Getting around

High-speed trains

The rail network is the best way between cities. Trains are frequent, punctual and comfortable, and stations are in or near the centre. Beijing to Shanghai is four and a half hours; Chengdu to Chongqing about an hour.

Booking. Tickets go on sale about two weeks ahead. Book through the official 12306 app or website, which has an English version and accepts foreign passports, or through Trip.com, which charges a small fee and has better English support. Popular routes on weekends and holidays sell out.

Your passport is your ticket. There are no paper tickets for foreigners. Scan your passport at the gate, or if the reader fails, show it to the staff at the manual lane next to the gates.

1. 1Arrive 30 to 45 minutes early; big stations have airport-style security at the entrance.
2. 2Find your train on the board and the waiting area for it.
3. 3Boarding opens about 15 minutes before departure. Scan your passport at the gate.
4. 4Cars are numbered on the platform floor. Second class is fine; first class is roomier; business class is a lie-flat splurge.

Metro

Every big city has a metro and they all work the same way: security scan at the entrance, tap in, tap out. Pay with the transport code inside Alipay (search “Transport” or the city name), or buy a single-journey ticket from the machine with cash or QR payment. Signage and announcements are bilingual.

Taxis and ride-hailing

Didi is China’s Uber and has an English interface. It also runs as a mini-app inside Alipay, which is easier because your payment is already set up. Type the destination in English; it usually resolves. Street taxis are metered and honest in most cities, but drivers rarely speak English, so have the address in Chinese ready. The Show in Chinese button on every city and place page on this site is for exactly that.

Bikes and scooters

Shared bikes from Meituan or HelloBike are everywhere and cost almost nothing. Scan the code on the bike with Alipay. Cities are flat and bike lanes are wide, so it is the best way to see neighbourhoods.

Domestic flights

Flights make sense for the long hops: Beijing to Guilin, Shanghai to Kunming. Book on Trip.com or the airline. Airports are far from the centre and security is slow, so a train under five hours usually wins door to door.

Buses and intercity coaches

Long-distance coaches are rarely worth it now that trains cover most routes. City buses are cheap and pay by transport code, but stops are only in Chinese; the metro is easier for visitors.