1Highlights
At Liziba, a monorail train runs straight through the middle floors of a residential tower. When Line 2 was built, rather than demolish the block or reroute the track, the station and the building were designed as a single integrated structure, with the rail level separated from the flats above and below. The few seconds of a train entering and leaving the building โ accompanied by a wall of camera shutters on the deck below โ became the emblem of Chongqing's reputation for vertical transport. It is free, entirely outdoors, and finished in twenty minutes, but it explains this city better than anything else on the map.
- Entry
- Free viewing deck
- Line
- Metro Line 2, Liziba
- Allow
- 20โ40 minutes
- Best pairing
- Eling Testbed 2, on foot
- Note
- Residents live here โ keep noise down
2Tickets
The sight is entirely free. A purpose-built viewing deck below the station faces the opening where trains pass through the building, and there is no ticket or reservation. If you want the first-person version โ inside the carriage as it goes through โ you simply ride Line 2 and pay the ordinary metro fare.
| Viewing deck | Free | Faces the opening; open through the day. |
|---|---|---|
| Riding through | Standard metro fare | Ride Line 2 through Liziba for the in-carriage view. |
| In-station exhibit | Free or low cost | A small display; hours are posted on site. |
Chongqing's night views come in a free tier and a paid tier๏ผHongya Cave and its best photo angle on Qiansimen Bridge are both free to access, as is the Liziba viewing deck. The Nanshan One-Tree platform and the Yangtze River Cableway are ticketed. Decide which tier you actually need before buying anything โ plenty of visitors pay for a view they could have had for nothing.
This is someone's home๏ผThe tower is occupied housing, not an attraction building. Stay on the public deck, keep noise down and do not attempt to enter the residential floors.
3Getting There
Liziba station is in Yuzhong district on Line 2, and the deck is a minute from the exit.
Liziba station; follow signs down to the street-level viewing deck.
Ten to fifteen minutes from Jiefangbei outside peak hours.
Roughly fifteen minutes downhill; the natural pairing.
The pairing is the real itinerary๏ผLiziba on its own is a twenty-minute stop. Linking it with Eling Testbed 2 and the Futuguan ridge path turns it into a proper half day along the Line 2 corridor.
Map distances in Chongqing are unreliable๏ผThe city is built on steep slopes, so a short horizontal distance on a map can mean a long staircase or a cliff. Wear flat shoes, expect vertical detours, and treat map walking times as optimistic.
4Route & Photos
The right way to do Liziba is shoot it once, then ride it once: photograph the train from the deck, then board Line 2 yourself for the view from inside the carriage.
Which side to face๏ผThe deck faces the opening where trains emerge, so the moment of emergence is your shutter window. Pre-focus on the opening and use burst mode rather than trying to react in real time.
Recommended Route
- 1
Arrive at Liziba station
Pause on the platform first โ the track's line into the building is already visible from there.
- 2
Shoot from the deck
Exit to the deck facing the opening and burst-shoot as a train emerges.
- 3
Ride it yourself
Re-enter, take Line 2 and sit by a window for the in-carriage version.
- 4
Eling Testbed 2
About fifteen minutes on foot โ a Republic-era printing works turned creative park with a river-view rooftop.
- 5
Futuguan ridge path
Optional: a higher, quieter vantage over the line as it hugs the cliff.
Best Photo Spots
Deck, facing the opening
The classic emergence shot. Pre-focus, burst, and accept that most frames will be discards.
Futuguan heights
A telephoto view of the line running along the cliff โ far fewer people up here.
From inside the carriage
The first-person pass-through, best with a window seat and a clean lens.
5Food & Stay
| Eling Testbed 2Cafรฉs and light meals | Mid-range | The natural rest stop, with better settings and more choice than Liziba itself. |
|---|---|---|
| Neighbourhood noodle shopsChongqing xiaomian | Cheap | The residential lanes around the station have genuinely local breakfast noodles. |
Plan food at the creative park๏ผLiziba is a small site with limited options. Eling Testbed 2 is walkable and a much better place to eat or rest.
Where to Stay
- Central Yuzhong keeps Liziba, Jiefangbei and the cableway all within a short metro or walking radius.
- If you care about the Line 2 corridor specifically, staying near a Line 2 station saves repeated transfers.
6Tips & Pitfalls
- Prices, opening hours, light-up schedules and reservation rules change; verify the official notice for your date.
- Carry your passport โ real-name registration and ticket collection may require the original document.
- Pre-focus on the opening and shoot in burst mode; the usable window is a fraction of a second.
- Do both perspectives โ the deck is third person, the window seat is first person.
- Trains are frequent, so you will not wait long; check the current timetable if you are on a tight schedule.
- Bring a longer lens if you plan to shoot from the Futuguan side.
- Daylight gives cleaner frames than night; the building lighting is not the attraction here.
7Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Liziba viewing deck free?
Yes, it is free with no ticket and no reservation. The deck faces the opening where trains pass through the building. Your only cost is the short wait for the next train, plus the ordinary metro fare if you want to ride through yourself.
How long should I spend at Liziba?
Twenty to forty minutes is enough: photograph one train from the deck, then ride Line 2 once for the in-carriage view. Extend it to half a day by walking on to Eling Testbed 2 and the Futuguan ridge path.
How do I get to Liziba?
Take Metro Line 2 to Liziba station โ the viewing deck is about a minute's walk from the exit. From Jiefangbei a taxi takes roughly ten to fifteen minutes outside peak hours.
When is the best moment to photograph the train?
The instant the train emerges from the building. Pre-focus on the opening and use burst mode, because the usable window is a fraction of a second. Daytime front light produces cleaner frames than night shots.
What else is near Liziba?
Eling Testbed 2, about fifteen minutes on foot, is a former Republic-era printing works converted into a creative park with a river-view rooftop. The Futuguan ridge path above gives a higher, quieter view of the line along the cliff.
Combine With
Other Chongqing sights that genuinely pair well with this one
Before You Go
The practical guides you will actually need here
All Chongqing attractions
Airalo
The world's most popular travel eSIM
Airalo is the largest travel eSIM marketplace by users, with China plans from multiple carriers. Prices are competitive and the app is well-designed. Like other travel eSIMs, data routes through an overseas gateway so blocked sites are accessible without a VPN. A solid backup if Yesim or Saily do not have the plan length you need.
- Largest selection of China eSIM plans from multiple carriers
- Competitive pricing, especially for shorter trips
- Overseas gateway โ blocked sites work without VPN
- Well-designed app, easy QR code installation
Disclosure: this is an affiliate link. We may earn a small commission if you buy through it, at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products we would use ourselves.
GoChinaTravel Editorial Team
Our team of China travel researchers combines on-the-ground contributor insights, official government sources, and traveler community feedback to create the most detailed English-language China guides available. Every guide is fact-checked against primary sources (NIA, 12367, official attraction websites, Railway 12306) before publication.