Chongqing Chaotianmen Dock

Chaotianmen Dock, at the junction of the Yangtze River and Jialing River, is the most important dock in Chongqing, which handles large quantities of cargo and welcomes thousands of Yangtze River Cruisers. More than 90% of Yangtze River cruisers would starts or ends their Yangtze River tour at Chaotianmen Dock.

This guide will show you all the important information of Chaotianmen dock, including its location, wharfs, facts, map, important notes, nearby attractions and how to get there.

Where is Chaotianmen Dock - Location, Wharfs & Port Change Tips

• Opening Hours: All Day Long
• Fee: Free of Charge
• Wharfs: 1-11, 13, 15, 17
• Address: Chaotianmen Wharf, Changjiang Binjiang Rd, Yuzhong District, Chongqing（重庆市渝中区长滨路17号朝天门码头）

Location of Each Wharf in Chaotianmen Dock

There are 14 separated wharfs in and around Chaotianmen Dock. Wharf No.1 is at the center north of Chaotianmen Dock, on its’ left side from north to south are wharf 2, followed by wharf 4, 6, 8 and 10. On the right side are odd-number wharfs from wharf 3 to wharf 11. There is only one entrance in Chaotianmen Dock, seated between Wharf 9 and Wharf 11. Wharf 13, 15 and 17 are located on the east side outside but near Chaotianmen Dock. Tourists who embark at these wharfs don’t need to get through the entrance.

Chongqing Chaotianmen Dock with 14 Seperated Docks

When & How to Get the Wharf Number for Boarding?

After booking the ship, you must wonder about which wharf you should go to embark the ship. Usually, the exact wharf number for each ship is only published ONE or TWO days before sailing. Therefore, you might not get the exact boarding wharf on the day you book the cruise or receive the confirmation letter but only can know your exact boarding wharf only ONE or TWO days before sail. Usually, tourists who book Victoria Cruises would board their ship at Chaotianmen Wharf 5 and Century Cruises would board at Chaotianmen Wharf 11.

Important: The arranged boarding and disembarking wharfs of Yangtze River cruises may be changed according to the real situation. You are suggested to ask your travel consultants for the exact wharf that your cruise will dock a day before your journey. For Yangtze River cruise tourists booking with Yangtze River Cruises, our professional one-to-one travel consultants will tell you the exact wharf as soon as they get the latest information.

Click to Enlarge Map of Chongqing Chaotianmen Port in Daytime

When Can You Board / Disembark Your Ship at Chaotianmen Dock?

Different cruise companies might arrange different boarding and disembarking time. You can check your confirmation letter or contact your travel consultant to know the exact time of your ship. Remember to leave yourself enough time to catch your Yangtze River cruise ships, trains and flights.

Usually, downstream Yangtze River cruise ships can be boarded at Chaotianmen Dock during 18:00pm~21:00pm. In order to Board on time, we suggest downstream Yangtze River travelers book a flight arriving at Chongqing Jiangbei Airport before 16:30pm or train arriving at Chongqing before 18:00pm.

Upstream Yangtze River cruises would arrive at Chaotianmen Dock at about 8:00 in the morning. For Yangtze River upstream cruise travelers, you are suggested to book your flight from Chongqing Jiangbei Airport after 12:30 or train after 11:00 on your disembarkation day or you can spend 1-2 days to tour around the extraordinary mountain city - Chongqing and enjoy the famous spicy local dishes and hot pot there.

How to Get to Chongqing Chaotianmen Dock

Chaotianmen Port is located at the confluence of the Yangtze River and Jialing River in the Peninsula of Yuzhong District in Chongqing. It is about 28km away from Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport and 11km from Chongqingbei Railway Station. For there is no direct metro to reach the dock, you are mostly suggested to get to Chaotianmen Dock by taxi or licensed private cars.

By Private Cars - Most Convenient Way of Travel

Worried about traffic jam in Chongqing or can’t find the right wharf to board your ship? Let us - Yangtze River Cruise to take care of your troubles. Booking a local transfer service with us, our experienced local guide and licensed drivers will pick you up in the airport or railway station according to your schedule, and send you to the right wharf for your cruise ship directly, without time wasting on finding the road or finding a taxi.

Chongqing Taxi

By Taxi - For Independent Travelers

After arriving in Chongqing, independent travelers can also take a taxi to get to Chaotianmen Dock, check the following chart to know the distance, estimated time to get to Chaotianmen Dock from Chongqing airport or train stations.

(Warm Tips: 1. Distances and estimated times above may change according to the real situations. 2. Due to the strict traffic control at Chaotianmen Dock, it sometimes may take you much more than 10 minutes to wait for a taxi. 3. Traffic jams appear a lot in Chongqing city, especially during the rush hours (8-9am and 5-6pm). Therefore you should leave enough time for your transfer, try to hire a taxi as early as possible 4. For the tourists who are going to catch flights or ships in hurry on their trip plan, you are suggested to book a private car service in advance.)

Check more information about Chongqing Transportation Guide

Get around Chaotianmen Dock | Find the Right Wharf to Board the Ship?

All the taxis, buses and cars are not allowed to get inside Chaotianmen Dock. You should get off the taxi at the entrance, and then walk to the pointed wharf with your luggage. The entrance is at the east side of the Dock center, seated between Wharf 9 and Wharf 11. Walking from the entrance to your wharf needs about 3-13 minutes. The walking time is determined by the distance from entrance to your wharf. There are altogether 14 wharfs there (Chaotianmen 1-11, 13, 15, 17 Wharfs). The even-numbered wharfs (2, 4, 6, 8, 10) are far from the entrance, so it takes more time to get to. If your ship docks at wharf 13, 15 or 17, you don’t need to board the ship through the entrance of Chaotianmen Dock, you can ask the driver send you directly to the port and walk a few steps down to board the ship.

Click to Enlarge Chaotianmen Dock Night Map

Important: Even with a detail map of Chaotianmen Dock, tourists still feel trouble about finding the right wharf and boarding their ship. If this is your first time to visit Chongqing and Chaotianmen Dock, we highly recommended you to book a private guide and car service with us. After booking such a service, our English-speaking tour guide will be waiting for you at the airport or train stations and escort you directly to your wharf. They will also help you to board the ship to save you from all your worries.

Embark / Disembark Your Yangtze River Cruise Ship at Chaotianmen Dock?

Embarking Yangtze River Cruises Ships at Chaotianmen Dock:

1. Get to the entrance of Chaotianmen Dock (on the east side of Chaotianmen Dock and seated between Wharf 9 and Wharf 11) and then walk to the wharf where your ship docks at;
2. There will be cruise stuffs waiting at the wharf, show your passport to the staff;
3. Follow the floating bridge and pass the oncarrier to board the ship;
4. Security checking;
5. Check in.

>> Check more information about Embarkation Time, Port & Tips

Board the Ship

Disembarking Yangtze River Cruises Ships at Chaotianmen Dock:

1. If you book a porter service, send your luggage to the assigned place (usually near the reception desk) before check out;
2. Check out;
3. Follow the floating bridge to disembark from your ship (take your luggage with you if you haven’t book a porter service);
4. Walk to the entrance of Chaotianmen Dock, then hire a taxi or book a private car to your next destination.

>> Check more information about Disembarkation Time, Port & Tips

Important: There are many stone steps at Chaotianmen Dock. If you carry a heavy luggage and travel alone, you may feel a little tough to climb the stairs, you can ask for a porter service. The service is offered by the cruise company and needs extra charge of about 30RMB for each piece. If you need porter service, please Tell your travel consultant in advance.

Road Condition in Chaotianmen Dock

Important Notes about Port Change of Yangtze River Cruise

In most time of the year, tourists who take the Yangtze River Cruise would embark or disembark their ships at Chaotianmen Dock. However, from July and August - the flood period and March to April - the dry period, Yangtze River cruise ships may cannot dock at Chaotianmen Dock. During that time Chongqing Grand Theater (重庆大剧院) or Huguang Guild Hall (湖广会馆) might become the gathering places for Yangtze River Cruises.

Downstream cruises guests(from Chongqing to Yichang) will catch a bus arranged by the cruise companies at the gathering places in Chongqing to Fengdu to board the ship. Different cruise companies might arrange different gathering place and gathering time.

Upstream cruise guests will disembark at Fengdu Port in the morning and transfer to tourist buses arranged by cruise company to the dismissing places in Chongqing downtown.

For more detail information about the port change, please check Port Change for Special Events in Chongqing>>

Chongqing Grand Theater

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Questions & Discussions

Following are latest questions and answers from our webusers and customers. You can learn many useful information from the discussion and cases. You can also join in the discussions or ask your own question. Our experts will help you ASAP.

Emma Kwan

luggages direct to the cruise reception desk

Hi, I do understand that we can left our luggage onboard at the cruise reception desk (president no 6 too?), because we are coming at noon by flight and we want do shopping, short sightseeing and have a diner first before we go onboard the cruise ship at the evening.
But how I can tell the taxi driver from the airport because not all airport taxi drivers can speak English.Can you arrange this for us?
Thank you.

2018-09-26 12:06

Hi Emma,

Thank you for the message! The cruise embarkation time starts at 18:00 for Chongqing to Yichang cruise usually! And you can put you luggage at the reception desk in advance in the afternoon. However, as you need to collect your cruise ticket in person with your valid document like passport and get your luggage through security check which usually starts at 16:00, it is not allowed to do it by other people like taxi drivers. As Chaotianmen Port is very convenient to get to by taxi and is close to a series of interesting and popular tourist sites, you can put your luggage in person to the reception desk onboard after you arrive at Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport. If you are cruising during the National Holidays vacation during October 1 to October 7, the time allowing for luggage onboard would be changed according to different cruise company. Please ask details from your travel expert or directly from the staff onboard your cruise ship!

If you are interested in a half day Chongqing city tour with nice driver and guide help, please feel free to contact us!

Wish you a great Yangtze River cruise in China!

Carrie at yangtze-river-cruises.com 2018-09-26 20:10

Navin Desai

Left Luggage

We are landing in Chongqing at 11:30 by flight and departing on the Yangtze river cruise that evening. Is it possible to leave our luggage at the cruise reception desk (We are cruising Yangtze Gold 1); do a bit of sightseeing and then come back at night to collect the luggage and board the cruise?

2018-07-15 04:29

Hello Navin,

Thank you for the message! Yes, you could put your luggage onboard at the reception desk, where usually is supervised by the staff or at least within the range of the electronic monitor. And then you could have fun in Chongqing without any worry and go back to the ship after fun time before the sailing time at around 21:00. Also, if you need to experience the Chongqing half day tour and any other help, please contact us directly!

Have a wonderful sailing holiday in China!

Carrie at yangtze-river-cruises.com 2018-07-16 01:05