Transportation Jiuzhaigou: Air/Train/Bus

Getting There

Airplane

Nowadays the convenient way to visit Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou) is to take airplane to Chengdu or Chongqing, then transfer to Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou)–Yellow Dragon Airport (Jiuyellow Airport). There are flights from most big cities in China to Chengdu and Chongqing. Additionally, now there is a flight from Xi’an to Jiuyellow Airport, about 1 hour, but it takes off at 7: 55, so it is not convenient.
Besides these above, there are also flights from Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Xi’an directly to Yellow Dragon.
Some people misunderstand that they think they arrive at Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou) if they arrive at Jiuyellow Airport. Actually it is 88 KM from the airport to the mouth of Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou) (about 1. 5 hours from the airport to Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou)), 50 KM from Yellow Dragon Scenic Spot (about 1 hour from the airport to Yellow Dragon). The airport is located between Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou) Scenic Spot and Yellow Dragon Scenic Spot, and it needs 2. 5 hours to 3 hours from Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou) to Yellow Dragon Scenic Spot.
Address: in Songpan County in Aba Prefecture
Website: http://www.jzairport.com/
Contact: 0837-7243737
Transportation: there are bus at the airport to Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou) and Yellow Dragon Scenic Spot, 45 Yuan and 22 Yuan for one-way respectively, and 80 Yuan and 40 Yuan for round trip. But the shifts are few, so many tourists choose to charter a van for round trip.

Taxi fee from the airport

Flight from Chengdu or Flight from Chongqing?
There are more flights from Shuangliu Airport in Chengdu to Jiuzhai Huanglong Airport, more than 20 flights every day, about 40 minutes of flying. But there is no discount for tickets, about 1000 Yuan;
There are less flights from Jiangbei Airport in Chongqing to Jiuzhai Huanglong Airport, few flights every day, about 1 hour. But the ticket is much cheaper than that in Shuangliu Airport after discount.

Train+Bus

At present there is no direct train to Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou). If you come from another province, you can take a train to Chengdu, Guangyuan or Jiangyou first, then take bus to Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou), which is really inconvenient. There are four routes for train+Bus.

Route 1:
You can take Baocheng Line to Guangyuan (or Zhaohua), then take a bus to Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou) after passing by Wen County in Gansu. Sights along the way include Guangyuan Old Town, Zhaohua Old Town, Huangze Temple, Qianfo Rock, Jianmen Shu Way, Bikou Reservoir, Old Yinping Way, etc. But this section always happens to landslides when raining days.

Route 2:
You can take Baocheng Line to Jiangyou Station, then transfer by bus to Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou) via Pingwu and Wen County of Gansu Province. Sights along the way include Chuandou Mountain, Libai Memorial Museum, Haideng Martial Art Museum, Baoen Temple, etc, about 303 KM in total.

Route 3:
You can take Baocheng Line to Lveyang Station in Shanxi Province, then you can transfer by bus to Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou) via Cheng County, Wudu and Wen County in Gansu Province, about 441 KM. There is a rarely big cave in northwest area—Wudu Wanxiang Cave.

Route 4:
You can take Longhai Line to Tianshui Station in Gansu Province, then you can transfer by bus to Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou) County after passing by Wudu, and Wen County, about 546 KM in total. Sights along the way include Maiji Mountain Grottoes, Shimen Scenic Area, Dufu Thatched Cottage in Cheng County, Moyasong in Western Han Dynasty (Yellow Dragon monument) and other attractions.

Bus

Chengdu to Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou)
The ticket from Chengdu to Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou) should be booked one day in advance. Generally there are 2 or 3 shifts to Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou), but sometimes shifts will be added if there are too many tourists.

Xinnanmen Station
There are two shifts before 8 AM, 143 Yuan of ticket, about 10 hours of driving, directly to the mouth of the valley. The bus environment is good.
Address: at NO. 57 at Linjiang Road in Chengdu
Contact: 028-85433609
Transportation: you can take bus of NO. 6、8、13、28、35、43、48、49、55、 76、82、110、and 301 in Chengdu

Chadianzi Station
There are three shifts before 8: 40 AM, 120 Yuan of ticket (170 Yuan for better bus), directly to Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou) Scenic Spot. Besides, there are many bus shifts to Chuanzhu Temple, and Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou) County.
Address: at the inter-boundary between Jinrui Road and Fifth Section of West Three Ring Road in Jinniu District in Chengdu
Contact: 028-87506610
Transportation: you can take NO. 417 and 29 in Chengdu
There are also bus from Mianyang or Dujiangyan to Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou). Besides, in Chengdu, Mianyang, or Dujiangyan, there is no bus directly to Yellow Dragon, but you can take bus to Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou) or Songpan and Chuanzhu Temple, then transfer a bus or charter a van to Yellow Dragon Scenic Spot.

Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou) to Other Destinations
To Chengdu: there are six shifts, including 6:20、7:00、7:30、8:00、8:10、8:30, about 145 Yuan of ticket (most buses back Chengdu will stop at Chadianzi Station, or stop at Xinnanmen Station, so you need to make it clear);
To Mianyang: there are three shifts, including 6:30、7:20、8:20, 103 Yuan of ticket;
To Deyang: starting at 6 AM, 102 Yuan;
To Dujiangyan: starting at 6 AM, 107 Yuan of ticket
Address: about 500 M from the west side of the mouth of Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou)
Contact: 0837-7739900

Charter a van

It is expensive to charter a van from Chengdu to Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou), about 1200 to 1500 Yuan, but you can bargain with the driver.
Charter a van with other tourists
Every day there are about 300 tourists from Chengdu to Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou), usually you can pay 60 to 100 Yuan per person to charter a van with others. The main gathering spots: Chengdu Young People Hostel, Rongcheng Hotel, Shudu Hotel, etc. If there is vacant seat on the bus, the driver usually will let you get in.

Self-Driving

The important land transport in Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou) is East-West Nine Ring Line, about 920 KM in total. West Nine Ring Line begins from Chengdu to Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou), through Dujiangyan, Wenchuan, Mao County, Songpan, about 440 KM in total; East Nine Ring Line begins from Chengdu to Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou), through Mianyang, Jiangyou, Pingwu, about 480 KM in total. Besides, the road from Lanzhou in Gansu Province to Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou) through Linxia, Hezuo, Luqu, Ruoergai, Chuanzhu Temple, is also the popular road and tour route for tourists, 711 KM in total.
Tourists can choose any one self-driving route according to their own needs and schedule:
1) Chengdu–Dujiangyan–Wenchuan–Mao County–Songpan–Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou);
2) Chengdu–Mianyang–Jiangyou–Pingwu–Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou) County–Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou) Scenic Spot;
3) Chengdu–Ya’an–Luding–Danba–Mount Siguniang–Maerkang–Hongyuan–Chuanzhu Temple–Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou) Scenic Spot;
4) Guangyuan–Wen County–Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou) County–Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou) Scenic Spot;
5) Lanzhou–Linxia–Hezuo–Luqu–Ruoergai–Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou) Scenic Spot;
6) Xi’an–Baoji–Feng County–Lveyang–Wudu–Wen County–Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou) Scenic Spot

Getting Around

Sightseeing bus in Jiuzhai valley
The sightseeing cars are circular and have fixed stations like bus in our city. Every sight has a station, as long as you have tickets, you can get on or off the car you want. The ticket of sightseeing car is 90 Yuan, sold with the ticket of the scenic spot.
You need to tell the guide where you want to get off in the sightseeing car, or the driver will not ask tourists if they want to get off the car.

Cable Car of Huanglong
You can take cable car in Huanglong Scenic Spot, 80 Yuan of ticket for cable-way upward, and 40 Yuan for cable-way downward. The scenery is very beautiful when climbing down the mountain, so we suggest you take cable car up to the mountain, but walk down the mountain to enjoy the scenery.

Bus
Between Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou) and nearby Yellow Dragon, Songpan, Chuanzhu Temple and other sights, apart from the bus shift from Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou) to Yellow Dragon, you need to transfer a bus or charter a van to other sights. From which, Songpan and Chuanzhu Temple are important transfer stations.

Starting from Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou)
You need to take bus at Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou) Coach Center, about 500 M from the entrance of Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou).
To Yellow Dragon: 144 KM from Yellow Dragon, there are bus shifts directly there, 2 or 3 shifts from 6: 30 to 7: 30 in the morning, 40 Yuan of ticket. Bus returns back Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou) from Yellow Dragon at 3 PM.
To Songpan: bus shift staring at 7: 20 in the morning, 27 Yuan of ticket
To Chuanzhusi: bus shift starting at 7: 20 in the morning, 24 Yuan of ticket

Starting from Songpan
To Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou): 118 KM, 3 bus shifts at 7:00、11:30、13:00, 28 Yuan of ticket
To Yellow Dragon: there are bus shifts starting at 7 AM to Yellow Dragon every day in Peak Season, about 1. 5 hours to Yellow Dragon, 25 Yuan of ticket (you can take bus passing by Pingwu, Jiangyou and Mianyang), returning back Songpan at 3 PM. No bus shifts in Off Season.
To Old Glacier through Miyaluo and Black Water: no direct bus shift, you need to transfer at Wenchuan or Mao County to go there.
It is very convenient to transfer a bus if you start from Chuanzhu Temple. You can wait at Chuanzhu Temple Station for bus to Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou) or Yellow Dragon (1. 5 hours from Songpan to Chuanzhu Temple). It is several Yuan cheaper that that you get on the bus at Songpan.

Charter a van
The transportation is not very convenient at Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou) and other surrounding sights. Tourists who have enough money can choose to charter a van yourself or charter a van with others to go. You need to bargain with the driver for the chartering fee.
Jizuhaigou–Yellow Dragon: It is about 250 Yuan of one-way for chartering a van, 2 hours of driving, 350–400 Yuan of round trip.
Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou)–God Pool: you can take a taxi from Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou) to God Pool, one-way for about 50 Yuan, 20 minutes of driving. If you charter a van, you can bargain with the driver to negotiate the ticket for about 60 Yuan of round trip.
Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou)–Miyaluo: there is no bus shift from Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou) to Miyaluo, so you need to charter a van, about 300 to 400 Yuan, about 10 hours, and the road condition is not so bad.
Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou)–Munigou: if you choose to charter a van, 360 to 420 Yuan of round trip, about 4 hours
Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou)–Songpan: 180 to 200 Yuan, about 1. 5 hours of driving
Songpan–Yellow Dragon: about 200 Yuan
Songpan–Chuanzhu Temple: from 30 to 50 Yuan, about 30 minutes of driving
Songpan–Munigou: from 150 to 200 Yuan, or you can charter a van with others at Chuanzhu Temple to Jiuzhai valley(Jiuzhaigou) or Yellow Dragon, 50 Yuan per person, but a van needs to be full of people (usually 4 people).