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By plane： fast but not cheap
Air travel is quite convenient and certainly the fastest way of transportation across China’s vast territory. You can book tickets at any airline office， travel agency， online vendor site， or even at a hotel. You can go directly to those places or call their hotlines （English service is usually available）. They will usually offer a free ticket-delivery service if you live in the city center. Their service is efficient and reliable. You can pay for your ticket by credit card and get an e-ticket， or you can pay cash upon delivery.
Domestic air ticket prices are expensive， especially around the National Day holiday or Spring Festival， the Chinese Lunar New Year. If your only option is to travel at that time， then be prepared to travel alongside millions of other passengers during New Year holidays. To get better prices， you’ll have to buy your ticket in advance or wait for last minute promotions.
Big Chinese cities sometimes have two airports and several terminals. Be sure to check from which airport your plane takes off.
Beijing and Shanghai’s airports are linked to the subway by light rail lines and most airports usually have a shuttle bus service， with buses running between the airport and different parts of the city.
By train： cheap but often time-consuming
Traveling by train is one of the cheapest ways to cover long distances in China. If you want to travel by train， you’ll have to choose between five classes of tickets： hard seat， soft seat， hard sleeper， soft sleeper and standing. Of course， soft sleepers are the most expensive， and therefore comparatively easier to book， especially during Spring Festival.
Also remember that tickets generally go on sale 10 days before departure （depending on the destination， the city of departure and the time of the year） at train station and tickets agencies around the city. They can also be purchased online but only on Chinese websites. As soon as you get to your destination， don’t forget to buy your return ticket since the departing train station can only sell you a one-way ticket.
Ticket staff generally do not speak English， but in big cities， train stations usually have a window dedicated to foreigners with an English-speaking clerk.
When buying your ticket， pay attention to the type of train. Trains with four-digit numbers are cheap but very slow. Try to choose between K （fast）， T （express）， Z （no stop express train） or D and C （“bullet trains” running at 350 km/h） trains. By subway： cheap， fast…and crowded
As a key component of a transportation upgrade designed to ease traffic and improve air quality， many subway systems are undergoing modernization and expansion. Major cities like Beijing， Tianjin， Shanghai， Guangzhou， Shenzhen， Xi’an and Nanjing all enjoy an operational subway system.
While some cities like Beijing apply a flat-fare system， with a flat price paid at the ticket booth regardless of the distance to your final destination， others like Shanghai and Guangzhou favor a distance-based fare system. If you intend to ride the subway frequently， you should definitely get a smartcard. After paying a small deposit， you’ll be able to recharge it according to your needs and use it to pay bus， taxi or even a ferry fares.
The subway generally operates from 5：00 or 6：00 am and closes after midnight， with the last train departing around 10：30 or 11 pm.
New lines are usually equipped with AC systems. Signs are translated into English and directions are both in Chinese characters and pinyin， making it pretty easy to find your way. On the downside， transferring between lines frequently requires walking through long and crowded tunnels.
By taxi： avoid peak hours and rainy days！ Taxi is probably the most popular means of transportation among foreigners in China. It’s cheaper than in Western countries， and taxis are usually plentiful. That is， of course， if it’s not rush hour and if the sky is clear. The first sign of rain will make finding a taxi “mission impossible”.
Note that the drivers generally don’t speak English. If your Chinese skills are limited， show your destination on a business card or a tourist guidebook to avoid misunderstandings. Taxi drivers are usually friendly and honest and use their meters. However， in the event of a driver trying to cheat you， just write down the driver’s license number displayed on the dashboard and this should be enough to pull him back into line.
And don’t forget to take your receipt， since this will be your only way to find the driver if you forget something in his car.
Air travel is quite convenient and certainly the fastest way of transportation across China’s vast territory. You can book tickets at any airline office， travel agency， online vendor site， or even at a hotel. You can go directly to those places or call their hotlines （English service is usually available）. They will usually offer a free ticket-delivery service if you live in the city center. Their service is efficient and reliable. You can pay for your ticket by credit card and get an e-ticket， or you can pay cash upon delivery.
Domestic air ticket prices are expensive， especially around the National Day holiday or Spring Festival， the Chinese Lunar New Year. If your only option is to travel at that time， then be prepared to travel alongside millions of other passengers during New Year holidays. To get better prices， you’ll have to buy your ticket in advance or wait for last minute promotions.
Big Chinese cities sometimes have two airports and several terminals. Be sure to check from which airport your plane takes off.
Beijing and Shanghai’s airports are linked to the subway by light rail lines and most airports usually have a shuttle bus service， with buses running between the airport and different parts of the city.
By train： cheap but often time-consuming
Traveling by train is one of the cheapest ways to cover long distances in China. If you want to travel by train， you’ll have to choose between five classes of tickets： hard seat， soft seat， hard sleeper， soft sleeper and standing. Of course， soft sleepers are the most expensive， and therefore comparatively easier to book， especially during Spring Festival.
Also remember that tickets generally go on sale 10 days before departure （depending on the destination， the city of departure and the time of the year） at train station and tickets agencies around the city. They can also be purchased online but only on Chinese websites. As soon as you get to your destination， don’t forget to buy your return ticket since the departing train station can only sell you a one-way ticket.
Ticket staff generally do not speak English， but in big cities， train stations usually have a window dedicated to foreigners with an English-speaking clerk.
When buying your ticket， pay attention to the type of train. Trains with four-digit numbers are cheap but very slow. Try to choose between K （fast）， T （express）， Z （no stop express train） or D and C （“bullet trains” running at 350 km/h） trains. By subway： cheap， fast…and crowded
As a key component of a transportation upgrade designed to ease traffic and improve air quality， many subway systems are undergoing modernization and expansion. Major cities like Beijing， Tianjin， Shanghai， Guangzhou， Shenzhen， Xi’an and Nanjing all enjoy an operational subway system.
While some cities like Beijing apply a flat-fare system， with a flat price paid at the ticket booth regardless of the distance to your final destination， others like Shanghai and Guangzhou favor a distance-based fare system. If you intend to ride the subway frequently， you should definitely get a smartcard. After paying a small deposit， you’ll be able to recharge it according to your needs and use it to pay bus， taxi or even a ferry fares.
The subway generally operates from 5：00 or 6：00 am and closes after midnight， with the last train departing around 10：30 or 11 pm.
New lines are usually equipped with AC systems. Signs are translated into English and directions are both in Chinese characters and pinyin， making it pretty easy to find your way. On the downside， transferring between lines frequently requires walking through long and crowded tunnels.
By taxi： avoid peak hours and rainy days！ Taxi is probably the most popular means of transportation among foreigners in China. It’s cheaper than in Western countries， and taxis are usually plentiful. That is， of course， if it’s not rush hour and if the sky is clear. The first sign of rain will make finding a taxi “mission impossible”.
Note that the drivers generally don’t speak English. If your Chinese skills are limited， show your destination on a business card or a tourist guidebook to avoid misunderstandings. Taxi drivers are usually friendly and honest and use their meters. However， in the event of a driver trying to cheat you， just write down the driver’s license number displayed on the dashboard and this should be enough to pull him back into line.
And don’t forget to take your receipt， since this will be your only way to find the driver if you forget something in his car.