Get Around - Transport in China

Get around

Tibet Entry Permit Foreigners and Taiwanese travellers who wish to visit Tibet must obtain a Tibet Entry Permit before their trip, and these are generally only issued for guided tours. The only way to experience Tibetan culture without joining a guided tour is to explore the Tibetan regions of Qinghai, Sichuan, Yunnan and Gansu.

Google Maps does not work in China, and tends to have patchy coverage and data quality even if accessed via VPN. Moreover, China uses its own coordinate system for security reasons, which sometimes causes problems when using foreign map apps. The most common direction-finding app used by the Chinese themselves is Baidu Maps, though it is only available in Chinese. Amap is effectively the Citymapper for the whole of China and is available in English on both Apple and Android devices. It lists all public transport and suggested car routes even in seemingly rural places, though sometimes certain routes are only found on Baidu maps, so it’s worth having both. Apple Maps uses Amap’s data and is reliable, though it lacks certain features that the others offer. Alternative methods include other map apps based on OpenStreetMap data or renting a local GPS. More information at GPS navigation.

Names of long streets are often given a middle word indicating the part of the street: north (北 běi), south (南 nán), east (东 dōng), west (西 xī), or central (中 zhōng). For example, White Horse Street or Báimǎ Lù (白马路) may be split up into Báimǎ Běilù (白马北路 “White Horse North Street”), Báimǎ Nánlù (白马南路 “White Horse South Street”), and Báimǎ Zhōnglù (白马中路 “White Horse Central Street”). In some cities, however, these names do not indicate parts of one street. In Xiamen, Hubin Bei Lu and Hubin Nan Lu (Lakeside Road North and Lakeside Road South) are parallel, running east-west on the north and south sides of the lake. In Nanjing, Zhongshan Lu, Zhongshan Bei Lu and Zhongshan Dong Lu are three separate major roads.

By plane

China is a huge country, so unless you’re planning to visit only the eastern seaboard, definitely consider domestic flights. Flying is particularly useful for getting to or around western China due to the sparse population and more limited high-speed rail network. Airlines include the three state-owned international carriers: Air China, China Southern, and China Eastern, as well as regional ones including Hainan Airlines, Juneyao Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines, Sichuan Airlines, Shanghai Airlines and Xiamen Airlines. In addition to these full-service careers, there has also been a proliferation of low-cost carriers in China, including 9 Air, Beijing Capital Airlines, China United Airlines, Chengdu Airlines, Lucky Air, Spring Airlines and West Air.

Flights between Hong Kong or Macau and mainland Chinese cities are considered to be international flights and can be quite expensive. Hence if arriving in, or departing from, Hong Kong or Macau, it is usually much cheaper to fly to or from Shenzhen or Zhuhai, just across the border, or Guangzhou, which is a little further afield but offers flights to more destinations.

Prices for domestic flights are set at standard rates, but discounts are common, especially on the busier routes. Most good hotels, and many hostels, will have a travel ticket service and may be able to save you 15-70% off the price of tickets. Travel agencies and booking offices are plentiful in all Chinese cities and offer similar discounts. Even before considering discounts, traveling by aircraft in China is not expensive.

For travel within China, it is usually best to buy tickets in China, or on Chinese websites (these often have English versions). A useful app/website is CTrip, which is the only way you can use an international credit/debit card on the fly to buy train/plane tickets. If you buy your ticket from a Chinese vendor they will contact you to let you know about changes to your flight. If you purchased your ticket overseas, be certain to check on the flight status a day or two before you plan to fly. On Chinese websites, prices tend to remain high until two months before the flight date, at which point large discounts are usually available unless a particular flight has been heavily booked already.

Unexplained flight delays are common, in part because of the tight military control of the airspace. For short-distance travel, you may want to consider alternatives like high-speed rail. Flight cancellations are also not uncommon. If you buy your ticket from a Chinese vendor they will likely try to contact you (if you left contact information) to let you know about the change in flight plan. If you purchased your ticket overseas, check on the flight status a day or two before you plan to fly.

The safety record of Chinese aviation is now superb. They did not have a major fatal accident from 2010 to 2022 and Chinese regulatory authorities are very no-nonsense when it comes to safety violations by crews or maintenance problems.

Also be sure not to lose your checked baggage receipts, as they will be checked against your baggage tags before you are allowed to leave the baggage claim hall.

Power banks must have the China Compulsory Certification (CCC or 3C) mark to be brought onto flights. If your power bank is missing the ‘CCC’ mark, there is a good chance it will be confiscated by airport security.

By train

: See also: Rail travel in China

Train travel is the main method of long-distance transportation for the Chinese, with an extensive network of routes covering most of the country. Roughly a quarter of the world’s total rail traffic is in China.

China Railway High-speed (CRH) is the world’s longest network of high-speed railways, and offers the world’s only high-speed sleeper trains. If your route and budget allow, they are often the best way to get around. CRH trains are top-notch, even internationally, in terms of equipment and cleanliness.

On most higher-level trains, recorded announcements are made in Chinese and English. Local trains do not have announcements in English. Be careful with your valuables while on the train as theft on public transportation is a problem. Motion sickness pills and ear plugs are recommended.

Long distance trains have a buffet or dining car, which serves mediocre hot food at around ¥25. The menu is entirely in Chinese. Some stations allow you to order food from one of their restaurants through an app in advance, which will be delivered to your seat when your train makes a stop there. Most train cars have a hot boiled water dispenser available so you can bring tea, soups and instant noodles.

Smoking is not permitted in the seating or sleeping areas but is allowed in the vestibules at the end of each car on ordinary trains, while on high-speed trains, it is completely banned. Smoking is forbidden inside station buildings apart from in designated smoking rooms or platforms.

See Rail travel in China for information on buying tickets. Paper tickets are no longer issued for domestic trains; all tickets are electronic and tied to your ID, which will be checked both on departure and arrival.

Chinese train stations function like airports, so do not count on catching a train at the last minute: gates close a few minutes prior to departure! To be safe, be there at least 20 minutes early, or 30 minutes if you are entering a big train station. Make sure you’re waiting in the right place, because often the train will only stop for a couple of minutes. Chinese trains are generally punctual and follow the posted timetable to a T; if you are late by even a single minute, you will miss the train.

Many cities have different stations for ordinary and high-speed trains. High-speed railway station and new station names usually consist of the city name and the cardinal direction (e.g. Héngyángdōng, “Hengyang East”) or the district it serves (e.g. Běijīng Fēngtái, “Beijing Fengtai”).

By bus

Traveling by public city buses (公共汽车 gōnggòngqìchē) or long-distance buses (长途汽车 chángtúqìchē) is inexpensive and ideal for in-city and short-distance transportation.

City buses vary from city to city. However, if you can understand the bus routes then they are cheap and go almost everywhere. Buses will normally have recorded announcements telling you the next stop - examples of which might include ‘xià yí zhàn - zhōng shān lù’ (next stop Zhongshan Road) or ‘Shànghǎi nán huǒ chē zhàn dào le’ (Shanghai South railway station - now arriving). Some major cities such as Beijing or Hangzhou will have English announcements, at least on some major routes. Fares are usually about ¥1-3 or more if traveling into the suburbs. Most buses simply have a metal cash-box next to the entrance where you can insert your fare (no change - save up those ¥1 coins) or on longer routes a conductor that will collect fares and issue tickets and change. In many cities you can now pay cashlessly with a QR code, search for 乘车码 on WeChat. You need to register with your passport, and reauthorize it for each city. The driver usually prioritizes speed over comfort, so hold on tight.

Coaches, or long-distance buses, may be more practical than trains for going to suburbs or smaller cities, though they are fiercely competed and often outperformed by trains. Coaches originating from larger cities on the east coast tend to be air conditioned with soft seats. Bus personnel tend to try to be helpful, but they are much less familiar with foreigners than airline personnel.

A coach or bus in rural China is a different experience. Signs in the station to identify buses will be in Chinese. The coach’s license plate number is printed on the ticket, it will be spray-painted on the back of the bus. Scheduled times of departure and arrival are only rough estimates, with the bus leaving when it’s full, rather than at a scheduled time. Often, rural coaches are the only forms of transportation in many areas of China and are usually more than willing to stop anywhere along the route should you wish to visit more remote areas without direct transport. Buses can also be flagged down at most points along their route. For expressway buses, you may need to contact the operator in advance, which could let you to board/alight at toll gates. The ticket price the rest of the way is negotiable.

Getting a ticket is straightforward. Large bus stations have ticket counters who sell printed tickets displaying the departure time, boarding gate and license plate number of your bus. You need your passport to purchase a ticket, and often you will have to go through security inspection.

Within cities of China, you can now get around China using public transport by paying using China T-union, which is a contactless transport card used in China. Holders of the card can use it to pay public transport fares in any covered service in China, including Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, and Shanghai. China T-union tickets are not valid in the metro systems of Hohhot, Jinhua and Macau, and all transport systems in Wuhai, Wuwei or Taiwan, as well as in many county towns.

By subway

Most major cities in China now have subway/metro (地铁 dìtiě) systems. They are typically modern, clean, efficient, and are still rapidly expanding. Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu and Shenzhen already have some of the world’s most extensive systems.

On station platforms and in trains there is usually signage in Chinese and English listing all stations on that line. Announcements in the stations and trains are made in Mandarin and English, and sometimes the local language. Many maps (especially English versions) may not have kept up with rapid expansion. Look online for a bilingual subway map that you can carry with you.

Chinese subway stations often have a security checkpoint before the turnstiles, where you must run your bags through an X-ray scanner. Pickpockets are most likely to strike during station stops, so pay attention to your belongings.

Stations tend to have numerous exits with labels such as Exit A, B, C1, or C2. On maps you will find each exit is labeled clearly around the station. Signs in the station make it easy to find your exit.

In many cities, subways and city buses are moving away from transit cards and towards a WeChat/Alipay-based payment system: a city’s transit system will have its own “mini-app” within WeChat and Alipay, which you use to scan a QR code to pay your fare. If it works for you, this may be the easiest way to pay for subway rides and local buses for a short term stay.

By taxi

Taxis (出租车 chūzūchē or 的士 dīshì, pronounced “deg-see” in Cantonese-speaking areas) are reasonably priced: flagfall ¥5-14, per km charge ¥2-3. Most trips within the city center will cost ¥10-50. There is no extra charge for luggage, but in many cities rates are higher at night. The taxi fee is usually rounded up to the nearest whole yuan. Tips are not expected, but are welcome, especially after long trips.

Taxis are commonly ordered through phone apps, and it has become harder to hail a taxi on the street due to competition from ride-hailing services. The most popular ride-hailing app, Didi, is also available in English. It is available both as a standalone smartphone app, and as a mini program within Alipay and WeChat.

Unofficial taxi hawkers stalk naive travelers at airport terminals, train stations, and border crossings. They will try to negotiate a set price, and will usually charge 2 to 3 times a metered fare. Avoid them and look for the official taxi stand instead.

Finding a taxi during peak hours can be a bit hard. But it really gets tough if it is raining. Away from peak hours, especially at night, it is sometimes possible to get a 10% to 20% discount especially if you negotiate it in advance, even if with the meter on and asking for a receipt.

Sitting in the front passenger seat is acceptable, and is useful if you have trouble communicating in Chinese. Some taxis mount the taxi meter down by the gearbox, where you can only see it from the front seat. You also have a good chance of getting a functioning seat belt there; seat belts in the back are usually disabled.

Even though it is illegal, drivers may start smoking without asking. In some cities it is also common for drivers to try to pick up multiple passengers if their destinations are in the same general direction. Each passenger pays full fare but it saves the time of waiting for an empty cab at rush hour.

Even in major cities, you are very unlikely to find an English-speaking taxi driver. If you are not able to pronounce Mandarin well, have your destination written in Chinese characters to show the driver. Business cards for your hotel and for restaurants are useful for this. In major cities in the southern and eastern coastal provinces, many taxi drivers speak Mandarin but not the local dialect.

Most drivers are honest and fares are reasonable but there are the bad ones out there who will try to use your lack of Chinese skills to their advantage. The fare difference will usually be minimal. Should you feel you have been seriously cheated on the way to your hotel, and it has a doorman, you can appeal to him or the desk staff for assistance. In cities, photographing the driver’s ID (posted on the dashboard) or license plate number and threatening to report him to the authorities can be quite effective.

In some cities, taxi companies use a star-rating system for drivers, ranging from 0 to 5, displayed on the driver’s name-plate, on the dashboard in front of the passenger seat. While no or few stars do not necessarily indicate a bad driver, many stars tend to indicate good knowledge of the city, and willingness to take you to where you ask by the shortest way. Another indicator of the driver’s ability can be found on the same name-plate: the driver’s ID number. A small number tells you he has been around for a long time, and is thus likely to know the city better. Use the bigger taxi companies when possible, as the smaller companies tend to have more dishonest drivers.

Chinese are sometimes competitive when it comes to finding a taxi. The person who flags down a particular car is not necessarily entitled to that ride. Having locals move farther up in traffic to intercept cars or being shoved out of the way while trying to enter a taxi is common. If there are others in the area competing for rides, be ready to reach your car and enter it as soon as possible after flagging it down. Wear your seat belt at all times (if you can find it).

Some taxi drivers, in particular those who can speak some English, can be quite curious and talkative, especially during peak-hour traffic (高峰 gāo​fēng).

By bicycle

Main article: Cycling in China

Bicycles (自行车 zìxíngchē) were once the most common form of transportation in China, but were largely seen as a symbol of poverty and abandoned in favor of motor vehicles. However, as of the 2020s, cycling as a hobby is growing in popularity among young middle class Chinese, and numerous cities have dedicated bicycle tracks to cater to that demographic.

Dockless rideshare bikes in China’s larger cities operate on a grab’n’go basis: you use your mobile phone to unlock any available bike, pay ¥1-2 per 30 minutes while using them, and drop them off pretty much anywhere you like. Dockless bikes are built to last, meaning they’re heavy, clunky and ungeared, but for travelers, they can be a cheap, convenient, and pleasant means of transport.

There are two major dangers for cyclists in China:

• Motor traffic; cars and motorcycles frequently pull out without any warning, and in many areas give way signs and red lights are frequently ignored, especially by motorcycles and electric mopeds. Cars are also allowed to turn right on red in China.
• Bicycle theft is rampant throughout cities in China, though the situation has improved somewhat with the widespread installation of CCTVs.

China is a vast country and it provides serious cyclists with challenges to bike across mountains and desert. Bicycles are prohibited from expressways but otherwise, you can cycle on most rural roads. Cycling through Tibet is possible but foreigners will need to book a biking tour through a local travel agency.

By car

Main article: Driving in China

Chinese trunk roads are generally of good quality, though the quality of rural minor roads varies drastically between regions. Generally speaking, the quality of roads is best in the coastal provinces, and declines the further west you go.

The PRC generally does not recognize International Driving Permits and does not permit foreigners to drive in China without a Chinese license. Hong Kong and Macau licenses are also considered to be foreign and having one of them will not allow you to drive in the mainland. Importing foreign vehicles is difficult. There are some ways of getting a temporary license: see the Driving in China article.

Renting a car is virtually unheard of in major Chinese cities, which generally have excellent public transportation networks that get you almost anywhere. There are, however, some rural parts of China that are still best explored by car. However, driving habits are quite different from what Westerners might be used to back home. Rental cars most often come with a driver and this is probably the best way to travel in China by car.

By motorcycle

See also: Driving in China § Motorcycles

Motorcycle taxis are common, especially in smaller cities and rural areas. They are usually cheap and effective but scary. The fares are negotiable.

Regulations for riding a motorcycle vary from city to city. In some cases, 50cc mopeds can be ridden without a driving license although many cities have now banned them or reclassified them due to numerous accidents. Riding a ‘proper’ motorcycle is much harder, partly because you’ll need a Chinese license, partly because they are banned in many cities and partly because production and importing have slowed with the focus on automobiles and electric scooters. The typical Chinese motorcycle is 125cc, can do about 100 km/h and is a traditional cruiser style. They are generally slow, mundane to ride and have little sporting potential. Government restrictions on engine size mean that sports bikes are rare but can still be found. Another popular choice is a 125cc automatic ‘maxi’ scooter based loosely on the Honda CN250 - it’s a bit quicker than a moped and more comfortable over long distances but has the benefit of automatic transmission which makes negotiating stop-start urban traffic much easier.

Most cities will have a motorcycle market of some description and will often sell you a cheap motorcycle often with fake or illegal license plates, although a foreigner on a motorbike is a rare sight and it will grab the police’s attention. Helmets are essential on ‘proper’ bikes but optional on scooters. You must have a license plate: they are yellow or blue on a motorcycle or green on a scooter and can cost several thousand yuan to register the bike yourself. Fake plates are easily available at a lower price, but are risky.

By pedicab (rickshaw)

What’s in a name? The terms pedicab and rickshaw are often used interchangeably by foreigners in China, but refer to two different modes of transportation - one of which no longer exists. The infamous rickshaw was a two-wheeled contraption with two poles at the front, which the operator held while walking or running passengers to their destinations. These proliferated in the late 19th century but were gradually phased out by the 1950s. Videos of Western elites playing polo on rickshaws propelled by Chinese workers showcased the exploitative nature of rickshaws. A distant relative of the rickshaw can still be seen when day-laborers in smaller or less developed cities gather with their rickshaw-like carts each morning waiting for work delivering construction materials, coal, or other odds and ends. The rickshaw has been replaced by the pedicab: a three-wheeled conveyance ridden much like a bicycle.

In some mid-sized cities, pedicabs are a much more convenient means of traveling short distances. Sānlúnchē (三轮车), the Chinese term used both for pedal-powered and motorized rickshaws, are ubiquitous in rural China and lesser developed (which is to say, less touristy) areas of larger cities. Negotiating the fare in advance is a must.

Reports of overcharging probably refer to rip-off artists working tourist destinations, like Silk Alley, Wangfujing, and the Lao She Tea House in Beijing in particular. Perhaps the rule of thumb should be, “Beware of anyone selling anything near tourist traps.”

If you see normal Chinese families using the “sanlun” — for instance, traveling between the Beijing Zoo and the nearest subway stop — then it’s safe. Don’t patronise any sanlun wearing some old fashioned costume to attract tourists. He’ll try to charge you ten times the going rate.

Electrified three-wheeled sanluns developed or converted from the pedicabs seem to be in the majority in Shanghai.

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Content adapted from Wikivoyage, used under CC BY-SA 3.0.