Madrid to Chengdu (Jianyang) (MAD–TFU) — Airlines, Schedules & Connections

Spanish passport holders need a visa to enter China for most purposes. The standard tourist visa (L visa) is obtained at a Chinese embassy or consulate before departure. The fee is EUR 126 for single entry. Processing takes 4 business days for regular service, or 2 to 3 days for express at a higher fee. Apply through the Chinese Visa Application Service Center (CVASC) in Madrid or Barcelona.

China offers 144-hour visa-free transit at major airports including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, and others. You must hold a confirmed onward ticket to a third country (not Spain, if that is where you came from) departing within 144 hours. You must stay within the designated administrative region for that port of entry. This is a genuine option for short layover visits.

Required documents for the L visa: completed application form, passport valid for at least 6 months with 2 blank pages, recent passport photo (48mm x 33mm, white background), round-trip flight booking, and hotel reservations for the full stay. Invitation letters are not required for tourist visas but can speed up processing.

Metro Line 8 runs from Nuevos Ministerios (central Madrid) to T1/T2/T3 in 12–15 minutes (€6, including the airport supplement). T4 requires an additional free shuttle from T2; add 10 minutes. The Cercanías commuter train (Line C-1) reaches T4 from Atocha station in 25 minutes (€2.60, no supplement).Taxis have a fixed fare of €30 from central Madrid zones. The ride is typically 20–35 minutes depending on traffic. Avenida de América bus hub serves several airport bus routes (€5).

Follow signs to the Metro Line 18 station inside the terminal. The express service reaches Chengdu South Railway Station in 35 minutes (CNY 10), where you can transfer to Lines 1, 7, or 18 local stops for the rest of the city. To reach Tianfu Square, transfer at Century City and take Line 1 north (total about CNY 30, 55-65 minutes).

Airport buses depart from the ground transport center outside arrivals. Line 1 to Chunxi Road takes 60-80 minutes (CNY 15 daytime, CNY 25 after 23:30). Taxis queue at the designated rank and use meters; budget CNY 180-260 to central Chengdu. DiDi pickup is on the east side of arrivals and runs cheaper than taxis at CNY 90-130 to city center destinations.

Chengdu sits in the Sichuan Basin with a humid subtropical climate. Summers (June-September) hit 22-29 degrees C with heavy monsoon rain. Half the annual 1000mm of rainfall lands in these four months, arriving as afternoon thunderstorms. Winters (December-February) average 3-8 degrees C and stay overcast. Frost is rare but the persistent cloud cover and dampness make it feel colder than the numbers suggest.

Chengdu is one of the cloudiest cities in China with roughly 200 overcast days per year and only 1000 hours of annual sunshine. Spring warms unevenly with cold snaps into April. Autumn (late September-November) is the most comfortable stretch with clear-ish skies and mild temperatures. Pack layers and rain gear regardless of season; an umbrella earns its place year-round here.