Best Travel Options Between Beijing and Chengde

While planning your Beijing tour, you may consider an interesting side trip to Chengde (承德). This short travel guide is aimed at helping you in choosing the best travel options between Beijing and Chengde.

There are three major ways of travellng from Beijing to Chengde – Train, bus or driving. We’ll help you assess the advantages and disadvantages of each transportation option.

Chengde is an important scenic and historical city, only 250 km northeast of Beijing. Though it is possible for you to make a day trip from Beijing, we suggest you stay overnight to see its magnificent landscape and feel the  splendid culture and history behind it.

1. Travel From Beijing to Chengde by Train

At the time of my writing, there are two daily high speed trains running between Beijing Chaoyang Railway Station and Chengde South Railway Station.

The high speed train takes only one hour running from Beijing to Chengde or vice versa. If you are pressed for time, you might take the one hour morning high speed train from Beijing to Chengde, and return to Beijing taking the afternoon high speed train after your highlight visit in Chengde.

2. Getting from Beijing to Chengde by Bus

The bus service from Beijing to Chengde is more frequent, an easy and affordable option for travellers. The long-distance service for Chengde operates at two of the bus terminals in Beijing – Sihui Transportation Hub (四惠交通枢纽) and Liuliqiao Long-Distance Bus Station (六里桥客运主枢纽).

There are about 30 daily buses starting from Liuliqiao Long-Distance Bus Station ( first bus at 6:40 and last 18:20); 20 daily buses leaving from Sihui Long-Distance Bus Station (first bus at 7:10 and last 18:10). Just purchase your bus tickets in person at the two bus stations.

3. Driving from Beijing to Chengde

You can drive directly from Beijing to Chengde along the expansive expressway – Jingcheng Expressway. Jingcheng Expressway is 209.1km in length with 132.4 km in Beijing and 76.7 in Chengde.

Its completion has made Beijing Chengde driving two hours, two hours less than previous old highway.

 250 km northeast of Beijing lie two UNESCO world heritage sites – Eight Outer Temples listed 1994 and Mountain Resort listed in 1997 under the jurisdiction of Chengde, a prefecture-level city in Hebei province.

Tip:  Hassle-free Chengde Guided Tours

If you don’t want to go the do-it-yourself route and prefer the hassle-free escorted tours,  here are some options for guided tours to Chengde:

Further Readings