Chengdu to Xi'an: train or flight, time and tickets
How to travel from Chengdu to Xi'an on a first trip to China: by high-speed train, how long it takes, where trains leave from and how to book.
Short answer: By high-speed train, about 3 to 4 hours.
Chengdu to Xi'an by high-speed train
High-speed trains (G and D numbers) link Chengdu and Xi'an, about 3 to 4 hours. Book on Railway 12306 or Trip.com with your passport, which is also your ticket; tickets usually go on sale 15 days before departure, and verifying a foreign passport on 12306 usually takes 3 to 5 working days, so register early. See how to book a train ticket and Trip.com vs 12306.
Main stations: in Chengdu, Chengdu East Railway Station; in Xi'an, Xi'an North Railway Station. Check which one your train uses: cities have several, and they are far apart.
Be at the station 45 to 60 minutes before departure: big stations have security checks, a passport check at the gates, and boarding closes a few minutes before the train leaves.
Planning Chengdu and Xi'an
- Chengdu city guide and Xi'an city guide: about 3 days in Chengdu and 3 in Xi'an make a good first visit.
- Ready-made route: China in 10 days: Beijing, Xi'an, Chengdu and Shanghai
- Getting around inside each city, by metro and Didi: Getting around.
Other direction: Xi'an to Chengdu. All connections: between cities.