Chengdu

Chengdu (成都 Chéngdū) is the provincial capital and largest city of Sichuan Province in southwest China. The megacity is home to over 21 million people.

Understand
Chengdu is on the edge of the fertile plains of the Red Basin in China's Sichuan Province. Due to its agricultural wealth, Chengdu is sometimes called the Heavenly Land of Plenty. The Funan River bisects the city, although boat traffic, common until the 1960s, has all but vanished.

The Chengdu administrative area is home to more than 14 million people, with about 10 million of them in the Chengdu urban area. Chengdu has the reputation as a very "laid-back" city that emphasizes culture and relaxation. As a result of this and much green space, it is ranked one of the most livable mega-cities in China. It is credited with a good nightlife scene, and contains many new western style buildings in the large city center.

Summer weather is hot and humid, as the city is surrounded by small mountains to the east and sits in the Red Basin. Furthermore, an hour to the west lie the foothills of the mighty Tibetan Plateau and the fabulously scenic mountains of west Sichuan.

The city is famous for its lack of sun, so don't come expecting to get a sun tan. The city is foggy most of the year and typically warmer than coastal cities.

By plane
Ground transportation options include:
 * Chengdu Metro line runs from Shuangliu Airport (separate stations at Terminals 1 and 2) to Taipingyuan, where you can transfer to Metro line  and Metro line, and from there to other Metro lines.
 * Chengdu Metro line runs from Tianfu Airport to South Railway Station, where you can transfer to Metro Line 1 and 7, and from there to other Metro lines.
 * Chengdu Metro line runs from Tianfu Airport to Shuangliu Airport. The Express train takes you about 30 minutes to another airport.
 * Airport Shuttle buses operate between the airport and the city center, costing ¥10-15 (Shuangliu Airport) or ¥40 (Tianfu Airport). The main line #1 stops at the Air China airline office in a side street just off Renmin Nanlu opposite to the entrance of the Minshan Hotel. There are three other routes but the service is not as regular or frequent, ask at the ticket desk outside the Arrivals lounge. The last bus leaves the airport around 1AM.
 * Taxi fare from the airport to the city center averages ¥45. There is no extra charge for luggage or additional passengers. When going from the city to the airport, add an additional ¥10 to cover the toll on the Airport Expressway. If you intend to take a taxi from the airport, head for the domestic arrival area and exit the terminal where you should see the official taxi stand where you can queue for marked, green-and-yellow or blue-and-yellow taxis. Usual advice applies when distinguishing between official and fake taxis; if a person is too enthusiastic about getting you into their vehicle, you may have to pay more. Use your common sense.

By train
Train connections are available from Kunming in Yunnan, Chongqing and Xi'an.



Intercity service
The Chengdu–Dujiangyan intercity railway connects Chengdu station and Chengdu's suburbans, namely Dujiangyan and Pengzhou. The service operates in a way similar to metro, and provides cheap ticket price (the highest ticket price is ¥15).

By bus
There are three bus stations in Chengdu, serving different destinations.

Get around
See Driving in China for detailed advice if you want to get around by car.

By metro


The Chengdu Metro for a single ride tickets from ticket vending machines (English available) with ¥1 coins or ¥5 and ¥10 notes. Ticket booths are also available if you don't have suitable notes. A contactless metro card is available (card or panda keyring) which gives you a 10% saving on all journeys.

When entering the metro you need to put your bags through an x-ray machine. The ticket is flashed by the gates on the reader on your right side. You need the ticket to get out as well so keep it safe. When exiting the ticket is placed into a slot on the right side of the gate.

The system contains seven lines:
 * Line 1 runs north–south through the city center along Renmin Rd and Tianfu Ave, from Weijianian to Science City or Wugensong, connecting the North and South railway stations.
 * Line 2 runs northwest–southeast, from Xipu to Longquanyi, serving Chengdu East Railway Station.
 * Line 3 runs southwest–northeast, from Chengdu Medical College to Shuangliu West Station, serving to those hot touristic sites in Chengdu.
 * Line 4 runs east–west, from Xihe to Wansheng. It serves Chengdu West Railway Station.
 * Line 5 runs north–southwest, parallel to Line 1, from Huagui Road to Huilong. It diminuing the population on Line 1,
 * Line 6 runs northwest–east–southwest, from Wangcongci to Lanjiagou; this line has the longest subway tunnel sections.
 * Line 7 runs in a circle around the city. It has interchanges with all other lines, as well as the North, South, and East railway stations.
 * Line 8 runs northeast–southwest, parallel to Line 3, from Shilidian to Lianhua, serves to Chengdu's musical area.
 * Line 9 runs south–west, parallel to Line 7, from Financial City East to Huangtianba, it serves Chengdu West Railway Station. The planification shows that Line 9 will be a circle form line.
 * Line 10 runs south–southwest, from Xinping to Taipingyuan, where you can transfer to Lines 3 and 7. It serves mostly to people go to Shuangliu International Airport.
 * Line 17 runs west–northwest, from Jitouqiao to Jinxing, only transfer to Line 9. The future plan is to become a city fast line.
 * Line 18 runs south–southeast, from South Railway Station to Tianfu International Airport North Station, it serves for members go to Tianfu Interntional Airport.

Lines 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, and 18 all have interchanges with each other in the city center region.

By bus
Chengdu has an extensive bus system, including a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line in a loop. At each bus stop, there is a list of the bus lines coming through on this road, and on some city maps the whole network is displayed. However, the bus lines and maps only use Chinese characters, and even if the bus announces the station, it will usually only be in Chinese. Tickets are ¥1 for non-aircon (now very rare) and ¥2 for air-conditioned buses. The fare is paid by putting the exact amount to a metal box next to the driver. No change is given, so make sure you have exact change. Normally, you enter via the front door, and alight by the rear door. On the new articulated buses, you can enter at either the front or rear door, with the middle door designated for alighting only.

aMaps (Chinese only) is helpful for planning routes by public transport. A separate smartphone app is available. Click on Chengdu on the map, then select the middle tab from (公交) from the search field. To show the route of a particular line, click 高级搜索 and type the line number to the search field that appeared on the right side. You can also select from and to destinations from the map via a context menu (the two topmost options) and the service shows the route with bus line numbers and also where to change the bus if needed. Classical bus useful for tourists are 1 and 99 (inside city), 300 (link between south airport to north railway station).

If you will be in Chengdu a while, you may want to purchase the contactless transit card (公交卡) - it's advisable to get the version which works for both metro and buses. They are sold at all Hong Qi markets and at some pharmacies. Not only do you no longer have to worry about carrying correct change, but you get free transfers for two hours plus some discounts. The card costs ¥20 and can be loaded with three types of credit. The first is cash. You will receive a 10% discount off the cash fare when using your card's cash. So a regular bus ride will cost ¥1.80 instead of ¥2. You can also load credits (次) for this month and credits for next month. Each credit costs ¥0.50, and most bus rides use two credits (the increasingly rare non-aircon buses cost one credit). So most rides then cost you only ¥1. Credits expire at the end of the month for which they were designated, so it can take a little effort to not buy too many or too few. Note that some bus lines (usually higher numbered ones, or those going way out to the suburbs) and the subway only accept your cash balance (not credits), which does not expire. When you board the bus and tap your card, the display will show the number of this month's credits remaining (if you used credits) or the cash balance (if you used your card's stored cash value).

The Hi Panda Shuttle Bus (成都景区直通车), also known as the Scenic Shuttle Bus, conveys passengers to many of Chengdu's key attractions and also travels to some attractions outside the city. Destinations include the Wuhou Temple, Jinli Street, Kuanzhaixiangzi, Du Fu's Thatched Cottage, Chunxi Road, the 339 TV Tower, Jinsha Archaeological Site, Panda Research Base, Happy Valley, Haichang Ocean Park, Jinjiang Theatre, the Museum of Sichuan Cuisine, Manhua Manor, Anren Town, Dujiangyan, Qingcheng Mountain, Sanxingdui, Leshan, Emeishan, Taoping Qiang Village, Bipenggou and Bifengxia. Most routes originate from the company's main hubs at Kuanzhaixiangzi and the Wuhou Temple. The company also operates from Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport, Chengdu East Railway Station, and Tianfu Square. Fares range from just ¥2 for a short trip to ¥68 for a 3-hour journey to Bipenggou. You can also purchase a combo set, which includes both the bus tickets and the entrance tickets for the attractions you intend to visit.

By taxi
Official taxis are either green or blue and are equipped with meters. An available taxi will display an illuminated sign with Chinese characters in its dashboard. The meter is turned on by tilting the sign, make sure the driver does that and if not, you can try to do it yourself and the driver usually gets your point. Some taxi drivers may try to offer you a fixed price but don't take it unless you know it's cheaper than with the meter on. Taxi drivers don't speak English nor do they understand the map, so have an address written in Chinese with you. Drivers don't know many street names so it's best to have the address to some well known place close to your destination. Collect taxi cards from hotels and restaurants and show them to the drivers, and when close to your destination start instructing by pointing with your hand. This method usually gets you there - some drivers however will not follow your instructions or get angry for you traveling a longer distance than what they expected.

Taxi fare is ¥8 on flagfall for the older taxis ¥9 for the new ones, and increase at ¥1.9 per km after the first 2 kilometers. For rides from 10 to 60 km the km fare is increased by 50% to compensate the taxi returning empty. During night time the starting price is ¥1 more and per km price is ¥2.20. Waiting price for the taxi is one km fare per every five minutes, and the meter counts traveling with speed less than 12 km/h as waiting time. Taxis often refuse to accept ¥100 bills so try to have some change on hand.

Taxis can be difficult to find depending on the area. There are also unlicensed taxis in the city but they're quite hard to notice. If you use one, know your destination and expected price and negotiate the fare beforehand.

By bicycle
Most guest houses have bicycles for hire. Check for technical problems before starting out unless you want to be held responsible for it later. If you leave your bicycle, do so in one of the designated "bicycle parks", where it will be guarded over for a small fee. If you can not find such a place, be sure to lock it securely against some structure. Be careful as the bike traffic flow can be intense.

In 2016, Mobike and other companies introduced city-bikes which can be used and paid for via a smartphone app.

Do
For up-to-date information on activities, places and attractions you should check out the Chengdoo Citylife Magazine's listings. You will find copies in most bars, restaurants, cafes, hostels and hotels.






 * 环球中心 - panoramio (5).jpg

Golf
Most golf courses in the metropolis of Chengdu are semi-private, but open for public play. The green fee varies between US$50–300 per person per round, depending on course, weekdays or weekend play. Cart and caddie fees are included. The usual gratuity for caddie is about RMB$100–150



Learn
The following universities accept foreign students with the proper visa:
 * Chengdu University (成都大学)
 * University of Electronic Science and Technology of China  (电子科技大学)
 * Southwest Jiaotong University SWJTU has 10 recipients of the National Science Foundation for Distinguished Young Scholars, 47 award winners selected by Program for New Century Excellent Talents in University.
 * Sichuan University (四川大学)
 * Southwestern University of Finance and Economics
 * Sichuan Normal University (四川师范大学)
 * Southwest University for Nationalities
 * Sichuan Higher Institute of Cuisine . This institute's three-year training program has 2,500 enrolled Chinese students. The school also offers short term courses to foreigners with English translation.
 * Southwest Petroleum University

Language school

 * Chengdu Mandarin Club. A language school offers different types of Mandarin Chinese courses with flexible schedules. Students year-round for a one-on-one class or a group class with 5 students. All the teachers are master's degree holders in TCFL (teaching Chinese as a foreign language). They also offer various kinds of Chinese culture activities.
 * Hutong School Chengdu. A Chinese language school offering a range of Chinese courses to suit different levels and aims. Students can choose between private and group classes focused on preparing for the HSK, learning business Chinese or basic phrases. All teachers have at least 2 years professional teaching experience and a teaching related degree. Students can also join in with regular cultural activities and networking events organised by the school.

Tutoring
Private Chinese language lessons are available for ¥40-85 per hour. Ask for a referral at one of the universities, or from another student. Textbooks for learning Chinese are available at many local bookshops.

Bear in mind that the Mandarin spoken by the locals amongst themselves is South-Western Mandarin. This is substantially different from Putonghua or Beijing Mandarin, Taiwan Mandarin or Singapore Mandarin that foreigners and overseas Chinese typically learn. However most locals will speak Putonghua with you if you speak it.

Martial arts, Kungfu

 * Kungfu Family. A Chinese martial arts / kung fu school that focuses on teaching authentic traditional Kungfu to students from all over the world. Teaching takes place in English language. Located in the southeastern part of Chengdu in San Sheng Flower Village.

Work
Job postings for English teaching are located in many guest houses, at Western bars and restaurants, anywhere foreigners congregate. Also worth to check are GoChengdoo and their Chengdoo Magazine of which you can grab a copy from many places throughout the city.

The Peace Corps has its China headquarters in Chengdu, (Sichuan University Campus), and places highly selected and qualified U.S. Citizen volunteers in 2 year assignments throughout provinces in West China teaching English.

Buy


Supermarkets are located throughout the city, although the selection of imported foods is limited.



Cooked food


You will find no shortage of delicious Sichuan food in Chengdu. Most of the food is spicy, but not necessarily as hot as you expect. If you are obviously foreign and don't specify whenever you order (i.e. non-spicy (不要辣 búyàolà), a little spicy (微辣 wēilà) or 'old' (very) spicy (老辣 lǎolà)), the staff will assume that you can't take the heat. At best they will ask you whether you want chili (你想要辣椒?; Nǐ xiǎng yào làjiāo?), at worst they give you a severely toned down version of the food! If you want it how the locals have it, reassure the staff with "I like chili" (我喜欢辣椒 wǒ xǐhuan làjiāo), followed with "I like all the chili" (我都喜欢辣椒 Wǒ dū xǐhuan làjiāo) to really reassure the staff that it's OK.

If you are not accustomed to it yet, a bottle of sweetened soy, almond, peanut, or cow milk, or something else sweet will work much better than water to quell the fire. If you are used to the hottest of authentic Indian or Thai food, the level of spiciness in Sichuan food should be no problem at all.

Sichuan food also makes heavy use of Sichuan peppercorn (花椒 huājiāo), which looks like but is not a true peppercorn, and causes your mouth to water and to be somewhat numb (málà)––the effects are unique and very dissimilar to capsaicin. Sichuan peppercorn is added in most spicy dishes. If you can eat spicy food but do not like Sichuan pepper, you need to order so (不要花椒 bú yào huājiāo). However, Sichuan peppercorn (in addition to causing numbing) has an important citrus taste that it adds to foods. Sichuan cuisine banks on the interplay between the flavours of both Sichuan peppercorn and chili peppers, and it is strongly recommend you try the authentic versions with the Sichuan peppercorn.

The spiciest food in Chengdu is hotpot (also called steampot or steamboat), although the tradition originated in Chongqing, so it is not really Chengdu food. Sichuan hotpots are basically a big pot of soup and spices simmering in a hole in the middle of your table. Patrons choose from a large selection of meats, vegetables and other add-ins. Most popular include: lamb, mushrooms, beef, tofu, quail eggs, potatoes and various others (pork, green vegetables, fish balls, carrots, and even pig's brain!) You can choose spicy pot or non spicy pot. With spicy hot pots, unlike eastern hot pots, the soup is NOT for drinking; instead, fish out your cooked items with chopsticks (do not fish the liquid out with a spoon, it is too spicy even for locals to drink; the fished out vegetables will be spicy enough), dip them in the small bowl of oil provided to each person, and enjoy.

You may also find the local food too oily or too salty for your taste, and may want to advise your server accordingly.

There are also a lot of weird local snack type of food, such as spicy dragon prawns (look like very small crayfish; 麻辣龙虾), spicy snails (香辣田螺), Chongqing duck neck (久久鸭脖子), Bangbang chicken (棒棒鸡), spicy rabbit meat (二姐兔丁). These ones are so delicious and you must try them. But you need to ask a local to take you to the right place. Quite often you will find that the small restaurants and shops offer the most delicious and cheapest food. If you want to find even cheaper food options, street vendors are the way to go (though the Chengdu police have been doing their best to extinguish this long tradition and you may have trouble finding them these days). Serving everything from barbeque (烧烤) to steamed breadrolls (馒头), they are a cheap and offer a great option for a quick bite to eat.

If you are less adventurous but still like Chinese food, or just tired of Sichuan food, there are a number of Cantonese and Hong Kong restaurants, including Lei Garden near Shangri-la Hotel. There are a number of stalls and hole in the wall type places all over town. Food here is dirt cheap, expect to pay no more than ¥8 for a meal, and the quality is good. Things to be on the lookout for are spicy bowls of breakfast noodles, (担担面 dandanmian), double cooked pork (回锅肉 húigūoròu), and dozens of dishes coated in "málà" the Sichuan chili spice famous the world over.


 * Hai Di Lao Hot Pot Food.jpg
 * Hai Di Lao Hot Pot Food.jpg

Mid-range

 * Mingting Restaurant (明婷饭店), Waicaojia Alley No. 26, Jinniu District (成都市金牛区外曹家巷26号附14) A very popular Sichuan restaurant with outdoor seating. Typically ¥60-80 per person. Expect to wait 10–20 minutes at peak hours. Try the 呛香鱼 or 麻婆豆腐!
 * Mingting Restaurant (明婷饭店), Waicaojia Alley No. 26, Jinniu District (成都市金牛区外曹家巷26号附14) A very popular Sichuan restaurant with outdoor seating. Typically ¥60-80 per person. Expect to wait 10–20 minutes at peak hours. Try the 呛香鱼 or 麻婆豆腐!
 * Mingting Restaurant (明婷饭店), Waicaojia Alley No. 26, Jinniu District (成都市金牛区外曹家巷26号附14) A very popular Sichuan restaurant with outdoor seating. Typically ¥60-80 per person. Expect to wait 10–20 minutes at peak hours. Try the 呛香鱼 or 麻婆豆腐!
 * Mingting Restaurant (明婷饭店), Waicaojia Alley No. 26, Jinniu District (成都市金牛区外曹家巷26号附14) A very popular Sichuan restaurant with outdoor seating. Typically ¥60-80 per person. Expect to wait 10–20 minutes at peak hours. Try the 呛香鱼 or 麻婆豆腐!
 * Mingting Restaurant (明婷饭店), Waicaojia Alley No. 26, Jinniu District (成都市金牛区外曹家巷26号附14) A very popular Sichuan restaurant with outdoor seating. Typically ¥60-80 per person. Expect to wait 10–20 minutes at peak hours. Try the 呛香鱼 or 麻婆豆腐!
 * Mingting Restaurant (明婷饭店), Waicaojia Alley No. 26, Jinniu District (成都市金牛区外曹家巷26号附14) A very popular Sichuan restaurant with outdoor seating. Typically ¥60-80 per person. Expect to wait 10–20 minutes at peak hours. Try the 呛香鱼 or 麻婆豆腐!

Western
Chengdu has a few local Western restaurants. Service is always friendly, although you should expect occasional mistakes, such as appetizers served at the same time as your meal. Chengdu is just starting to get accustomed to Western tastes.


 * All of the hotels in the "Splurge" category have Western restaurants or buffets. Call ahead for more information.
 * All of the hotels in the "Splurge" category have Western restaurants or buffets. Call ahead for more information.
 * All of the hotels in the "Splurge" category have Western restaurants or buffets. Call ahead for more information.
 * All of the hotels in the "Splurge" category have Western restaurants or buffets. Call ahead for more information.
 * All of the hotels in the "Splurge" category have Western restaurants or buffets. Call ahead for more information.

Drink


A popular district of bars, also known as the bar street, is located by the southern shore of Jin River next to Anshun Bridge. The well known Lan Kwai Fong from Hong Kong started its business in the mainland of China in 2010 and the first city is Chengdu. The area is located a little north-west from Anshun Bridge.



Also, on the southern bank of Jinjiang there is a row of bars between Renmin South Road and Xin South Road. Beers will cost ¥10-20 per bottle, but buying bulk cans will save you a good bit of money with special deals. There will also be street vendors selling various snacks. This makes for a good night with the clubs Babi II, Ta & Ta, and Soho just around the bend.



Budget

 * Xishan Youth Hostel (栖山青年旅舍), 34 Yinghuasi Rd, Qingyang District (青羊区莹华寺街34) (7 minute walk southwest from the 红星桥 subway stop). Has laundry, rooftop drying, arcade cabinet, and bar. Receptionist didn't speak English and very few foreigners stay here. Very friendly staff that showed off some local restaurants and food stalls. Dorms ¥40-50.
 * Xishan Youth Hostel (栖山青年旅舍), 34 Yinghuasi Rd, Qingyang District (青羊区莹华寺街34) (7 minute walk southwest from the 红星桥 subway stop). Has laundry, rooftop drying, arcade cabinet, and bar. Receptionist didn't speak English and very few foreigners stay here. Very friendly staff that showed off some local restaurants and food stalls. Dorms ¥40-50.
 * Xishan Youth Hostel (栖山青年旅舍), 34 Yinghuasi Rd, Qingyang District (青羊区莹华寺街34) (7 minute walk southwest from the 红星桥 subway stop). Has laundry, rooftop drying, arcade cabinet, and bar. Receptionist didn't speak English and very few foreigners stay here. Very friendly staff that showed off some local restaurants and food stalls. Dorms ¥40-50.
 * Xishan Youth Hostel (栖山青年旅舍), 34 Yinghuasi Rd, Qingyang District (青羊区莹华寺街34) (7 minute walk southwest from the 红星桥 subway stop). Has laundry, rooftop drying, arcade cabinet, and bar. Receptionist didn't speak English and very few foreigners stay here. Very friendly staff that showed off some local restaurants and food stalls. Dorms ¥40-50.
 * Xishan Youth Hostel (栖山青年旅舍), 34 Yinghuasi Rd, Qingyang District (青羊区莹华寺街34) (7 minute walk southwest from the 红星桥 subway stop). Has laundry, rooftop drying, arcade cabinet, and bar. Receptionist didn't speak English and very few foreigners stay here. Very friendly staff that showed off some local restaurants and food stalls. Dorms ¥40-50.
 * Xishan Youth Hostel (栖山青年旅舍), 34 Yinghuasi Rd, Qingyang District (青羊区莹华寺街34) (7 minute walk southwest from the 红星桥 subway stop). Has laundry, rooftop drying, arcade cabinet, and bar. Receptionist didn't speak English and very few foreigners stay here. Very friendly staff that showed off some local restaurants and food stalls. Dorms ¥40-50.
 * Xishan Youth Hostel (栖山青年旅舍), 34 Yinghuasi Rd, Qingyang District (青羊区莹华寺街34) (7 minute walk southwest from the 红星桥 subway stop). Has laundry, rooftop drying, arcade cabinet, and bar. Receptionist didn't speak English and very few foreigners stay here. Very friendly staff that showed off some local restaurants and food stalls. Dorms ¥40-50.
 * Xishan Youth Hostel (栖山青年旅舍), 34 Yinghuasi Rd, Qingyang District (青羊区莹华寺街34) (7 minute walk southwest from the 红星桥 subway stop). Has laundry, rooftop drying, arcade cabinet, and bar. Receptionist didn't speak English and very few foreigners stay here. Very friendly staff that showed off some local restaurants and food stalls. Dorms ¥40-50.
 * Xishan Youth Hostel (栖山青年旅舍), 34 Yinghuasi Rd, Qingyang District (青羊区莹华寺街34) (7 minute walk southwest from the 红星桥 subway stop). Has laundry, rooftop drying, arcade cabinet, and bar. Receptionist didn't speak English and very few foreigners stay here. Very friendly staff that showed off some local restaurants and food stalls. Dorms ¥40-50.

Mid-range
The vast majority of Chengdu's mid-range hotels are not affiliated with a national or international brand and generally charge ¥300-700. The hotels in this category can generally put up the facade of the more luxurious hotels, but often suffer noticeably from deferred maintenance or haphazard customer service. Many are geared mostly towards Chinese and Asian tour groups. The hotels listed below are the best of the bunch with lobby staff who speak at least a basic level of English and usually offer a free Chinese breakfast.



Splurge
Chengdu's luxury hotels provide world class service at very reasonable prices. Business and leisure travelers can expect, at a minimum, to find fluent English speaking staff, Western and Chinese restaurants, full conference facilities, business center, sauna and concierge service at all of these hotels. Room rates are US$115–200 per night for a standard or deluxe room. The Kempinski and the Jin Jiang Hotel are generally the lowest price within this category.



Phone
China's country code is 86. Chengdu's area code is 28. Coin-operated pay phones are located throughout Chengdu, and calling cards can be purchased from many vendors. Local landline phone numbers are eight digits long; cellular phone numbers in Sichuan are eleven digits long and start with 13, 15, or 18.

Internet
Internet access can be found in most guesthouses and through cheap internet cafes all over town. Look out for Web-character 网 and the Bar-character 吧 in the Chinese name for internet bar: 网吧.

A large Internet cafe is on the second floor of the Xinnanmen Bus Station (新南门汽车站), 100 meters from the Traffic Hotel (交通饭店). The connection is fast and access is ¥2/hour.

Note that foreigners are usually not able to use the public internet cafés because one must register using one's Chinese ID card (身份证), which foreigners do not possess. This is not a problem at hotels and guesthouses.

Stay safe
Thieves are prevalent around certain areas of Chengdu. Be careful around the Yanshikou markets, crowded buses, on bicycles and especially around the North train station.

Traffic can appear hectic and motorists as well as cyclists drive with every driver assuming they have right of way/priority. Reassuringly, due to the volume of traffic in cities, it never travels fast enough to cause any damage. Walk with confidence and be aware of your surroundings when crossing streets; even when the WALK sign is green, traffic will cross your path. See Driving in China for more information.

Cope
For such a big city, there's surprisingly little Western influence in Chengdu but certainly more than regional "rival" Chongqing. It's definitely not Beijing or Shanghai but this is changing fast with the arrival of more and more foreign students, teachers, and business people. This may be trying initially, as the level of English spoken is noticeably lower than other places, but it's also a blessing; carry a phrasebook and enjoy the authentic Chinese urban experience. The Western quarter, if there is one, seems to be around Kehua North Road.

Consulates

 * 🇩🇪 Germany
 * 🇰🇷 South Korea
 * 🇵🇰 Pakistan
 * 🇸🇬 Singapore
 * 🇹🇭 Thailand

Police
If you need to make a visa extension, You can visit Chengdu Public Security Bureau but be warn of the 7 days delay. Most people in a hurry will try to do their renew in Leshan or Songpan where it seems delay is about 1h to 1d, if the (only) officer is here.



Go next
Families and those short of time might consider hiring a car with driver (¥300-900 per day, depending upon type of car and experience of driver, with cars booked at the luxury hotels the most expensive and highest quality).


 * The Giant Buddha in Leshan is probably the most popular nearby destination. A day trip to this ancient man-made wonder should be about ¥100-150. Two day tours are available which combine the Buddha with a visit to the nearby Buddhist holy mountain Emei Shan.
 * Mount Qingcheng (青城山) and Dujiangyan (都江堰) are fascinating sites about 40 km from Chengdu. You can do both sites in one long day, or better yet, plan to spend a day at each. Qingcheng is a beautiful mountain with an extensive and well kept network of steps and pathways; it includes many pagodas, a small lake, and a chair-lift for those who don't want to walk.  Qingcheng is an important site in the Taoist religion.  Dujiangyan has a fascinating history and a marvelous swinging pedestrian bridge.  Both trips involve lots of walking.
 * Bi Feng Xia - a large ecological park in the mountains about a 2½ hour drive from Chengdu. It centers around a huge gorge with waterfalls. One can hike down into the gorge on well marked paths and take an elevator back up.  The park also has special panda habitats, as well as a more traditional "zoo".  The main reason to go here is for the walks and hikes into the gorge.  The zoo, although filled with animals such as tigers, lions, bears, monkeys, and even a drive-through section, has woefully inadequate and sometimes smelly enclosures.  (The enormous bird aviary is one exception). Admission is about ¥80, with additional charges for bus rides between different sections of the park.  There is an expensive hotel and basic restaurants on site. Direct buses to the park (via Ya'an) leave from Xinnanmen station every 30mins.
 * Huang Long Xi  (黄龙溪, "Yellow Dragon Creek ancient town") is worth a day trip. Buses start from Xinnanmen station (新南门车站) and take two hours. The little town features a few original dwellings, and old temples but mainly recreated buildings from various periods. It does contain a street or two of authentic buildings and nice river view. Perfect biking destination in the countryside.
 * Jinlong (Little) Great Wall: This (replica) Great Wall is situated not far from Luodai Ancient Town. Buses from Luodai bus station or minivans (from eastern city gate) take you there or in about 20 minutes (¥2–10). Upon arrival, you can climb this local Great Wall, but be warned: although the wall is only a few kilometres long, it's a steep climb which is best not undertaken in hot weather (i.e. summer). Going all the way up will probably take seasoned hikers 1-1.5 hours.
 * You can also trek out to the Tibetan areas of Sichuan. Buses leave everyday for Moxi and other towns. These long bus trips from Xinnanmen-bus station (it's about seven hours to Moxi, and the heating systems on buses in the winter are painfully inadequate) pass through incredibly steep mountain valleys wandering through the Gongga Mountain range. This all terminates at the Hailuogo Glacier, a massive park nearly nine hours from Chengdu. A good two or three day trip.
 * Jiuzhaigou (九寨沟) Valley to the north of Chengdu is famous for its stunning nature and the cyan water terraces. The morning bus from Chengdu leaves at 09:00, and takes roughly 9–10 hours, providing that the weather is good.
 * Mianyang City (绵阳市), two hours to the north, is Sichuan's second-biggest city. As a large city, it has plenty to do and could serve as a day or multi-day trip. Nearby Xianhai (仙海) resort town is a lovely countryside getaway, easily accessible from the city center. The Holy Water Temple (圣水寺) in the northern suburbs is also very attractive. Mianyang is a 2-hour train ride from North Train Station (¥20).
 * Siguniangshan National Park (四姑娘) - these mountains northwest of Chengdu are sometimes called "China Alps", but are also known as the "four girls" or "four maidens", as their perennial snow makes them look like four beautiful white figures standing in the hills. Take a bus from Chadianzi (茶店子) tourism bus station at 06:40 that takes up to 12 hours.  Catch the bus to Xiaojin (小金) and let the driver know your destination is Rilong village (日隆镇).
 * Xi'an - home to the Terracotta Army.