The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding is in Chenghua District, north of the city centre. An adult ticket costs CNY 55. Every visitor books online under a real name, up to 14 days ahead, and shows the original document used to book. The base's site gives a daily cap of 85,000 visitors, and tickets are for a morning or an afternoon slot. All figures below are from the base's own English pages, which we read on 16 October 2026 and re-opened on 17 October 2026, and nothing had changed. We did not visit for this page.
This page covers the Panda Base only. For the city, see the Chengdu travel guide, and for rooms, where to stay in Chengdu. China entry rules and payments are on the China hub.
Tickets and prices (checked 17 October 2026)
Prices are in Chinese yuan (CNY), from the base's Tickets page.
| Ticket | Price | Who | Rules |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult | CNY 55 per person | Aged 18 (exclusive) to 59 (inclusive) | One entry on the day and slot you book. Booking required |
| Student | CNY 27 per person | Enrolled students up to undergraduate level, not adult education | Ages 6 to 18 enter with original ID. Over 18 also needs a valid student ID. If you do not qualify, you pay the difference on site |
| Senior | Free, no booking | Aged 60 and over | Show your original ID on entry |
| Young child | Free, no booking | Aged 6 and under, or under 1.3 m | ID checked on entry |
| Annual pass | CNY 168 per year | Aged 7 to 59 | One entry a day, for the holder only |
The site lists the Resident Identity Card, Social Security Card, Passport and several Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao permits as documents you can scan at the "original ID" channel. So a foreign passport is accepted as the ID. If you do not carry the original, the site says you can show a photo of your own document and enter through a separate channel after verification. We would carry the passport itself (our opinion).
The site also says: "If you are unable to pay online due to special circumstances, you may purchase tickets at the park's on-site ticket windows subject to ticket availability." Do not count on this.
The shuttle bus inside the base is sold separately. The base's Sightseeing Bus page gives CNY 30 per person for visitors over 1.3 m, valid for the day with hop-on, hop-off use. You can buy it up to 14 days ahead through the mini programme or on the day.
How to book
The base says to book through its official WeChat account, its WeChat mini programme, or authorised platforms: Meituan, Trip.com, Douyin, Tongcheng Travel and the "Chengdu Scenic Shuttle Bus" WeChat account. It links a Trip.com page for the base (the link is on the official site).
- Up to 14 days ahead. Sales stop when the daily quota sells out. If your date is full, try another.
- Valid only for your date and slot. Afternoon ticket holders are told not to arrive early, to avoid long waits.
- Refunds. Unused tickets can be refunded through the channel where you bought them, within 30 days from 17:00 on the day of the visit. After that the system cancels them with no refund. Used tickets are not refundable.
- Unofficial sellers. The base warns against buying from unofficial channels. One ticket is for one person and must match one ID. It also warns about paid "fast-track entry" services.
If you buy through an overseas intermediary such as KKday, the price and terms are the intermediary's. Read the entry slot and refund rules on that page before you pay. We show no intermediary prices because they move with currency and date.
Opening hours
| Period | Morning entry | Afternoon entry | Clearance begins |
|---|---|---|---|
| March to October | 07:30 to 12:00 | 12:00 to 17:00 | 18:00 |
| November to February | 08:00 to 12:00 | 12:00 to 16:30 | 17:30 |
- Bamboo Tower: open 09:00 to 17:00, last entry 16:30. It may close temporarily for weather or equipment work.
- Visitor service centres at the West and South gates open 07:30 to 18:00 (March to October) and 08:00 to 17:30 (November to February).
- Phone: the base lists 028-83510033 as its tourism hotline.
Wikivoyage gives hours of 07:30 to 17:00, which matches the summer entry window but does not split morning and afternoon, or give the 18:00 clearance. We use the base's table. Wikivoyage also says animals are fed around 09:30 to 10:00. That is unofficial and we did not check it with the base, so treat it as a rough reason to come early.
How to get there
From the base's Transportation page (checked 17 October 2026).
| Gate | Route |
|---|---|
| West Gate | Metro Line 3 to Junqu General Hospital station, exit B. Walk 20 m to the stop and take shuttle 409 direct to the West Gate, about 10 minutes. Or take bus 110, 110A or 659 to Yulei Road Cuiwei Intersection and walk 600 m |
| South Gate | Metro Line 3 to Panda Avenue station, exit A, then shuttle 408 direct to the South Gate. Or Line 3 to Zoo station, then bus 655 or 87 |
| Direct from tourist areas | Special shuttles run from places such as Chunxi Road and Kuanzhai Alley. Ask via the Scenic Shuttle Bus mini programme or the Chengdu Bus app |
| Driving | West Gate: park at Bolinghui Underground Parking and take shuttle D569. South Gate: park at Yingying Parking and walk about 15 minutes |
Taxi estimates from the base's site, which depend on traffic:
| From | Fare | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Chunxi Road | About CNY 40 | 25 to 35 minutes |
| Chengdu East railway station | About CNY 40 | 25 to 30 minutes |
| Shuangliu airport (CTU) | About CNY 100 | 40 to 50 minutes |
| Tianfu airport (TFU) | About CNY 200 | 60 to 70 minutes |
Address given by the base: 1375 Panda Avenue, Chenghua District, Chengdu 610081.
What is inside
The sightseeing bus stops, from the South Gate to the West Gate, are Panda Villa, Sun Giant Panda Nursery House, Panda Reception Hall, Bamboo Tower, Star Giant Panda Nursery House and Panda Creek Valley. We did not check how many pandas are in each area or which zone is best on your day, because animals move with the season and their activity. Follow the on-site signs and map.
The base states that these tickets do not give entry to the Dujiangyan Panda Valley, which is a separate site.
Planning the day
- Come for the morning slot. Morning entry opens at 07:30 from March to October and 08:00 from November to February. We suggest morning if you want the pandas active (our suggestion).
- Allow 3 to 4 hours inside, plus 25 to 35 minutes each way from Chunxi Road by taxi (our estimate for the visit, not an official figure).
- Pair it with the old town in the afternoon. See the Chengdu guide.
- Pair it with the next day at Leshan. See Leshan Giant Buddha.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the Panda Base ticket?
Adult CNY 55, student CNY 27. Seniors aged 60 and over and young children (6 and under, or under 1.3 m) are free, per the base's Tickets page checked 17 October 2026.
Do I have to book in advance?
Yes. Adult and student tickets are named and booked online up to 14 days ahead. Seniors and young children do not need to book but must show original ID.
Can I use a foreign passport?
The base lists the Passport as an original document you can scan at the entry channel. The ticket must match the document you used to book.
What is the difference between morning and afternoon entry?
From March to October, morning entry is 07:30 to 12:00 and afternoon entry is 12:00 to 17:00. From November to February it is 08:00 to 12:00 and 12:00 to 16:30. Your ticket is valid only for the slot you book.
How do I get there from Chunxi Road?
Taxi, about CNY 40 and 25 to 35 minutes per the base. Or metro Line 3 to Panda Avenue, exit A, then shuttle 408. Or a special shuttle from the tourist areas.
Can I get a refund?
Unused tickets can be refunded through the original channel within 30 days from 17:00 on the day of the visit. Used tickets cannot be refunded.
When was this checked?
On 16 October 2026, re-opened on 17 October 2026, against the base's own pages. Prices, hours and booking channels can change, so use the base's site or mini programme on the day you book.
How this guide compares
We read KKday's Panda Base ticket page, Travel China Guide's Chengdu guide and China Highlights' Chengdu guide for comparison. The benchmarks describe the base and sell tours or tickets. They do not set out the official booking window, the daily cap, the morning and afternoon slots and the refund rule the way the base's own site does. This page puts those on one page with a check date, and says what we could not verify, such as the best viewing zone on a given day.
Links on this page and our earnings
The search buttons open the providers' own search pages for Chengdu panda tickets and tours. As of 17 October 2026 we have no registered affiliate link for the Panda Base and earn nothing from them yet. Our reference price is the base's own price in the table above, which you can use to compare any intermediary.
Official sources and further reading
- Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding: Tickets (prices, booking, refunds, channels)
- Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding: Opening Hours
- Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding: Transportation
- Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding: Sightseeing Bus (CNY 30 inside the base)
- Wikivoyage: Chengdu (feeding times; not official)
- KKday: Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding tickets (intermediary product, for comparison)
- Travel China Guide: Chengdu city guide (benchmark)
- China Highlights: Chengdu Travel Guide 2026 (benchmark)
Prices, schedules and entry rules change. Figures here are approximate as of 2026; always confirm on the official or operator page before you book. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
