Your quick-hit travel guide to the ISU Figure Skating Grand Prix Final in Chongqing.
📌 This guide is continuosly updated. Ticket sales, pricing, and the final qualifier list all roll out on their own timelines as the Grand Prix series progresses — we'll keep updating this page as new details drop, so check back before you book.
Last updated: September 28, 2026
The 2026 ISU Figure Skating Grand Prix Final is heading to Chongqing, China from December 10–13, 2026, hosted at the brand-new Huaxi LIVE·Yudong Arena (华熙LIVE·鱼洞文体中心). It's the season-ending showdown between the top six skaters (and pairs / ice dance teams) from both the Senior and Junior Grand Prix circuits — expect a stacked, high-stakes weekend on the ice.
⛸️ Tickets — How to Buy (English Speakers, Start Here)
Ticket sales haven't opened yet. Based on how these events typically roll out in China, tickets usually go live 1–2 months before the first day of competition, so watch this space through October–November 2026.
1) Official ticketing platform:
Tickets will almost certainly be sold via the Damai (大麦) App — China's main event ticketing platform.
2) The catch for overseas fans:
Damai requires a Chinese mobile number for account registration and SMS verification, and overseas numbers frequently fail to receive the verification code. You have two workarounds:
- Option A — Have a friend with a Chinese mobile number buy on your behalf. This is the most reliable route (more on why below).
- Option B — Set up a Chinese number in advance. Some eSIM providers now offer Chinese numbers for travelers.
👀 Key Concept: 观演人 (Spectator)
Before you even pick a seat, Damai requires you to register a "Spectator" (观演人) — essentially the real-name ID that will be tied to the ticket. For overseas fans, this means uploading your passport information. A few things worth knowing:
- The Spectator info does NOT have to match the account holder's info. One account can register multiple Spectators (yourself, family, friends).
- This is why Option A above works perfectly — your friend registers with their own phone number, then simply adds you as a Spectator using your passport. The ticket will be issued in your name.
- Add Spectators through the app, not the website. The passport-upload step requires your camera and works far more smoothly on mobile.
🖥️ If You Have a Chinese Phone Number and Want to Buy Tickets Yourself
The Damai app itself is Chinese-only with no English UI. But here's the workaround:
- Register the account on the Damai app with your Chinese mobile number.
- Once your account is set up, log in on the desktop site at https://www.damai.cn/ — from there you can use your browser's built-in translate feature (right-click → "Translate to English" in Chrome/Edge) to navigate ticket listings comfortably.
- But for the "Add Spectator" (添加观演人) step, switch back to the app. This step is required before you can check out, and it involves uploading ID documents — the mobile app handles the passport photo capture and verification much more reliably than the desktop site.
- Once your Spectator profile is saved in the app, it will also be available on the web version at checkout.
TL;DR: Register on app → browse & buy on desktop (with translation) → add Spectator on app.
3) Prices & seat map:
Ticket categories and pricing haven't been announced yet. We'll update this guide the moment the price list drops — bookmark this page or follow the Damai app listing for real-time updates.
🎟️ What Each Ticket Gets You
To be updated once the organizer publishes the seat map and ticket tiers. Typically for figure skating finals, tickets are sold by seating section (lower bowl / upper bowl / VIP), with the same ticket granting entry to all sessions on that day (Short Program, Free Skate, etc.).
🚕 Getting to the Venue: Huaxi LIVE·Yudong Arena
The arena is located at East Pingjiang Road, Banan District, Chongqing (重庆市巴南区平江东路华熙LIVE·鱼洞文体中心) — in the southern part of the city, but very easy to reach thanks to a direct metro connection.
Option 1: Metro (Easiest & Cheapest)
The venue is a short walk from Yudong Station (鱼洞站), which is the southern terminus of both Line 2 and Line 3 of Chongqing Rail Transit.
- From Jiangbei International Airport (江北机场): Take Line 3 southbound directly to Yudong Station — no transfers needed. Ride time is roughly 1.5 hours end-to-end, fare ≈ 7–8 CNY.
- From downtown / Jiefangbei area (解放碑): Take Line 2 southbound to Yudong Station (terminus).
- From Chongqing North Railway Station (重庆北站): Line 3 southbound direct to Yudong.
Metro fares in Chongqing start at 2 CNY and cap out around 10 CNY for the longest rides. Alipay and WeChat Pay both work at the gates — no need to fumble with a physical card.
Option 2: Taxi / Ride-hailing
Chongqing taxis are cheap and plentiful.
- Starting fare: 10 CNY (≈ 1.40 USD)
- Per additional km: ≈ 2.5 CNY
- Ride-hailing app (DiDi / 滴滴): Search 华熙LIVE·鱼洞文体中心 as the destination
- From downtown (Jiefangbei): roughly 40–60 CNY depending on traffic, 30–45 min
- From Jiangbei Airport: roughly 100–130 CNY, 45–60 min
Leaving the venue: Expect a taxi queue after sessions let out — the metro is often the faster call for peak-hour departures.
🧥 Inside the Arena: What to Expect
- Dress warm. Ice arenas run cold, and Chongqing's December weather outside is already chilly and damp. A thick sweater or a proper winter jacket is a must — you'll want it once you're seated.
- Food & drink: Concession stands inside the arena sell snacks, fast food, and drinks. Outside food is not permitted — don't try to smuggle in your hotpot leftovers.
🏆 What to Watch For
The Grand Prix Final gathers the top six qualifiers from the Grand Prix series across every discipline — Men's Singles, Women's Singles, Pairs, and Ice Dance — plus the Junior Grand Prix Final running alongside it. That means four days of nothing but elite skating, no filler.
The full qualifier list won't be locked in until the last Grand Prix event wraps up in late November 2026. We'll update this section with the confirmed start lists and matchups to watch as the series progresses — check back closer to the event.
Quick Tips for Overseas Fans
- Cashless is king — set up Alipay (支付宝) or WeChat Pay (微信支付) Tourist Card before you fly in; almost nothing takes foreign credit cards on the ground.
- Metro over taxi for post-session departures — Yudong is a terminus station, so you'll always get a seat heading back into town.
- Arrive at least 30 min early on weekends — security lines build up fast.