigou Transportation Map, Click to Enlarge
With the opening of Huanglongjiuzhai Railway Station 黄龙九寨站 (former Chuanzhusi Railway Station 川主寺站), Chengdu to Jiuzhaigou by high-speed rail became the most welcomed way of travel. It’s cheaper than travel by air and comfortable than a long-hour road trip. Currently, there are around 20 runs per day, and the traffic time only costs about 2 hours.
- Huanglongjiuzhai Station Address: Chuanzhusi Town, 16 km north from Songpan County, 213 National Highway, Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan, China (四川省阿坝藏族羌族自治州松潘县213国道)
- Train No.
- Departure / Train Staiton
- Duration
- Seat Type / USD Price / Availability
Note: Train information is subject to final confirmation due to the delay of data occasionally.
More train schedule: Jiuzhaigou to Chengdu Trains: Schedule, Ticket & Fares 2025 >>
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).
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.
Reed Lake in Winter
Our Clients in Jiuzhaigou
Public Transportation Tips - For Independent Travelers
Direct Buses to Jiuzhaigou Valley: The entire journey takes about 2 hours, with a ticket price of CNY 51/pp (only for your reference). The first departure for the outbound trip is at 8:30 AM and the last departure is at 9:15 PM. The first departure for the return trip is at 6:00 AM and the last departure is at 8:00 PM. The schedule generally corresponds with the high-speed train timings.
Direct Buses to Huanglong National Park: The entire journey takes about 40 minutes, with a ticket price of CNY 28/pp (only for your reference). The first departure for the outbound trip is at 8:30 AM and the last departure is at 9:15 PM. The first departure for the return trip is at 10:10 AM and the last departure is at 10:15 PM.
Ticketing Advisory:
Please make sure to buy your tickets for the direct scenic area shuttle service exclusively through the official wechat account “JiuYue Travel 九旅悦行”. Purchasing through other online travel platforms is discouraged due to the potential for not receiving a follow-up confirmation message, which could prevent you from boarding the bus. Although on-site ticket purchases are an option, be aware that during the peak tourist season (from July to November), tickets might be in high demand and could sell out.
(Disclaimer: The information provided above is for your reference only. Specific circumstances are subject to official pricing and announcements.)
Chengdu to Jiuzhaogou Train (To Zhenjiangguan Station) - Alternative Plan
You can also choose to take the trains to Zhenjiangguan Station or Songpan. There are currently 3~4 high-speed trains running steadily every day, 2~3 in the morning and 1 in the afternoon; the length is around 1.5 hours.
Zhenjiangguan/Songpan to Huanglong/Jiuzhaigou: Transportation & Travel Tips
- Zhenjiangguan Railway Station Address: Zhenjiangguan Township, Songpan County, Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province, China (四川省阿坝藏族羌族自治州松潘县镇江关乡)
Zhenjiangguan Station is 147 kilometers (91 miles) away from Jiuzhaigou Valley and 85 kilometers (53 miles) away from Huanglong National Park, and it takes over 2.5 hours and 1.5 hours to drive with the road condition intact and without stopping in the middle. Even so, compared with a tiring road trip (8-10 hours) or expensive plane travel, taking a high-speed train to Zhenjiangguan and then transferring by a private car is still a good value for money. It is expected to become the first choice for people to travel to Huanglong and Jiuzhaigou in the future.
Zhenjiangguan Station to Huanglong National Park — 1.5~2 Hours
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.
Huanglong National Park
Zhenjiangguan Station to Jiuzhaigou Valley — 2.5~4 Hours
Currently, Zhenjiangguan Station does not provide direct public bus service to Jiuzhaigou Valley 九寨沟. After getting off the train, there are three ways to reach Jiuzhaigou Valley: private car, two sections of public buses transfer through Songpan County, and private buses offered by locals (not recommended).
Option 1: Travel with China Discovery by Private Car (Top Recommended) — 2.5 Hours
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.
Option 2 Public Buses Transfer through Songpan County (For Independent Travelers) — 4 Hours
- Songzhou Bus Station Address: No. 161, North Street, Songpan County, Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province, China (中国四川省阿坝藏族羌族自治州松潘县城北街161号)
- Jiuzhai Goukou Long-distance Bus Station Address: 150 m to the northeast of Hudiba, Zhangzha Town, Jiuzhaigou County, Sichuan Province, China (中国四川省九寨沟县漳扎镇火地坝东北方150米)
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.
Songzhou Ancient City Wall
Jiuzhaigou Train Travel Plans & Tips 2025
It is possible to plan 2 to 4-day tours of Jiuzhaigou and Huanglong from Chengdu based on the high-speed rail schedule.
Usually, it requires at least 3 days to explore Jiuzhaigou and Huanglong. However, during the off-season (winter), a two-day trip may also be realized by booking a customized tour with 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.
Melvyn and His Wife Hiked Huanglong National Park in November 2023
The main differences between 2-day and 3-day tours lie in the time arrangement of the second day.
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 >>
Our Dear Guests Visited Jiuzhaigou Valley in Autumn
Check our customers’ top picks (train travel):
More Way to Travel: Chengdu to Jiuzhaigou Flight and Bus
Option 1: Take Chengdu to Jiuzhaigou by Flight
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 2025
Jiuzhaigou Airport
Option 2: Take Bus from Chengdu to Jiuzhiagou
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.
Drive to Jiuzhaigou from Chengdu
More about Chengdu Jiuzhaigou Railway, Future Travel to Qinghai and Gansu
Chengdu to Jiuzhaigou railroad is an integral part of the Sichuan-Qinghai Railway 川青铁路. Sichuan-Qinghai Railway connects Chengdu, Sichuan Province and Xining City, Qinghai Province. It is an important part of the Lanzhou (Xining) - Guangzhou Corridor, one of the main high-speed railroad corridors of the Medium-to-Long Term Railway Network Plan (Revised Version 2016), which consists of eight vertical and eight horizontal high-speed railroad corridors.
Till November 2023, the Sichuan-Qinghai Railway from Chengdu to Huangshengguan Station plans 13 stations with a design speed of 200 km/h; the section from Haidongxi to Huangshengguan has 16 stations with a speed of 200 km/h in design.
Sichuan-Qinghai Railway Map, Click to Enlarge
- On November 28, 2023, the section from Qingbaijiang East to Zhenjiangguan was opened for operation.
- In the middle of 2024, the section from Zhenjiangguan to Huangshengguan is expected to be opened to traffic.
- The remaining station building project of the Gansu-Qinghai section (Haidongxi - Huangshengguan) will start construction in May 2024, and will be opened to traffic from 2027 to 2029 in successive segments.
- It is expected to open to traffic from Lanzhou to Chengdu by the end of 2028, and the whole line from Xining to Chengdu by the end of 2029.
Time Line of the Sichuan-Qinghai Railway Construction:
By then, the running time of the high-speed train from Chengdu to Xining will be shortened from the current 9.5 hours to about 6 hours, and Chengdu to Lanzhou will only take about 5.5 hours. It is no longer a dream to have Sichuan hot pot in Chengdu at noon and authentic beef ramen in Lanzhou at night.
Contact us to plan a Forward-looking Travel through West China >>
How to Plan Your Chengdu Jiuzhaigou Tour
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
Chengdu: Hometown of Pandas
Picturesque Jiuzhaigou Scenery
Keep Reading about Jiuzhaigou Tour and Travel Guide
- Top 5 Jiuzhaigou Tours
- How to Plan Jiuzhaigou Trip
- Jiuzhaigou National Park
- Huanglong National Park
- Top Things to do in Jiuzhaigou
- Featured Activities to do in Jiuzhaigou
- Where to Stay in Jiuzhaigou
- Comfortable Class Jiuzhaigou Hotels
- Luxury Class Jiuzhaigou Hotels
- Jiuzhaigou Hiking Guide
- Jiuzhaigou Maps
- Jiuzhaigou Landscape
- Jiuzhaigou Local Food
- Jiuzhaigou Travel FAQs & Tips
Jiuzhaigou Transportation Guide
- Get There & Around Jiuzhaigou
- Jiuzhaigou Airport & Flights
- Jiuzhaigou Airport to Huanglong
- Jiuzhaigou Airport to Jiuzhaigou
- Jiuzhaigou to Huanglong Transportation
- How to Drive to Jiuzhaigou
- Travel from Chengdu to Jiuzhaigou
- Travel from Xian to Jiuzhaigou
Jiuzhaigou Weather Guide
Recommended Chengdu Jiuzhaigou Tours
Top 3 Chengdu Jiuzhaigou tours chosen by most customers to explore Chengdu Jiuzhaigou in the best way. Check the detailed itinerary, or tailor your own trip now with us.
5 Days Chengdu Jiuzhaigou Comfortable Tour
Chengdu / Huanglong / Jiuzhaigou
6 Days Chengdu & Jiuzhaigou In-depth Tour (Round Trip High Speed Trains)
Chengdu / Huanglong / Jiuzhaigou / Chengdu
4 Days Jiuzhaigou Huanglong Highlights Tour from Chengdu by Private Car
Chengdu / Huanglong / Jiuzhaigou / Chengdu
Start planning your tailor-made holiday to China by contacting one of our specialists. Once inquired, you’ll get a response within 0.5~23.5 hours.
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