Ultimate Guide to Transportation Options in China

How to choose the transportation during the trip in China

If you plan to take a trip to China, it’s better to know the transportation system of it.

It will guide you to make the best transportation choice during the trip. This will save you time and money.

1. Transportation within the City and how to take them

1-1, Public transport: Metro and bus

Metro and bus are the main means of transportation in the city.

In most cities, you can use Alipay app or Wechat to take both of them

You can click here to register and to know how to use it to take bus/metro.

You can also buy a transport card at the metro station. It looks like this. You need to save 50 or 100 yuan. When you leave China, you can save it as souvenir.

You can also buy one way ticket on the machine in the metro station. The machine looks like this:

But you need to pay it by Wechat, and in some stations, these machines are out of service.

From my opinion, I do really suggest you to use Alipay or Wechat to pay for Metro and bus. That’s pretty convenient.

There is some tips for you:

On some bus routes, there are no automatic card readers. Instead, a staff will ask you where you are going and swipe your card for you. You need to tell them where you are going and then they will swipe your Alipay or WeChat account.

Some bus routes are calculated by distance, so you’ll need to swipe your card twice.

1-2, Taxi

Taxi is that kind vehicle when you see the word ” 空车 （available car)“ .

By the way, different cities’ taxi’s color are different.

You can wave your hands when they drive on the route to let them know. Ask them if they can go to the target place. You need to say the name with them. I have made a tutorial for taking a taxi.

It includes how to stop the car. It covers how to communicate with the driver. It explains how to pay. It also tells you what you can do if you meet some problems.

If you need this tutorial which can you learn this section in 1 hour, you can click here.

1-3,Didi

Didi is the Chinese edition of Uber. If there is no Uber in your country, you can click here. This link provides a tutorial about how to use it.

1-4, Ferry service

In some cities with a big river, a Ferry service will be available. You can click the article below to know the list of countries and to experience it.

1-5. Cable car

Cable cars also exist in many places with large rivers, offering a highly scenic mode of transportation. Often, when riding a cable car, you can use local transportation cards, WeChat Pay, or Alipay.

If you want to know which cities have cable cars, read this article.

It also explains how to solve problems you probably meet.

If you want to know how to register for Alipay, click this article.

If you want to know how to register for WeChat Pay, click this article.

2. Intercity transportation

If you are trying to get across the city, depending on the distance, you can choose the transport below.

2-1. Train or high speed train

You can buy the ticket from the manual ticket window and Automated vending machines at the train station

Or you can also buy the ticket on 12306 App or 12306 mini app in Alipay. (Strongly recommended)

Click here get the tutorial of 12306 App and 12306 mini app in Alipay.

For the manual ticket, you need to pass your passport to the counter staff. Then, tell her or him where you would like to go. Finally, pay for it.

As for the automated vending machine at the train station, you can see the tutorial below.

It’s convenient, but you need to have a telephone number at first. You can also change the date on the machine.

2-2. Plane

Taking plane is also a not bad idea, but you need to arrive at the airport an hour early. which will take up more of your time.

Also, flights are more affected by weather and are far less stable than high-speed trains.

But it’s still a good choice in the city without high speed train.

You can order the plane ticket on : trip.com.

2-3. Intercity bus

For these places without metro, airport, high speed train or train, intercity buses are the main transport. You need to buy the ticket at the bus station or get on the bus and pay for the distance.

I don’t recommend taking the intercity bus. It is not safe or pleasant. The driver and the passengers don’t speak English. The bus is not always on time. There are also some hidden risks of accidents.

But if you need to take it, please do not forget to share your locations to your friend or parents.

2-4. Ferry or high speed ferry

You can also take the ship or ferry to travel to cities beside the river or sea. However, there are differences with the ferry within the city.
If two cities belong to the different authority, maybe they will verify your passport and you will be checked.
For example, if you take the ferry from Shenzhen to Hong Kong, seems it will happen.
And it will take a long time as well.

You can buy the ticket on the official app, website, or some trip app.

3. Why renting a car is not a good idea to travel in China

When planning a trip across China, many travelers think of renting a car or going on a road trip.
However, China does not offer the this kind road freedom. This freedom is found in countries like the US or Australia.

Highways here are designed mainly for logistics and efficiency — long, enclosed, and with few scenic stops along the way.

You’ll pass industrial zones and endless toll gates rather than charming small towns or rest areas. Consider the cost of fuel and parking restrictions. Add the notorious holiday traffic jams, and driving quickly turns into managed stress. It becomes managed stress rather than spontaneous exploration.

Car rental doesn’t make things much easier. The industry mainly serves business travelers or local residents rather than tourists.

Pick-up and drop-off points are concentrated in big cities.

Deposits can be high. Cross-city returns often come with heavy fees. For foreign visitors, extra steps like translated driver’s licenses and insurance issues make the process even more complicated.

In short, renting a car in China is functional, not fun.