By plane
As of May 2010, it is possible to fly from Chengdu to Kangding. This takes only 35 minutes and will save you lots of time and energy.
Public Bus
The Bus Station is at the eastern end of town, near the crossroads between Kangding- and Xiangcheng-bound roads. Buses arrive daily from Batang, Kangding 9 hours, ¥87, Xiangcheng 4 hours, ¥61, difficult to get tickets, and Daocheng 3 hours. The buses tend to arrive between 2-3pm. You should try buy your ticket in the morning before you travel as it can get quite busy. Don't be put off by the fact the 'ticket' looks like a scrap of paper.
Private or shared minibuses can be hired in front of the station for ¥100 to Kangding. The price depends on how many other travelers are sharing the minibus with you. Minibuses can also be hired to Xinlong 4 hours or Ganzi 7 hours.
Minibus is a far more comfortable option. The public bus has no suspension and is horrifically bumpy for 9 hours. As of August 2012, highway 318 to Kanding/Batang was being rebuilt and was essentially a 4x4 dirt road, while the previously poor road to Ganzi through Xinlong had recently been repaved and was mostly in very good condition.