Main Departure Ports for Yangtze River Cruise 2024/2025

On the famous Yangtze River of 6,380 kilometers long, there are many ports in many cities, including Chongqing, Yichang, Wuhan, Shanghai, Nanjing, and so on, serving for the passenger ships and cargo ships. Among all, Chongqing Port (Chaotianmen Port) and Yichang Ports (including New Century Port, Taohuacun Port and Maoping Port) are comparatively more frequently used for the upstream and downstream Yangtze River cruise between Chongqing and Yichang cities. To help you have a clearer understanding of the main ports and better plan your upcoming Yangtze River cruise trip in China, we have listed the main departure ports in those two cities, with the briefing, location, transportation, recommended places to visit at below. Please check for the details.

Chongqing Port

How to Go to Chongqing Chaotianmen Port?

- Address: Changjiang Binjiang Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing (重庆渝中区长江滨江路)

As Chaotianmen Port is at the city downtown of Chongqing, only about 4 kilometers to the very center of the city, travellers can get there by several kinds of transportation, like the public buses, railways, taxies, etc., from the main transportation places and other areas in this city. See the detail distances, means of transportation and time needed from the airport and railway stations.

From / To	Distance	Time for Taking a Taxi
Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport	About 25km	About 40-60 minutes
Chongqing North Railway Station	About 12km	About 30-40 minutes
Chongqing West Railway Station	About 21km	About 40-50 minutes
Chongqing Shapingba Railway Station	About 17km	About 50-60 minutes
Chongqing Railway Station (Caiyuanba Railway Station)	About 6km	About 10-15 minutes

Note: the information mentioned above is only for your reference, and detail distances and time are varied according to the practical situation.

Chongqing Chaotianmen Port Map

Warm Tips for Flight/Train Schedules

For Yangtze River downstream cruise from Chongqing to Yichang, the embarkation time begins at around 18:00 in the late afternoon and the ship usually depart from Chongqing at 21:00 at that night. To ensure you embark the ship on time, we suggest you book a flight arriving at Chongqing before 17:00 and a train arriving before 18:00.

For Yangtze River upstream cruise from Yichang to Chonqging, the guests will disembark the ship at around 08:00 in the morning, and it is better to book your flight taking off from Chongqing after 12:30 and train departing after 11:00.

Highlighted Attractions near Chongqing Port

If you arrive in Chongqing early, before your embarkation onboard your cruise ship, you can spend some great time exploring the local culture, gourmets in this city, such as the hot pot, and attractions like Ciqikou Ancient Town, Dazu Rock Town, Eling Park, Hongya Cave, etc.

Ciqikou Ancient Town, only about 17km from Chaotianmen Port and needs around 35 minutes by taxi. Known as the “Little Chongqing”, it is the miniature and symbol of old Chongqing. Take a leisure stroll along the jubilant, antique and charming ancient town, savor the multiple cultures, and enjoy the traditional performances and snacks.

Dazu Rock Carvings, listed as the “World Cultural Heritage Site” and one of the “World 8 Great Grottoes”. It shows the excellent cliff inscriptions in the 7th century A.D. in ancient China. It is precious and rare in the world with the large scale, colorful cultures, outstanding artistic skills, and well preservation. About 105km away from Chongqing, it takes about 2 hours and 15 minutes by taxi.

Check all interesting Chongqing attractions and activities.

>> 1 Day Chongqing Short Stay tour

>> 4 Days Chognqing Essence Tour with Yangtze River Cruise

 

Yichang Port

2024 Port Change News for Yangtze River Cruises: In 2024, Yichang New Century Port is stopped using. All Yangtze River cruise ships would use Yichang Maoping Port for embarkation and disembarkation in Yichang (except Yangtze 1 still using Taohuacun Port). For downstream cruises, after visiting the Three Gorges Dam site, the cruise companies will arrange buses to transfer visitors from the site to Yichang Three Gorges Center Cruise Terminal for departure (about 1-1.5 hours’ driving). For upstream cruises, visitors need to gather at Yichang East Railway Station or Yichang Three Gorges Center Cruise Terminal to take the arranged bus to Maoping Port for boarding (about 1-1.5 hours’ driving). If you have any questions, please ask our travel consultant for help.

Yichang city has altogether 6 ports, among which Maoping Port (茅坪码头) and Taohuacun Port (桃花村码头) are the most important ports for your Yangtze River cruise. Maoping Port is a little far away from the city downtown (See the Yichang Port map), while Taohuacun Port is comparatively closer. See each port for different cruise companies on Yangtze River.

1. Maoping Port

For travellers of Maoping Port docking cruises, they are required to gather first at Yichang Three Gorges Center Cruise Terminal (宜昌三峡游客中心) (or called Yichang No.9 Dock (宜昌九码头) in Yichang downtown or Yichang East Railway Station during about 17:30~20:30 and the cruise company will arrange buses to transfer Yangtze River cruise travellers from the gathering place to Maoping for upstream embarkation. And for downstream disembarkation, the arranged buses will take travellers from Three Gorges Dam site to Yichang Three Gorges Center Cruise Terminal, and then, travellers can go to the airport, railway stations or other places with easy local vehicles. Therefore, people taking Yangtze River cruise ships docking at Maoping Port don’t have to worry about the transportation.

Embarkation Arrangement for Upstream Cruise Travelers

Gathering Time	Gathering Places	Detailed Arrangement
Around 17:30~20:30	Yichang Three Gorges Center Cruise Terminal (宜昌三峡游客中心) or Yichang East Railway Station (宜昌东站)	Get on the arranged bus to shuttle to Maoping Port for cruise embarkation.

Steps for taking the tourist bus:

1. Produce your original passport to get the tourist bus ticket at the “Yichang Tourist Information Center” (宜昌旅游信息咨询中心);

2. Walk about 300 meters through the square in front of the railway station to the “Luxury Cruise Shuttle Boarding Point” (豪华游轮转运乘车处), and then take the shuttle bus with your bus ticket. (you could take your own luggage to get on the same one bus. Besides, you could enjoy the luggage service and the cruise staff would transfer it from the gathering places to the reception desk onboard your cruise, which needs extra and reasonable payment.

Disembarkation Arrangement for Downstream Cruise Travelers

Arrangement	Arrival Place	Arrival Time
Three Gorges Dam Visiting: After visiting the dam site, take the arranged bus at the site to Yichang for departure.	Yichang Three Gorges Center Cruise Terminal (宜昌三峡游客中心)	Around 12:30
Three Gorges Dam + Ship Lift Visiting: get on a little sightseeing boat to experience the Ship Lift. Then visit the Three Gorges Dam Site, and take the arranged bus at the site to Yichang for departure.		Around 13:30

Note:

1. The information mentioned above is only for your reference, and detail distances and time are varied according to the practical situation.

2. Address of Yichang Three Gorges Center Cruise Terminal (or called Yichang No. 9 Dock): No.142, Yanjiang Avenue, Wujiagang District, Yichang City (facing Yichang Wanda Plaza) 宜昌市伍家岗区沿江大道142号 - 宜昌三峡游客中心 (宜昌九码头).

3. Address of Yichang East Railway Station: Chengdong Avenue, Wujiagang District, Yichang City 湖北省宜昌市伍家岗区城东大道 - 宜昌东站.

4. Yichang gathering place choosing: if you are arriving in Yichang by train, we suggest you gather directly at the Yichang East Railway Station, where you could easily find the arranged bus after exiting; if you arrive by plane, you could choose to gather at Yichang Three Gorges Center Cruise Terminal.

 

2. Taohuacun Port

From / To	Taohuacun Port
Yichang Sanxia Airport	About 38-45km, driving for about 40-80 minutes
Yichang East Railway Station	About 20-23km, driving for about 30-45 minutes
Yichang Railway Station	About 10km, driving for about 20-30 minutes
Yichang City Center	About 14-20km, driving for about 30-35 minutes

Note: the information mentioned above is only for your reference, and detail distances and time are varied according to the practical situation.

 

Yichang Port Map & Transfer

Warm Tips for Flight/Train Schedules

For Yangtze River upstream cruise from Yichang to Chonqging, the gathering time for Maoping docking cruises starts around 16:00 in the afternoon, and it is advised to take a flight arriving in Yichang before 15:00 or a train before 15:30.

For Yangtze River downstream cruise from Chongqing to Yichang, travellers usually arrive in Yichang city after 12:30-13:30, so it is suggested booking a flight taking off after 16:00 or a train departing after 15:30.

Highlighted Attractions in Yichang City

Yichang city in Hubei province provides a series of interesting attractions to visit, such as the Three Gorges Dam Site, Gezhouba Dam, Yichang Museum, National Sturgeon Museum, Sanyou Cave, etc.

The Three Gorges Dam, the largest hydropower system worldwide with the total length of 2,308m and the height of 185m. This world class project has contributed a lot to the flood control, navigation efficiency, electric power generation, tourism, etc. All cruise ships select it as an arranged shore excursion site.

Gezhouba Dam, or Gezhouba Hydropower Station, only 5 kilometers from Yichang downtown is the first large hydropower station in China. This project has solved many problems like, the electricity shortage in central and eastern China, dangerous shoals, floods, etc. Moreover, it has laid a solid foundation for the construction of the Three Gorges Dam.

Check all interesting attractions and activities in Yichang.

>> 1 Day Yichang City Short Stay Tour

>> 5 Days Yichang Culture Tour with Yangtze Cruise Experience

If you want to know more information about departure ports in Chongqing and Yichang, please feel free to contact our professional Travel Consultant for help.