Practicalities
Getting around is the easy part
China's transport network is the best-value thing about visiting. High-speed rail beats flying on most domestic routes, taxis are cheap and metered, and the metro in every major city has English signage. The only real barrier is knowing how to buy the ticket.
High-speed rail
Trains run at 300 km/h between most major cities and are the default choice for anything under about five hours. Beijing to Shanghai takes four and a half hours city centre to city centre, which beats the flight once you count airport time.
Booking with a foreign passport
- Trip.com is the simplest route: English interface, foreign cards accepted, and it handles the passport-linked booking for you. It adds a booking fee.
- Railway 12306 is the official app and cheaper. It now supports foreign passport registration, though verification can take a day or two and the interface is less forgiving.
- Station ticket windows always work. Bring your passport. Expect a queue.
Your passport is your ticket. Book with your passport number, then scan the passport itself at the gate — there is no paper ticket to collect. Foreign passports sometimes need the staffed lane rather than the automatic gate, so allow an extra ten minutes.
Which class to book
Second class is comfortable and what most locals take. First class buys more legroom for around 60% more. Business class is a lie-flat seat at roughly triple, worth it only on long routes.
City transport
Metro
Fast, cheap, air-conditioned, and signposted in English in every major city. Buy single tickets from machines that take cash and QR codes, or use the metro mini-program inside Alipay to generate a QR code and skip the machine entirely. Security screening on entry is universal — allow a couple of minutes.
Ride-hailing
DiDi is the dominant service and has an English interface, either standalone or as a mini-program inside Alipay. It handles the language barrier for you: the destination is passed to the driver in Chinese, so you never have to pronounce an address. Payment comes off your bound card automatically.
Taxis
Metered, inexpensive and easy to flag. Drivers rarely speak English, so show the destination in Chinese characters on your phone. Ride-hailing is usually less friction for visitors.
Bike share
Meituan and HelloBike cover most cities, unlocked by QR code through your payment app. Excellent for short hops, and cities like Hangzhou and Chengdu are genuinely pleasant to cycle in.
Things worth knowing
Airports are far out, stations are central
Another reason rail wins on medium routes. Most high-speed stations are on the metro network; most airports need 45 minutes and a dedicated line.
Book rail a few days ahead in peak season
Popular routes sell out during national holidays — the first week of October and the Lunar New Year period especially. Outside those, booking the day before is usually fine.
Carry your passport, always
It is required for rail travel, hotel check-in and many museum entries, and you are legally expected to be able to present it. A photo on your phone is not a substitute.