Taoyuan to Chengdu (Jianyang) (TPE–TFU) — Airlines, Schedules & Connections

Taiwan residents do not use a standard visa to enter mainland China. Instead, a Mainland Travel Permit for Taiwan Residents (Taiwan Compatriot Entry Permit) is required. This document can be applied for on arrival at 35+ designated airports and ports across mainland China, including Beijing, Shanghai, Xiamen, Shenzhen, and Chengdu. The on-arrival permit costs CNY 150 and requires a valid ROC passport with at least 3 months validity, a Taiwan national ID card, passport photos, and a return ticket.

The five-year version can be applied for in advance through authorized agencies. It allows unlimited entries with no restriction on stay duration, and covers tourism, business, work, and study.

The Airport MRT (Taoyuan Airport Line) connects Taipei Main Station to the airport in 35 minutes for TWD $160 (express) or 50 minutes for TWD $150 (commuter). Trains run from 06:00 to 23:00. Bus services (Kuo-Kuang and others) also connect central Taipei to Taoyuan for around TWD $125, but are slower.Taxis from Taipei city centre cost TWD $1,200–1,600 depending on traffic; the national freeway (No. 2) is the standard driving route. Self-drive parking is available in multi-storey structures at both terminals.

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.