-Asia.China.Chongqing-
OK – so we landed in Chongqing International Airport very early in the morning at that- Even after we collected our luggage , it was still early in the morning before 6am. As a first-timer here and not being able to speak Mandarin well, I had to decide on which option to take to get to our Hotel in Chaotianmen.
As we had two big luggages, I decided to use Didi to order a car. Why , you may ask : it was partly because I wanted an option that could pay upfront since I could not test if my Alipay was working yet. Needless to say – it didn’t go smoothly …
Note: This post contains affiliate links where I may earn a commission from at no extra cost to you. I promise that I am only endorsing products I use myself and trust in. This support in turn helps me sustain this website to bring you more travel tips. Let’s win together!
Table of Contents
Ride-Hailing with Didi from Chongqing Airport
Our Experience
For this to work, you should already have access to internet – I had my eSim ready and activated it as soon as the plane stopped. However I had problems to order a ride. Thankfully for me, there was an information desk at the Arrivals area and a young lady assisted me.
This was my first try at using the Alipay app and I experienced the first struggle with communication with the young lady as she did not speak English. Luckily I could use the translate function to ask for her help.
She helped me with setting up and ordering the ride but it was unsuccessful. She then asked me to get the free wi-fi available from a machine. Placing my passport for verification , granted me access to the internet and the next try to order was successful!
The nice lady then gave us instructions to find the pick-up point.
*Useful Tip: You should factor in 5-10 minutes to get to the pick-up point if this is your first time in Chongqing T3 Airport.
On our way to the pick-up, we encountered touters who wanted to bring us to the Hotel, we pretty much ignored them. We found the car but the driver mentioned that we had cancelled the ride. When i checked the App, it did not say cancelled. I was mindful of getting conned while my brain was already fogged up from jetlag. I showed him but he insisted and it was difficult to communicate again. It was several minutes of back and forth with no real progress, in the end he said to get in the car. The last of my energy repleted I did not argue and decided to pay double fare anyway and chalk it up to gaining an experience.
We arrived and the driver was helpful and went to check if the building he dropped us at was where our Hotel is. He let me scan the QR Code to pay for the ride which costed 45 CNY . A few days later I saw that the first transaction was cancelled , so all was good in the end. It also showed me the people that we met there so far were helpful and honest!
How to ride-hail using Didi (China's version of (Uber/Grab)
Where to find it: You don’t need a separate app; it is a “mini-app” inside Alipay.
How it works:
Open Alipay -> Click “Transport” or search “DiDi”.
- Usually you are asked to input as a first step to Pickup location which area you are in – in this case type “Chongqing”
- Then enter the Pickup-location as “Jiangbei Airport – T3-1F Ride-hailing pickup point”
- Enter your hotel destination
- A list of available car types and corresponding prices will show up. Select one and confirm.
Benefit: You input your destination in English, the price is fixed or estimated upfront, and the payment is deducted automatically from your linked card at the end. You don’t need to speak to the driver or scan anything.
- Go to the Ride-hailing pick-up point
- Exit terminal building using exit 07 (you should see signs for Car-Hailing Service on the board)
- Walk on until you come to an elevator on the left (120) with Car-hailing service sign. Take it or the escalator next to it down to the Ground floor and you will find the pick-up point.
- Check for the license plate you were provided with and car description to make sure you are on the right vehicle.
Taxi from Chongqing Airport
The Taxi can be taken walking out of the same exit 07 from the terminal building and following the Taxi signs.
Payment for taxis in China is almost exclusively digital. While cash is legally accepted, it is often inconvenient because drivers rarely carry change.
Here is the best way to prepare before you leave the airport:
1. The Best Way: Alipay
How to pay in the taxi:
When you arrive, the driver will likely point to a QR code sticker on the dashboard or back of the seat.
Open Alipay and tap “Scan” (top left).
- Scan their code.
Enter the amount on the meter (e.g., 65).
Show the driver the “Success” screen on your phone.
2. The Alternative: Cash (RMB)
If you must use cash, you need to be prepared:
Small Bills: Drivers often cannot break 100 RMB notes, especially for short trips. Try to break your larger notes at a convenience store in the airport (e.g., buying a water) so you have 10s and 20s.
Exact Change: Offer to round up the fare if they don’t have change (e.g., if the ride is 48 RMB, just give 50).
*Useful Tip: Prepare the Hotel name and address in Mandarin to show the Taxi Driver to avoid miscommunication
Metro - Chongqing Rail Transit (CRT) (Cheapest)
The subway is by far the most budget-friendly option and is a great way to avoid road traffic. You can buy tickets from the cashier or from the ticket machines. Below are the steps if your Hotel is like ours at Chaotianmen :
Route: Take Line 10 (Red Line) from the airport (T2 or T3).
Transfer: At Hongtudi Station (红土地), transfer to Line 6 (Pink Line) towards Tea Garden (Chayuan).
Get Off: At Xiaoshizi Station (小什字) or
Transfer: to Line 1 at Xiaoshizi and go one more stop to Chaotianmen Station
Walk: From Xiaoshizi, take Exit 9 (check signs for Chaotianmen).
Cost: ~¥6 – ¥7.
Time: ~60 minutes.
*Useful Tip: I actually don’t recommend taking the subway if you have heavy luggages with you. The Transfers from one line to another – especially at Hongtudi station could involve long walking.
Private transfer - Chongqing Airport - Hotel
The most convenient option is to have a pre-booked private transfer (click on the above widget) . The driver is waiting at the arrivals Hall to pick you up and bring you to the Hotel. The transfer of course works the other way as well back to the airport.
Check as well with the Hotel you are staying with, if they have a transfer option.
Just Pin It!
Related posts you might like...
