Lines finished & under construction

Line 1. Current line + South extension:
From Taisheng Lake to Guangdu (23.9 km).
The extension to the South is expected to begin during 2012 and last two to three years.

Line 2. Under construction + eastward/ westward extensions:
From Longquan East to Xipu (50.65 km; 26 stations)

Line 3. From Tianhui to Hongpailou (49.28 km; 22 stations)

Line 4. From Gongping to Shuanglin Road (38.9 km, 19 stations)

These four lines link Chengdu and its surrounding areas and are expected to have 2 million daily passengers by 2015.

Future lines

Line 5. From Simaqiao to Jianghe (24.63 km; 13 stations)

Line 6. From Shawan to Sihe (22.05 km; 13 stations)

Line 7. From Shaxi to Longtan East (41.93 km; 22 stations)

Line 5 to 9 are scheduled to complete by 2020, linking the north, east, and south railway stations, Shuangliu Airport, and much more!

Fifteen pedestrian overpasses will be built over the third ring road early next year, reported west China City Daily. The work will be should start by the beginning of 2012 and be completed within two months. The goal is to satisfy the street-crossing needs of the residents in surrounding neighborhoods and release traffic.

The airline will connect Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province and Etihad  Airways’ 69th destination, to its hub and home base in Abu Dhabi with four non-stop round-trips each week. Etihad will operate an Airbus  A330-200 in two-class configuration on the route, offering 22 Pearl Business  class and 240 Coral Economy class seats.

Etihad Airways’ new Abu Dhabi-Chengdu service would provide the first ever  flight link between the United Arab Emirates and Sichuan province, according to James Hogan, the carrier’s chief executive officer.

“The new Chengdu services will connect the UAE with the economic center and transportation and communication hub of China’s booming southwest region,” says Hogan. “This will further stimulate the growth of commerce and trade between the UAE and China, already the UAE’s third largest trading partner.”

Adds Hogan: “It will also provide a new, more convenient gateway into southwest China for business and leisure travelers from Europe and the Middle East and a faster, new route to Europe and the Middle East for the rapidly growing Chinese outbound travel market. With the purchasing power of the Chinese consumer rising in synch with annual GDP growth of 7.5 per cent to 2030, the Chinese travel market has enormous latent potential. The new service will position Etihad strongly to grow its services to daily and beyond.”

According to Etihad Airways, a key benefit to travellers of the Abu Dhabi-Chengdu service will be convenient flight arrival and departure times and
network connectivity at the airline’s hub.

“The schedule has been designed to provide convenient departure and arrival times for both business and leisure customers and seamless onward connections to Etihad’s extensive network across Europe, the Middle East and North Africa,” says Hogan.

Visiting Chengdu to announce the new route, Hogan met municipal government and airport representatives and discussed opportunities for continuing business and cultural exchange between China and the UAE.

“We will continue to work together to strengthen ties between the UAE and China and help forge strong, new links between the communities at both ends of the route,” Hogan said in Chengdu.

“Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport has been focusing on the construction of infrastructure, the soft environment and consistent improvement
of service levels,” noted Li Wei, chairman of Sichuan Airport Group, the operator of Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport. The airport is currently
China’s 5th largest and its passenger and cargo volumes have almost doubled over the past five years.

Etihad Airways’ flight schedule between Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) and Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport (CTU) will see flight EY818 departing AUH at 8.25 a.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays and landing at CTU at 7:00 p.m. the same day, local time. In the other direction, flight EY811will leave CTU at 8:15 p.m. and touch down at AUH at 12:40 a.m. the following morning, local time.

The city of Chengdu has a population of approximately 11 million people, while Sichuan province has more than 80 million inhabitants. Chengdu is renowned for its giant panda breeding and research base. According to Etihad Airways, foreign tourism growth is reflecting Chengdu’s growing popularity as a travel destination.

Useful numbers

-emergency numbers and different hotline numbers on the front page
-City transportation hotline numbers
-Address and phone number of hotels
-Consulates phone numbers

Touristic information

If you are looking for touristic information with a cultural touch, then
this page will introduce you to several touristic venues.

Business Life

This section broadcasts investments news and full business reports on the investment industry.

Governement

The rule and law of Chengdu is explained here together with monthly publications of the Government Gazette.

Living in Chengdu

The Government also provides you with addresses of restaurants, shopping malls, supermarkets and international schools for your children.

Suggestions

The Governement is open for any suggestions that the visitor may have on the website or other information.

The carriages are equipped with 2 oxygen sources, one is released througout the cabins when reaching Golmund and heading into Tibet and there is another personal oxygen canisters in case you feel light headed.

Between Xining  and Golmud the tracks pass by Qinghai Lake – China’s largest, but it’s the Golmud-to-Lhasa sector which offers the most breath-taking scenery. That segment also offers the record-breakers: the world’s highest passengers railroad (at Tanggula Pass elevation: 16,640 ft.; 4095 m). Over 80% of the journey is at altitudes above 13,000 feet; fully half the track on this sector was laid atop permafrost. Much of the travel involves crossing a massive plateau nicknamed “The Rooftop of the World.” Special diesel engines capable of operating efficiently at 3-mile-high altitudes were designed; an internal garbage disposal system was employed to reduce pollution along the route.

Major attractions along the Tibet train route

Xining: A city of just over 1 million inhabitants, is situated in a remote valley on the eastern edge of Qinghai Province – occupying China’s rugged, cold-weather northern “frontier”. The city is best known for the Kumbum Monastery (Ta’er temple), one of the most important Tibetan Buddhist sites in China. The Gelugpa sect was founded here by Tsongkhapa, and the hillside monastery was erected in 1560 in his honor. Up to 2,000 monks can gather to chant sutras in the Great Hall of Meditation, whose roof is supported by carpet-wrapped pillars. The Hall of Butter Sculpture includes colorfully-painted yak butter sculptures depicting important events in Buddhist history. Once home to over 3,000 monks, Kumbum Monastery now houses 600.

Qinghai Lake: The lake is about the size of the Great Salt Lake in Utah, though Qinghai Lake is not nearly as salty. Its waters support a variety of fish which, in turn, support a variety of birds – many of which call on Qinghai Lake during their bi-annual migrations. Commorants, geese, cranes and swans are plentiful here. The summer months bring herds of yak. Over 20 rivers and streams flow into the lake but there’s no outflow; evaporation maintains its level.

Golmud: The city’s economic mainstays are its burgeoning mineral, oil and chemical industries. But to the visitor Golmud’s main function is “transportation hub”. Through here funnels traffic from China’s eastern and northern cities to the lone highway (and now, the lone railroad) leading southwest to Lhasa. To many visitors passing through, Golmud’s surrounding landscape presents an almost lunar look; at an almost 10,000-foot elevation, the region is virtually treeless.

Tibet Travel Permit

A Tibet Travel Permit aka Tibet Tourism Bureau (T.T.B.) is required to enter Tibet. Permits are arranged by tour agencies only. It normally takes 1-10 work days, depending on how you plan on entering Tibet. 1 day for flying into Tibet and up to 10 days if you plan on entering Tibet by land via a land cruiser of by train. You just need to show your passport (or fax in a copy of your passport’s main page) to begin the permit issuing process. You can apply for the permit as an individual or as a group. There is no expiration date for the permit.

You do not need a permit to leave Tibet, however you will need an additional transit permit to enter certain cities within Tibet as well as Mount Everest Base Camp, which can be easily arranged by a tour operator. Of course you also need a Chinese Visa as well as a passport that is valid for at least 6 months before applying for the TTB. Everyone can get a Tibet permit through a travel agency except diplomats, journalists and government officials who should travel to Tibet under the arrangement by the Foreign Affairs Office of Tibet Government.

Useful information

Ticket Prices:

• Hard seat: RMB 331 / person
• Hard sleeper: RMB 712 / person
• Soft sleeper: RMB 1,104 / person

Train code: T22/T23

Departure Time: 20:36 – Arrival Time: 17:21

Travel Time : 45 hours – Total Distance: 3,360 km

There is a train leaving for Lhasa every 2 days.

Maxxelli wishes you a safe and pleasant trip!

Si vous souhaitez visiter différentes régions de Chine, vous constaterez rapidement que le train est le moyen le plus économique pour circuler dans le pays, c’est aussi un excellent moyen de rencontrer et d’échanger avec des chinois.

Pour acheter son billet, il faut s’y prendre a l’avance, surtout si c’est durant les périodes de fête chinoise. Si vous ne parlez pas chinois, vous pouvez le faire par le biais de votre hôtel, d’une agence touristique ou d’un bureau d’information touristique (en échange d’une petite commission mais rien d’excessif). On peut réserver un billet jusqu’à cinq à dix jours à l’avance (selon les lignes). Pour les trajets courts, vous pouvez par contre acheter votre billet juste avant le départ.

Pour connaitre les horaires de train, vous pouvez consulter les sites suivants :

http://www.travelchinaguide.com  (en Anglais)

http://www.echinatravel.net (en Anglais et Français)

Il existe 4 classes dans les trains à longues distances:

1/La plus prisée, les couchettes souples (ruanwo). On compte normalement 4 couchettes par compartiment, qui est fermé par une porte. Elles sont plus confortables et certains compartiments ont même la télé et un petit salon. Ce sont aussi les plus chères.

2/Les couchettes dures (yingwo), c’est ce que la plupart des chinois prennent pour les longs trajets, donc ce sont celles qui sont le moins disponible à la vente. On compte 6 couchettes par compartiment, il n’y a pas de porte et sont moins confortables que les couchettes souples.

3/Les sièges mous (ruanzuo) sont des banquettes à deux places confortables et numérôtés. Les prix sont quasiment équivalents aux couchettes dures mais on peut y dormir assis à peu prêt confortablement.

4/ La classe la moins chère, ce sont les sièges durs (yingzuo) qui comprend une série de banquettes de trois places légèrement rembourrées. Pour un trajet de quelque heure cette catégorie est envisageable. En revanche s’il s’agit de traverser le pays, au bout de quelque heures cela deviens rapidement insupportable.

How much does that cost?

20 RMB for the deposit

10 RMB for 20 trips (normal bus, no air-conditioning)

20 RMB for 40 trips (normal bus, no air-conditioning)

etc.

How to use it?

When you get in the bus just brush the card, it will automatically deduct the price of the trip. The normal bus is one time, and another one is with the air-condition is two times, this can save you half the money. And if you take different buses in two hours, it won’t deduct the card-time when you brush your bus card in the second bus.

Remarks

1: Think about how many times you need to take the bus in one month. Because if you don’t use out your bus card money in this month, it can’t be transferred to next month.

2: At least 10 RMB per time recharge for it.

3: For Chengdu Local People whose age is over 60, they can get the Old-age card. There are already 50 times in the card every month.

Electronic Wallet system (10% discount)

Electronic Wallet ia an another kind of bus card.Just like the monthly recharge card, you need to recharge it. Don’t worry that you cant finish the money in one month, it will be transferred to next month automatically, so it doesnt matter how much money you recharge it. But  the card will be deducted 0.9 RMB per time when you brush in ordionary bus(air-condition bus is 1.8). For people’s convenience, two functions( monthly recharge card and electronic wallet system) are in only one bus card.When you recharge your bus card, just tell the staff

Where to get a bus card?

You can get a bus card in a bus terminal and recharge it in all the bus terminals, Hongqi Chain Store and some medicine stores. This is the list of some of them

桂溪公交中心站  7：30–19：30  (Guixi Bus Station);

东光小区东怡街78号（75路终点站）  9：00–17：00  ( No.78, Dongyi Street, Dongguang Community) (No.75 Bus erminus);

好又多罗马店（高升桥） 9：00–17：00  ( Trust Mart Super-market in Gaosheng Bridge);

太极药房(盐市口）   9：00–17：00  (Tai Chi Medicine Store in Yanshikou);

好又多玉林店（九茹村）9：00–17：00  (Trust Mart Super-market in Jiuru Village Yulin);

新世纪电脑城（磨子桥）9：00–17：00  (New Century Computer Center in Mozi Bridge);

@世界（跳伞塔） 9：00–17：00   (@ World in Tiaosanta);

新知书城(浆洗街15号)9：30–17：30   (Xinzhi Bookstore, No.15, Jiangxi Street);

芳草街54号人人乐9:00–17:00   (Renrenle Super-market, No.54, Fangcao Street);

Here are 11 things you’ll want to know for train travel in China.

1) There are four classes when traveling by train in China. Most expensiveto least is as follows: soft sleeper 软卧 ruǎnwò, hard sleeper 硬卧 yìngwò, soft seat 软座 ruǎn zuò, hard 硬座 yìngzuò. Sometimes there is only one seat class on a train. Occasionally there are standing class tickets as well. For overnight train trips, be sure to purchase a soft or hard sleeper. The soft sleeper shares bunks with 4 people, while the hard sleeper shares with 6. The soft sleeper also has more room to sleep in. Getting a bottom bunk 下铺 xià pù (slightly more expensive) is much easier to get out at night if you have to go the bathroom. You also have much more headroom for when you want to read or use your computer. The other alternatives are middle or upper bunks, or just upper for a soft sleeper. Be sure to have your passport handy. If you are in asoft-sleeper bunk, a train employee will ask for your passport number.

2) You can purchase food on the train, but it is best to bring your own. Food on the dinner cart is small-portioned, overpriced, and not all that good. Make sure to bring drinks, snacks, a sandwich, and a few beers if you’d like.

3) Traveling around certain holidays, namely National Holiday (October 1st-8th) or Spring Festival (early February), can be a complete mess. You should prepare to book your tickets as early as possible, which is usually about 2 weeks. You may want to have a backup plan in mind because it is possible that all the tickets will have been booked out by students who are allowed to book even earlier than regular passengers.

4) Trains leave on time. I have never taken a train that didn’t leave within a couple minutes of its scheduled departure time. You will be allowed to board up to 5 minutes before departure time.

5) You can buy your tickets at the train station, or at kiosks around Chinese cities. The kiosks only charge a 5 kuai commission that is well worth it to avoid the sometimes horrendously long lines at stations. Tickets, as of now, cannot be purchased online. In non-peak travel times, 2-3 days before travel should be ample time to buy your ticket.

6) Bring some magazines, e-readers, iPod, ect. Traveling by train is not the most exciting thing. And because you will mostly travel at night, you will not even have a chance to see the country side. Make sure your batteries are charged for the trip!

7) If you cannot speak Chinese, there will often times be a ticket seller at train stations who can sell you a ticket in English. Don’t expect too much, though. It’s likely they speak just enough English to sell you that said ticket.

Don’t freak out! Chinese trains are mostly full of Chinese people, doing Chinese things. It’s likely you will see people spitting on the train floor.

9) Be very wary of your belongings. Theft is commonplace on Chinese trains
Always sleep with your valuable under your pillow or close to your head. You have less to worry about in a soft sleeper bunk, but still take precautions.

10) Don’t plan anything too important for the next morning. Even though you skip out on having to pay for a hotel for one night, you don’t often get the best night of sleep on a train.

11) When deciding to travel by train or airplane, consider that train stations are often much closer to city centers, and hence, closer to your hotelor guest house. Security for traveling by train is also very minimal, making it easier to get in and out of the station.

All aboard!

软卧下: Soft-sleeper bottom bunk ( most comfortable)
硬卧下: Hard-sleeper bottom bunk (second most comfortable)