When arriving in Chengdu for the first time, or if they want to pick someone up at the airport at short notice, many people will hesitate between taxis, online ride-hailing and private charters. In fact, all three methods can solve the travel problem, but the suitable scenarios are different.
No need to rush to compare which one is cheaper first. You can roughly determine the direction by looking at which airport you are departing from, how many people are there, how much luggage you are bringing, and whether you need someone to coordinate the entire pick-up process after landing.
If you have one or two people and not much luggage, taxis are usually very convenient; if you are used to placing orders on your mobile phone and can find the pick-up point at the airport by yourself, online taxi-hailing will be more convenient; if there are many people traveling with you and many boxes, or if you need to pick up clients or conference guests, privately customized private charters will be more comfortable and you can get a more complete transfer service.
Let’s look at the three methods together
If you just want to go from the airport to the hotel, a taxi or online ride-hailing service is usually enough. If you are traveling with a lot of people, or if you want someone to pick you up, take care of your luggage, and coordinate the entire trip after landing, chartering a car will be more comfortable.
| Way | more suitable | convenient place | possible situations |
|---|---|---|---|
| taxi | 1-2 people, less luggage, temporary travel | After arriving, follow the airport instructions and line up to board the bus. | You may need to wait during peak hours; if you are traveling with multiple people, you may need to separate trains |
| Online car hailing | There are not many people, the destination is clear, and they are used to placing orders via mobile phone | You can check car models and price estimates in advance | You need to go to the designated pick-up area and confirm the specific location with the driver |
| Charter a car | Multiple people and luggage, family travel, business or conference reception | Car models are arranged according to demand. The driver pays attention to flights and waiting in advance, and assists in opening doors and picking up luggage. | Fees and service scope need to be confirmed based on the specific itinerary |
First check whether it is Tianfu Airport or Shuangliu Airport
Chengdu has Chengdu Tianfu International Airport (TFU) and Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport (CTU). The locations of the two airports are different, and the routes, times and costs to the city or surrounding destinations will also be different.
When communicating with the pick-up party, just send the airport name and flight number. If you take a taxi or online ride-hailing service, follow the traffic signs and platform prompts at the airport on the day to go to the corresponding bus area. Airport transportation arrangements occasionally change, and it's usually easier to follow on-site instructions.
When traveling with one or two people, taxis are usually straightforward.
If you are one or two people and don’t have much luggage, and you only need to go to a certain place after landing, a taxi is a very straightforward choice. Personal travel, temporary changes, or if the itinerary may change at any time, can be decided upon arrival.
During holidays, when flights arrive intensively, or when the weather is not good, you may need to wait a little longer on site. If you are traveling with a large number of people or have a lot of large luggage, you may also need two vehicles. In addition, there is no need to make airport transfer arrangements too complicated for ordinary personal travel.
If you are used to placing orders on your mobile phone, online car hailing will be more convenient.
If you are used to using online ride-hailing services, you can place an order as usual when you arrive in Chengdu. The model and price estimates are relatively intuitive, making it easy for individuals or small teams to make temporary arrangements.
Hailing a taxi at the airport is slightly different from that in the city. Tianfu Airport and Shuangliu Airport have corresponding online ride-hailing areas. After landing, you usually have to follow the instructions to the pick-up point, and then check the location or license plate with the driver. When you come to Chengdu for the first time, carry a big suitcase, or have to take care of the elderly and children, you can give more time for walking and communication.
If the flight changes, whether the driver will continue to wait and how the fee will be calculated will be subject to the platform order and communication between the two parties.
In these cases, chartering a car will save you some trouble.
When families travel, friends arrive together, or a group arrives, in addition to seats, space must be left for large boxes, strollers, exhibition materials, etc. If you specify the number of people and luggage in advance, the car type will be better judged.
When picking up customers or partners, they usually pay more attention to whether the vehicle is suitable, whether the contact person is clear, and where to meet. If you need to raise a sign, you can confirm it together when making an appointment.
When conference guests arrive in batches, several groups of people may arrive one after another from Tianfu Airport, Shuangliu Airport or Chengdu East Railway Station. By sorting out the approximate time, number of people and destination of each batch in advance, the subsequent vehicle arrangements will be much clearer.
The private charter mentioned here is a private customized transfer service.
Airport car charter is not just about calling a car in advance, but also arranging the vehicle, driver and meeting method in advance based on the flight, number of people, luggage, destination and reception requirements. Compared with a temporary taxi, it is more like a customized transfer service.
In Yibaifen's airport charter service, the driver will pay attention to the flight status before departure and arrive and wait in advance according to the agreement. When encountering the elderly, children or families with a lot of luggage, more attention will be paid to the rhythm of getting on and off the bus.
If a guest comes to Chengdu for the first time and wants to know about local restaurants, attractions or next itinerary, he or she can chat with the driver. The driver can give some Chengdu food and travel suggestions based on the situation he is familiar with. For business reception, this kind of complete service from landing, meeting to delivery will make the experience more leisurely than simply calling a car.
Pay attention to flight status before departure, and connect in time when the time changes.
Arrive early as agreed and communicate clearly in advance how to meet.
Actively open and close car doors, assist with moving luggage, and take care of the elderly and children.
On the way, you can talk about Chengdu’s food, attractions and next trip.
The car type mainly depends on the number of people, but also leaves room for luggage.
When choosing a car model for airport transfers, the number of people is the first priority, and luggage space is also important. For example, if six people are carrying several large boxes at the same time, a MPV may not be spacious. When communicating, just saying "a few people and a few big boxes" can usually save a lot of detours.
- For 1-4 people and less luggage, a five-seater car can usually suffice;
- For 1-6 people, if you want to sit more comfortably, you can check out MPVs such as GL8 and Odyssey;
- If you have a small or medium-sized group or have a lot of luggage, you can consider Coaster or Minibus;
- When there are more people, a bus or a combination of multiple vehicles will be arranged according to the actual situation.
When there are changes to your flight, just communicate in advance
Flight advancement, delays or temporary adjustments are common, so don’t be too nervous. Leave the accurate flight number when making the reservation so that the pick-up party can check the public flight information before departure and communicate in a timely manner if the time changes are discovered.
How long to wait and whether there will be parking or waiting fees are best confirmed when making a reservation. For business receptions or when multiple people arrive in batches, it will be much more convenient to leave an on-site contact person for temporary adjustments.
Why are airport transfer prices different?
Prices will naturally vary depending on the airport, destination, car model and time of use. Waiting times, multiple drop-offs, split pick-ups, parking fees and tolls may also affect the final cost.
For example, the route and driving time from Tianfu Airport to the city, from Shuangliu Airport to the venue, and from the airport directly to Dujiangyan or other surrounding cities are different. The arrangements for MPVs, minibuses and buses are also different.
In addition to the route and model, the private charter fee also includes vehicle reservation, flight attention, airport pick-up waiting and reception services. When you want to ask about the price first, there is no need to organize a complicated form, just send the following types of information.
A few simple sentences can basically explain the needs clearly. The fleet can also use this to see if the car model is suitable, and clarify the boundaries of waiting, parking, etc. fees in advance.
- Which airport, which flight, and approximate arrival time;
- How many people and how much luggage is there?
- Preparing to go to a hotel, conference venue or other place;
- Are there any situations such as elderly children, business reception or batch arrival?
Finally, choose according to your own travel scenarios
When individuals travel light, taxis or online ride-hailing services are often the most convenient; when there are many people with multiple luggage, family travel, business receptions or conference guests arriving in batches, a privately customized private charter will be more comfortable and provide more complete services.
If you are not sure at the moment, you can also send the airport, time, number of people, luggage and destination to Baifen Fleet to see which method is more suitable.
Some frequently asked questions
Is it possible to arrange transfer at both Chengdu Tianfu Airport and Shuangliu Airport?＋
Yes. Just send the airport name, flight number, arrival time, number of people, luggage and destination to the team, and the two parties will confirm the specific meeting method.
When two or three people go to Chengdu, should they choose online ride-hailing or MPVs?＋
If you don’t have much luggage and can find the pick-up point by yourself, a taxi or online ride-hailing service is usually enough. If you have a lot of luggage, are traveling with the elderly and children, or are receiving clients this time, consider chartering a MPV.
Can six people ride in a MPV?＋
We need to look at the luggage together. If six people only bring carry-on bags, the space requirements are completely different from six people each carrying a large suitcase. Discuss the amount of luggage and see if a car is suitable.
Will the vehicle wait if the flight is delayed?＋
It depends on the delay time and the arrangements behind the vehicle. When making a reservation, you can first ask about waiting and scheduling methods; after the flight changes, both parties can just keep in touch.
Is pick-up with a sign included by default?＋
It depends. If you need to hold a placard, state the content of the placard, meeting location and contact person when making an appointment, and then confirm whether it can be arranged.
What’s the biggest difference between private charters and online ride-hailing?＋
Online ride-hailing is more like a temporary travel tool, suitable for placing orders and finding pick-up points by yourself; private charters will arrange vehicles and drivers in advance, and provide transfer services such as flight attention, waiting in advance, opening and closing of car doors, and assistance with luggage, and are more suitable for family, business and team scenarios.