Chengde is most easily reached from Beijing. Regular trains run from Beijing's main stations, taking around two hours on faster services. The journey through the mountains is scenic — particularly the stretch where the line winds up through the Yanshan range. The station is in the south of the city, a short taxi ride from the Mountain Resort.
Long-distance buses also run from several Beijing terminals, taking around three to four hours depending on traffic.
Chengde has a small airport (CDE) with limited domestic connections; most visitors arrive by train.