Home / City Guide /
Chongqing Travel Guide
Chongqing is the largest municipality in southwest China. It is a modern port city on the upper reaches of the Yangtze River at the confluence of the Yangtze and Jialing Rivers. With an area of 31, 800 square miles (82,400 square kilometers), it shares borders with provinces of Hubei, Hunan, Guizhou, Sichuan, and Shaanxi.
As China’s fourth municipality after Beijing, Shanghai, and Tianjin, Chongqing has maintained rapid economic development while preserving a wonderful natural environment.
Known as the 'Mountain City', it has a wavy terrain and encompasses a wealth of water reserves, mineral resources, dense forests, and abundant flora and fauna.
The city attracts visitors from home and abroad for its natural wonders and cultural heritage. As a common starting port for the Yangtze River cruise, tourists can go for a downstream tour to the magnificent Three Gorges.
As China’s fourth municipality after Beijing, Shanghai, and Tianjin, Chongqing has maintained rapid economic development while preserving a wonderful natural environment.
Known as the 'Mountain City', it has a wavy terrain and encompasses a wealth of water reserves, mineral resources, dense forests, and abundant flora and fauna.
The city attracts visitors from home and abroad for its natural wonders and cultural heritage. As a common starting port for the Yangtze River cruise, tourists can go for a downstream tour to the magnificent Three Gorges.
Click to see all Chongqing Attractions See more about:Top 10 Things to Do in Chongqing
Three Gorges Chongqing: Touring Route, Sightseeing & Fun
Recommended Chongqing Tours
3-Day Private Chongqing Tours from $379 4-Day Yangtze Cruise Tour from Chongqing from $749 12-Day Beijing/ Xi'an/ Chongqing/ Yangtze/ Shanghai Package from $2479
Servicing western China, Chongqing provides convenient water, land, and air transportation in and out. Fast developing urban transport systems such as city-bus and metro makes traveling easy and comfortable. As a starting city for a Yangtze River Cruise, it meets thousands of travelers home and abroad each year.
Best Time to Visit Chongqing
Chongqing is famous for its hot Sichuan cuisine and world-famous hot pot. Various brands of hot pot restaurants can be found throughout the city. The food is delicious even in very small restaurants. Street vendors as well as restaurants feature exciting spicy delicacies for the gourmets. Bayi Food Street in the city center is the best place to taste the spicy local snacks.
Although not being as bustling as Beijing and Shanghai, the city can still satisfy your desire for shopping with its five major commercial centers. Jiefangbei CBD is the most distinguished and upscale, where a multitude of department stores, local products stores, supermarkets, and restaurants can be easily found.
Nightlife is colorful here. Having hot pot at a riverside restaurant or heading for night food markets are highly recommended. The wonderful cruise on the Yangtze and Jialing Rivers provides a fantastic chance to appreciate the city’s enchanting night view.
Scattered colorful lights make the city beautiful and make you fall in love with it. Plenty of pubs or nightclubs are also available.
Scattered colorful lights make the city beautiful and make you fall in love with it. Plenty of pubs or nightclubs are also available.
Before getting its present name nearly 800 years ago, its former names were Jiangzhou, Yuzhou, and Gongzhou. Since the Qin Dynasty (221 - 207BC), many dynasties have set up administrative institutions that have endowed the city with brilliant cultures. Perched beside the Yangtze, the "Golden River", Chongqing symbolizes Yangtze River civilizations and is the cradle of the Bayu Culture.
Here are some fast facts and practical information to make your life, study, trip or business in the city easier.
- 144-Hour Visa-Free Transit
- Area Code & Zip Code
- Post Office
- Banks
- Useful Phone Numbers
- Hospitals
You May Like
10 Best Places to Visit in China for Return Visitors
10 Best Cities in China for Budget Travelers
Top 10 Biggest Cities in China by Area
Top 10 Largest Cities in China by Population
China Population by City: List of 50 Most Populated Cities
15 Important Cities in China for Business Travel
Gourmet Paradise: 10 Tourist Cities in China for Food Lovers
- Last updated on Dec. 05, 2023 by Brenda Lian -
Questions & Answers on Chongqing Travel
Asked by Shalli Ang from SINGAPORE | Nov. 05, 2023 19:17
Reply
ReplySoft Sleep Normal Speed Train from Chongqing to Zhangjiaie on 23 Dec.
Would it be possible to reserve the whole cabin of a soft sleeper train for 2 passengers from Chongqing to Zhanjiaie in Dec?
We prefer privacy and is not comfortable sharing the sleeping cabin w other passengers.
Pls advise how this can be done?
Thank u.
SHALLI
We prefer privacy and is not comfortable sharing the sleeping cabin w other passengers.
Pls advise how this can be done?
Thank u.
SHALLI
Answers (2)
Answered by Thomas | Nov. 06, 2023 01:15
0
0Reply
00ReplyGenerally, a cabin contains 4 sleepers. If you don't want to share with others, you need to buy the tickets of the all 4 sleepers.
Answered by Adrian | Nov. 09, 2023 06:5600Reply
00ReplyDon't be such a baby. Buy 2 lower beds and you are done. If lucky, you will have empty cabin most of the time. Otherwise people will come and go. I traveled alone in soft sleeper, with my wife in hard sleeper and never had problems with privacy. Leave sex for hotel room, and other is not a problem. Chinese people taking soft sleepers are polite, won't bother you and not snoring.
Asked by louis faucheux from UNITED STATES | Oct. 18, 2023 13:22Reply
ReplyOrchestral Music Stores
Does anyone know any music stores in Chongqing that sell French horns and cases?
Answers (2)
Answered by Nathan | Oct. 18, 2023 18:4000Reply
00ReplyYou can find a Zhuoyue Musical Instrument Store (Zhuoyue Qinhang) at Meidiya City, 68 Huilong Road, Nanan District, Chongqing.
Answered by Adrian | Nov. 09, 2023 06:5800Reply
00ReplyIf you have a foreign credit card, open alipay, there you can use it without real name verification, then download pinduoduo (you guess the characters) and buy there cheaply. At least two times cheaper than in a store. Welcome to China.
Asked by Sean from INDONESIA | Jul. 22, 2023 14:20Reply
ReplyHow can i go to chongqing from tianjin?
How can i go to chongqing from tianjin?
Answers (2)
Answered by Rita | Jul. 23, 2023 23:5200Reply
00ReplyThere are direct flights taking around 2.5 hours and a high speed train taking 9.5 hours or so.
Answered by Adrian | Nov. 09, 2023 06:5900Reply
00ReplyAnd there is probably a slow speed train which is the cheapest but will take you 2 days to arrive, but you save a lot of money.
Asked by Judit Mika-Lukács from HUNGARY | May. 05, 2023 00:26Reply
ReplyCan I bring small souvenir/gift to my friends in China from Hungary (eg. domestic brandy, spices)?
Can I bring small souvenir/gift to my friends in China from Hungary Europe (eg. domestic brandy called pálinka very small amount just for taste and hungarian spice called paprika just for taste )?
Thank you fro your help!
Thank you fro your help!
Answers (2)
Answered by Anne | May. 06, 2023 00:0700Reply
00ReplyGenerally, there is no problem to carry less than 1.5L alcohol so it is okay for you to take domestic brandy, but I'm not very sure about the spice. It is better to declare it to the customs.
Answered by Adrian | Nov. 09, 2023 07:0200Reply
00ReplyWhy would you do that? You think they don't have pálinka in China? Especially red paprika they have it a ton. You can buy anything on Taobao, even pálinka. Yes, I know what it is, I am also Hungarian.
Asked by Catherine Pierce from CHINA | Feb. 27, 2021 23:20Reply
ReplyEasiest/fastest way to go to Chongqing from Chengdu
There are not enough flight options for non-stop PEK-CKG so I was thinking to fly to Chengdu instead but how do I go to CKG after this? Is there a fast metro or train?
Answers (1)
Answered by Alex | Feb. 28, 2021 17:1400Reply
00ReplyDont worry. There are frequent high speed train from Chengdu East Railway Station to Chongqing. It takes nearly 2 hours on the way. Hope help!