What is Liziba Station in Chongqing?

Liziba Station (李子坝站) is a monorail station on Chongqing Rail Transit Line 2 that is built directly inside a 19-storey residential and commercial tower. Trains pass through the 6th to 8th floors of the building at regular intervals. It is the only station of its kind in the world, and has become one of Chongqing's most photographed attractions.

How do I get to Liziba Station Chongqing?

Take Chongqing Rail Transit Line 2 directly to Liziba Station — the station itself is the attraction. Alternatively, walk to the observation area on the street below the station (Li Zi Ba Zheng Jie) to watch trains passing through the building from the outside. The street-level viewing area is free and clearly signposted.

Is Liziba Station free to visit?

Watching from the street-level observation area is completely free. To ride the train through the building, you need a standard Chongqing Metro ticket (approximately CNY 4, roughly NZD 1). Most visitors combine both — watching from outside first, then riding through to experience it from inside the train.

Why was Liziba Station built inside a building?

Chongqing is a mountainous city with extremely limited flat land. The station was co-constructed with the building simultaneously in 2004 — not retrofitted — as a solution to the city's terrain constraints and high urban density. The trains use rubber tyres rather than steel wheels, significantly reducing noise and vibration for building residents.

Is Liziba Station included in CTS tours?

Yes. Liziba Station is one of the signature experiences in CTS Tours' Fire & Fuzz 10-day Chongqing and Chengdu Discovery tour. Day 1 includes a guided visit to Liziba, with time to watch from the observation area and ride through on the train. The guide provides full context on why the station was built this way and what makes Chongqing's urban planning so distinctive.

What else is near Liziba Station?

Ciqikou Ancient Town (磁器口), a well-preserved Song Dynasty commercial street known for Sichuan street food, is approximately a 20-minute walk from Liziba. Hongyadong, the iconic illuminated clifftop complex, is about 3km away and best visited after dark. Both are included in the Fire & Fuzz itinerary.

What is Liziba Station in Chongqing?

Liziba Station (李子坝站) is a monorail station on Chongqing Rail Transit Line 2 that is built directly inside a 19-storey residential and commercial tower. Trains pass through the 6th to 8th floors of the building at regular intervals. It is the only station of its kind in the world, and has become one of Chongqing's most photographed attractions.

How do I get to Liziba Station Chongqing?

Take Chongqing Rail Transit Line 2 directly to Liziba Station — the station itself is the attraction. Alternatively, walk to the observation area on the street below the station (Li Zi Ba Zheng Jie) to watch trains passing through the building from the outside. The street-level viewing area is free and clearly signposted.

Is Liziba Station free to visit?

Watching from the street-level observation area is completely free. To ride the train through the building, you need a standard Chongqing Metro ticket (approximately CNY 4, roughly NZD 1). Most visitors combine both — watching from outside first, then riding through to experience it from inside the train.

Why was Liziba Station built inside a building?

Chongqing is a mountainous city with extremely limited flat land. The station was co-constructed with the building simultaneously in 2004 — not retrofitted — as a solution to the city's terrain constraints and high urban density. The trains use rubber tyres rather than steel wheels, significantly reducing noise and vibration for building residents.

Is Liziba Station included in CTS tours?

Yes. Liziba Station is one of the signature experiences in CTS Tours' Fire & Fuzz 10-day Chongqing and Chengdu Discovery tour. Day 1 includes a guided visit to Liziba, with time to watch from the observation area and ride through on the train. The guide provides full context on why the station was built this way and what makes Chongqing's urban planning so distinctive.

What else is near Liziba Station?

Ciqikou Ancient Town (磁器口), a well-preserved Song Dynasty commercial street known for Sichuan street food, is approximately a 20-minute walk from Liziba. Hongyadong, the iconic illuminated clifftop complex, is about 3km away and best visited after dark. Both are included in the Fire & Fuzz itinerary.

Liziba Station Chongqing: Train Through a Building | CTS

The Monorail That Runs Through a Residential Building

Liziba Station (李子坝站) is one of the most extraordinary pieces of urban infrastructure on earth. A working monorail station on Chongqing Rail Transit Line 2, it is built directly inside the 6th to 8th floors of a 19-storey residential and commercial tower in Yuzhong District. Trains pass through the building multiple times per hour. Residents live above and below the tracks. The building was co-constructed with the station simultaneously in 2004 — not retrofitted — as an engineering solution to Chongqing's mountainous terrain and extreme urban density.

The station has become one of China's most viral travel images, featured by BBC, CNN, National Geographic, and virtually every major travel publication. Low-noise rubber-tyred trains mean residents are minimally disturbed — the system works, and has worked continuously since it opened in June 2005.

For visitors, the experience works on two levels: watching from the dedicated street-level observation area as trains glide through the building above, and riding Line 2 through the station to experience it from inside the train. CTS Tours includes a Liziba visit on Day 1 of the Fire & Fuzz Chongqing and Chengdu tour.

What Makes Liziba Station Unique

Only station of its kind

The only rail transit station in the world built inside an occupied residential building.

Built together, not retrofitted

The station and building were co-constructed in 2004. The train route was planned first; the building designed around it.

Rubber-tyred trains

Chongqing's Line 2 uses rubber tyres instead of steel wheels, dramatically reducing noise and vibration for residents.

Mountain city engineering

Chongqing's extreme terrain — steep hills, limited flat land — forced creative infrastructure solutions. Liziba is the most famous result.

Visitor Information

Address

Liziba Zheng Jie, Yuzhong District

Transit Line

Line 2 — Liziba Station

Viewing Cost

Free (street-level observation area)

Ride Cost

CNY 4 (~NZD 1) for metro ticket

Train Frequency

Every 5–10 minutes

Suggested Duration

30–60 minutes

Best Time

Afternoon 3–6pm (good light, moderate crowds)

Nearby

Ciqikou Ancient Town (~20 min walk)

Fire & Fuzz — 10 days from NZD $2,999

See Liziba Station as Part of Our Chongqing & Chengdu Tour

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Quick Facts

Built: 2004 (opened June 2005)
Line: Chongqing Rail Transit Line 2
Entry cost: Free to watch from street
Entry (NZ passport): Visa-free up to 30 days

Included in Fire & Fuzz

Day 1 of the Chongqing & Chengdu tour includes a guided Liziba visit — watch from the street and ride through the building.

View Fire & Fuzz Itinerary →

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Liziba Station, Chongqing: A Complete Visitor Guide