China Transportation Guide — Getting Around the Middle Kingdom

🚄 High-Speed Trains — The Best Way to Travel China

China's high-speed rail network (高铁 / gāotiě) is the world's largest at 45,000+ km and growing. Trains run at 300-350 km/h, are clean, punctual, and far more pleasant than domestic flights for journeys under 1,000 km.

Train Types

How to Book

Seat Classes

Boarding & Luggage

• Arrive 30-45 min early for security screening
• Gates close 5 minutes before departure (strict!)
• Luggage limit: 20kg in second/first class, 30kg in business class
• Checked luggage: no separate system — bring everything aboard
• Oversized luggage can be stored in designated racks at carriage ends

Overnight Sleeper Trains

For budget travel on longer routes, D-series sleeper trains (动卧) offer an experience that's equal parts practical and memorable. Beds are comfortable, sheets are clean (freshly sealed in plastic), and the gentle rocking puts you to sleep.

✈️ Domestic Flights

For routes over 1,000 km (Beijing–Guangzhou, Chengdu–Shanghai, Xi'an–Shenzhen), flying can save significant time. China's four major airlines — Air China, China Southern, China Eastern, and Hainan Airlines — plus dozens of budget carriers, connect 250+ airports.

Airport Transit Times

🚇 Metro Systems

45+ Chinese cities now have metro systems. The largest — Beijing (27 lines), Shanghai (20 lines), Guangzhou (18 lines), Chengdu (13 lines), Shenzhen (16 lines) — rival or exceed any subway in the world in coverage, cleanliness, and efficiency.

How to Use

Metro Etiquette

• Stand on the right side of escalators (left for passing)
• Priority seats (老弱病残孕) near doors — free for elderly, pregnant women, etc.
• No food or drink on trains in most cities
• Security check at every station entrance (bags go through X-ray)

🚗 Ride-Hailing & Taxis

DiDi — The Uber of China

DiDi (滴滴出行) is China's dominant ride-hailing platform, available in 400+ cities. It's cheaper than taxis, more reliable, and has an English interface.

Taxis

Flag-fall prices start at ¥8-14 depending on the city, with ¥2-3 per additional kilometre. Taxis from airport to city centre typically cost ¥80-150. Most taxi drivers speak zero English — always have your destination written in Chinese characters.

🚌 Long-Distance Buses

For destinations not served by rail (certain rural areas, minority villages, remote national parks), long-distance buses are the backup option. They're cheaper than trains but slower, less comfortable, and more prone to delays.

Booking: Trip.com, station counter, or hotel concierge. Chinese-only at most stations.

🚲 Bikes & Scooters

Shared bikes are ubiquitous in Chinese cities. Blue (Hello Bike), yellow (Meituan), and green (Qingju) bikes can be unlocked by scanning a QR code with Alipay or WeChat. Cost: ¥1-3 per ride. Parking: use designated white-line zones — parking outside them incurs a ¥5 penalty.

Electric scooters are not available for tourist rental in most cities (unlike Southeast Asia). The exception is Yangshuo and some Yunnan towns where e-scooter rental shops cater to tourists.

🚢 Ferries

🎋 Seasonal Travel Tips

Spring Festival (春运) — The World's Largest Migration

The 40-day period around Chinese New Year (late Jan to mid-Feb) sees 3+ billion passenger trips. Trains sell out within minutes of release. Plan ahead:

• Book train tickets the minute they release (15 days before departure)
• Avoid traveling 7 days before and 7 days after Chinese New Year's Day if possible
• If you must travel during 春运, book flights instead (less competition)
• Airports and stations are chaotic — arrive 2 hours early for trains, 3 for flights

Golden Weeks

📱 Essential Transport Apps

🔗 Related

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