T1’s main Relay is the grab-and-go fallback
Gate-side in Terminal T1 at Chengdu Shuangliu, Relay is the standard airport newsstand: Chinese and some English magazines, bottled drinks, and last-minute cables and power banks. Pricing tracks typical airport markup, figure about 20–40% above city convenience stores.
This Relay in T1 usually opens from early-morning first departures until the last evening flights, so it’s one of the few spots still trading when smaller kiosks close around 21:00–22:00. You’ll see it on the general departures concourse after security, so you don’t need to backtrack from most T1 domestic gates.
Stock skews to travel basics: phone chargers, USB-C and Lightning cables, basic headphones, snacks like packaged nuts and biscuits, and drinks from brands you’ll recognize across Chinese airports. Expect standard Coca‑Cola PET bottles, canned teas, and grab-size water around 6–10 RMB.
Reading material is heavy on Chinese newspapers and magazines, with a thinner English section: think a few international titles rather than a full rack. If you need something specific in English for a long-haul out of T1, buy it here rather than gambling on a smaller gate kiosk.
Quick tip: if your main goal is water for the flight, hit a landside shop before security at CTU, then top up at Relay only if you misjudge; the markups on simple drinks add up fast on multi-leg runs.