Two years following the completion of Beijing Daxing International Airport, Chengdu has officially opened its own mega-airport.
Chengdu Tianfu International Airport – the second international airport in Sichuan’s capital city – started operations on Sunday morning. Chengdu is now the third city in China home to two international airports, with Beijing and Shanghai as the other two cities.
Model of Chengdu Tianfu International Airport. Image via 来斤小仓鼠吧/Wikimedia
Similar to Beijing’s Daxing airport, Chengdu Tianfu is located roughly 50 kilometers away from the city center – depending on where you’re trying to go, of course.
A trip from Chengdu Tianfu to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding is around 84 kilometers away, according to Google Maps.
Map of Chengdu with Chengdu Tianfu International Airport on the bottom-right corner. Screengrab via Google Maps
According to Sichuan’s State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, the city’s two airports will eventually be connected via Chengdu Metro Line 19 – providing a 30-minute commute.
Sunday’s official opening marked the completion of the project’s first phase, which includes the construction of three runways and two terminals that can handle up to 60 million passengers annually. China Daily reports that long-term plans for the airport terminals will cover 1.4 million square meters and handle 120 million annual passengers.
Chengdu’s two international airports should help the city become a major transportation hub, linking the PRC with Southeast Asia, Central Asia and Europe. However, this may take some time as China’s borders remain closed off to most foreign travelers, and a reduced number of international flights are currently bound for the country.
READ MORE: Will China's Borders Really Remain Closed for Another Year?
[Cover image via国务院国资委新闻中心]
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