Transportation in China- how to move around one of the largest countries in the world

China is one of the largest countries in the world. In the same time-extremely rich of interesting places to visit- places, located all over the country. And there is an excellent transport network, making most of these places easy to reach, especially the famous and more popular destinations. However, using transportation in China is not such simple. There are also many places (as I said, China is really rich of interesting destinations), which are not so popular, but not less worth to visit than the popular ones- and they are often hardly reachable.

If you are a tourist, your transport would be arranged by a travel company- only to the more popular destinations. Because, as I said, there are a lot of other places, remaining outside of travel companies’ radar, even the local Chinese travel companies. I am talking not only destinations but interesting routes and exciting experience around the country. Only if you are an independent traveler, you could reach most of them (there are some really amazing places in China, which however are completely closed or at least highly restricted to visit by foreigners- mainly in Tibet, Xinjiang, and Qinghai provinces). But one of the things that you have to consider is the way of transportation.

Ways of transportation in China

There are many ways of transportation in China, created and still developing to serve mainly for the extremely large Chinese population. And if the travelers want to wander around China, they have to mix with the locals and use transportation like them. So, let’s see the ways of moving around the country.

Airplane

Domestic airplane network is highly developed. There are numerous air companies, serving throughout the whole country. This is the fastest way to move around China, and of course, as everywhere in the world- the most expensive. It is usually used for two reasons. First- for tourists and travelers, who are not interested or just don’t have enough time to wander across China on land, but just want to reach distant destinations quickly. And second- for those who want to reach a starting point of their on- land journey, or to exit from its end point. For surface-only projects, domestic flights break the overland logic, but they may still be useful for ordinary travelers or for reaching the starting point of a land journey.

Speed train

It is a relatively new way of transport in China and is rapidly developing. Actually, it is something “in the middle” between the airplanes and the slow trains. It is slower than the planes, but it is the fastest on land way to travel. Still, a very comfortable way to reach most of the corners of China within a day.

Slow train

For long distance, it is my favorite way of travel. By slow train you can go through China from end to end within a few days, watching through the window the rich variety of changing landscapes- from deserts to subtropical forests, from grasslands to high mountains. These trains have comfortable sleeping carriages in two kinds- hard beds and soft beds. Hard beds are cheaper, 6 beds in a compartment, and the compartment is without doors. The soft beds are 4 in compartments with doors which can be locked, and there is an electric charge inside.

There are regularly passing carts with food- breakfast, lunch, dinner, fruits. And when the train stops in the railway stations for a longer time, you can easily get off for a while and buy some local food. But the most exciting thing about it is that you can easily make friends with the other local Chinese travelers in your compartment, especially during a long trip. Yes, most of them could not speak English, but there are body language, smiles, and friendly atmosphere.

Bus

This kind of transport is also very useful in China. The buses are really a lot. First- there are many bus terminals in the big cities, and there are buses leaving every 10-15 mins on routes, connecting the other nearby cities.

Buses normally don’t travel such long distances as the trains, but there are still some routes lasting 12, 15, 20, 24 or more hours, which require using of sleeping buses. I have traveled from Yiwu, Zhejiang province, to Chongqing in Western China, for two days and two nights (we arrived in Chongqing early in the morning on the third day). While the bus traveled on a highway, it was just “a normal trip”, but when we headed on a mountain road with thousands of curves and sloped upward and downward, it became really like adventure. The bus stopped a few times in some wild and remote villages for meals, rest and toilet (very “exotic” village toilets- one of them was just a hole in the ground, surrounded by a wall, and two pigs tied on the wall).

Check your transportation options in China!

Ship, boat, ferry

Since China is not an island country, this kind of transport is not very popular. Most of the water transportation is actually tourist type of cruises- mainly on the big rivers like Yangtze, Pearl River, Li River in Guilin, and Yellow River, as well as on some large lakes like Qinghai Lake. But as public transport, it is mostly used between the sea coast and some nearby islands, or for crossing some wide rivers. There is also a ferry from Guangzhou to Hong Kong on Pearl River.

The normal public ferries are cheaper, of course, while the tourist cruises are more expensive. Anyway, it is the only possible way to reach the islands of China.

Ferry connections to Taiwan-administered islands

There are ferry connections between mainland China and Taiwan-administered islands, especially the Xiamen–Kinmen route. This is not the same as a direct ferry to Taiwan’s main island. Kinmen is administered by Taiwan, but it is an offshore island close to Xiamen, not the main island of Taiwan.

Rules, schedules, eligibility and ticket availability should always be checked before travel, because these ferry routes can be affected by political conditions, public-health rules, and cross-strait travel policies.

Ferry / cruise access to South China Sea islands

The South China Sea islands are a politically sensitive area, and they should not be treated as a normal travel option. The Xisha / Paracel Islands are generally not open to foreign tourists. Cruises from Hainan are normally available only to Chinese citizens or residents, and foreign travelers are usually not allowed to join them.

Access to other South China Sea island groups is even more restricted. For practical travel planning, these islands should be considered closed or highly restricted unless official rules clearly change.

Local city transport

Moving from one place to another within a city in China is not always easy, especially in a big city. But fortunately, there are a lot of ways to do it, and most of the ways are quite comfortable.

Metro

Now there are well-developed metro systems in most of the big cities in China. It is very comfortable and fast, so you can easily avoid the traffic jam on the streets, thus it is the fastest way to move through the city. The price usually depends on the distance, but in general, it is very cheap, usually between 2 and 10 CNY. In most major cities, metro tickets can be bought from ticket machines, service counters, transit cards, or through local payment apps. However, payment systems can still be inconvenient for foreigners without a Chinese bank account, a properly set up mobile payment app, or a payment method accepted by the local system.

City public bus

Its cheap (usually 1,5 to 2 CNY for the “normal” buses, and more for buses going to more distant suburbs). It is comfortable because the public bus network is usually very thick. And although the cities are quite populated, the buses are seldom crowded. But just you have to research which bus No. Goes to the place you want to reach. There are a lot of online tools for searching bus routes and stops, but all in Chinese (the best one is 8684). In English, you can try this or this.

Taxis, Di Di, tricycles, motorcycles

All these are local ways of transport within a city, town or a cluster of villages. Taxis are just like the taxis all over the world- you can stop them on the street, or they would wait for you in front of every bus terminal or railway station. DiDi is easier for foreigners than before, especially if you have Alipay or WeChat Pay set up with an international card. But it can still be inconvenient because of app setup, language, phone number verification, local payment systems, and occasional limitations with foreign cards.

And motorcycles and tricycles are the most simple way of local transportation. They are just like taxis, but without a taximeter, and you have to confirm the price before you use them.

Shared city bike

It is another new and very comfortable way to move within a city. Shared bike companies and brands have changed over the years, but the system remains similar: you unlock a bike through a mobile app or mini-program and pay digitally. You choose a bike, scan its code, and unlock it. When arriving at your desired place, just lock it again (to stop counting) and it would get your payment.

It is easier for foreigners than before, especially through Alipay or WeChat Pay if your account is properly set up with an international card. But shared bikes can still be inconvenient because of app registration, language, phone number verification, deposits, and occasional payment limitations.

Shunfeng, minivans

These types of transport are used for long distance travel. Shunfeng is like Di Di and therefore again complicated to use by foreigners. And minivans are usually used in more remote areas in the western part of China, like Tibet, Sichuan, Qinghai. They stay in the town’s central square or near the bus terminals, waiting for customers and when the minivan is full, it leaves. Good to use where no bus nearby, but makes you dependent on other customers.

Car

This would be the best way to explore China- no matter whether it is South, East, North, West China (where the public transport is much more developed), or the wild territories of Tibet, Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia. Driving a car gives you full independence to go everywhere, stopping everywhere, at any time. Some of the most exciting trips in China are by using this way of transportation. And there are a lot of rental car companies, where you could get your car. BUT…

Foreigners cannot legally drive in mainland China with only a foreign driving license or an International Driving Permit. They need either a Chinese driving license or, for short stays and eligible cases, a temporary Chinese driving permit.

Renting a car in China is possible for foreigners in some cases, but it requires the correct Chinese driving permit or license, rental-company acceptance, deposit, insurance, and often Chinese-language or local payment handling. Independent car travel is possible in theory, but still complicated in practice, especially if the route goes toward remote or restricted regions such as parts of Tibet, Xinjiang, Qinghai or sensitive border areas.

These rules become especially important on long overland routes across Eurasia, where China is not only a destination but a major route corridor. I discuss this wider route-barrier context in Crossing Eurasia Overland: Difficult Segments and Route Barriers.

If you don’t have the right driving permit, or if you don’t want to deal with the administrative details, the easiest way to travel by car in China is to rent a car with a driver. It can be a small car, a 7-seat or 9-seat vehicle, or a minibus, depending on the route and the group size. The challenge is finding a reliable local service, because not every rental company offers car-with-driver arrangements for long-distance or remote routes.

Car with a driver

One of the ways is to find a car with a driver, is by using Tour Beijing service. They can arrange for you various kinds of driving service- from just 1-2 hours, to a month, from almost everywhere in China.

Another way is to contact a hotel, hostel or guesthouse, which you should have booked in advance, so they probably can help you arrange a vehicle with driver for you. You have to pay for the car rental, fuel, road tolls, and driver’s salary and expenses (hotel, food, etc.), which is usually between 1000 and 1500 CNY (140-220 USD) per day. Yes, it is a bit expensive, but if you are a group of travelers, you share the money together. 

Bicycle (long distance)

Recently, long distance traveling by bicycle began gaining popularity. You can often see cyclists on the roads, with two bags on both sides of their bikes, and a backpack on their backs. It is especially popular in the Great Tibetan Plateau, on the famous road No.318, connecting Chengdu and Lhasa. Yes, most of the cyclists are Chinese, but there are foreigners too.

But of course, there is a question- how a foreigner could get a bicycle to cycle for many days? Obviously, there are not too many options. The first option is to find a local bicycle store and rent a bike from there. But it is usually difficult to find such a store, furthermore a store which would agree to give you a bike for days and weeks. Or you can buy a bike (no need to buy an expensive bike- 1800-2500 CNY could be enough). And when you finish your trip, just send your bike home by shipment (unless you could sell it as a second-hand bicycle before you leave China).

Another way is to join a bicycle trip group. There are some companies, who arrange such trips around China. Yes, their service may be a little expensive (because they provide everything: bikes, logistic transportation, accommodation, meals, guide, insurance, etc.), and you would be not independent, but the bike experience is really worth.

On foot

Finally, it is the most natural way to travel. And of course, the best way is by trekking. The rich natural variety of China provide really a lot of trekking opportunities, but most popular are they in the Great Tibetan Plateau and its high mountains. There are a lot of companies, organizing a few days or longer treks- in Tibet, Sichuan, Qinghai, and Yunnan. Some popular treks are around the highest mountains of Tibet- Everest, Minya Konka, Yading, Kailash, Amnye Machin, Nyenbo Yurtse.

If you join a trek by company, everything will be arranged for you, you will be much safer, and you can spend a nice time with other trekkers, meeting new friends. But again- you would be no independent, and basically, it would be more expensive.

Another option is to trek alone. It would be cheaper (maybe, at least in most of the cases), but it may be more dangerous, and definitely would need a good preparation (backpack, tent, and all other necessary gear, as well as enough information) in advance.

Important travel tips

When we talk about transportation in China, here is my first, and the most important travel tip. China is the most populated country in the world. And nothing can make you can feel it really painfully than using the transportation system.

The problem is particularly serious when you want to travel by train- both speed or slow. You go to the railway station to buy a train ticket, and most probably there would be no tickets for your train. Everything is sold- for today, for tomorrow, even for the next week. Yes, if you go by train to a short distance, there are a lot of trains traveling there during the day, so you have more chance to get a train ticket. But if want to go by train from Shanghai to Chengdu and just directly to the ticket office of the railway station- forget about tickets, even in the “normal working day in the lowest season”.

Concerning the buses, it is easier since most of them are often and don’t travel too long. You just go to the bus terminal and if there are no tickets for your bus, just wait for the next, which is only 15, 20, 30 or one hour later.

About the flights- it is as in many other countries in the world. Just book the air ticket in advance- the best time is around 2 weeks earlier, as the price is usually lowest at that time.

Book a train ticket in advance!

How to resolve the problem with trains? The best way is to buy tickets in advance. China train tickets are usually released 15 days before departure, not one month in advance as it used to be in the past. On popular routes, during holidays, summer travel periods, and around Chinese New Year, tickets can still sell out very quickly, so booking as early as possible remains important.

I still remember an older experience when we tried to buy train tickets from Urumqi (Xinjiang) to Guangzhou. At that time, tickets were released one month in advance. We woke up in the middle of the night to buy them as soon as they appeared online, and still found that tickets for our chosen date had already sold out very quickly. The exact advance-sale period has changed since then, but the lesson remains the same: on long-distance and popular routes in China, tickets can disappear fast.

So we had to change our itinerary and postpone the journey by one day. The next time, we tried earlier and managed to buy some of the last remaining tickets for the train.

Ways to buy a train ticket

Yes, the situation is not always such extreme, but I hope you get the picture. In other words- you need a travel company or a booking website to purchase your tickets in advance. Or, if you are already in China, you can buy tickets from a local ticket office (there are a lot in every city).

Anyway, the most convenient way to purchase not only train tickets but also air tickets and other service is online, in advance. Yes, it would fix your itinerary and would limit your flexibility, so you have to consider it unless you have really unlimited time.

Plan your schedule properly!

Talking about flexibility…another important tip. Go to the bus stations, railway station and airports on time, as early as possible! You can imagine this scenario: you have purchased a train ticket for a long distance trip- let’s say from Hangzhou to Chengdu. But first, you are in Shanghai and explore this city. Then you have to take a bus or a train to Hangzhou. You arrive at Hangzhou bus terminal and have to move to the railway station. Your train departs at 6:00 pm, and you arrive at the railway station at 5:40 pm. Looks like you are on time.

But first, you see a long queue in the entrance of the railway station waiting for luggage scanning an ID check. You wait 15 mins there, then enter inside (at 6:55 pm) and you have to find your train gate. Finally, you find it in 6:59… and the gate is closed. It’s too late! You not only lose your train ticket but now can’t purchase a new ticket for the next train, because everything is sold! Then you can easily imagine what would happen with your itinerary next.

Many things can make you late for a plane, train or bus, but the most common are traffic jam, long queues or just poorly calculated timetable, not considering the distances and schedules well.

VPN, maps and apps

Yes, don’t forget another important detail: prepare your maps and apps before entering China. Google services, including Google Maps, as well as Facebook, Instagram, X/Twitter and many other international apps are blocked in mainland China unless you use a working VPN or other legal access solution.

For navigation inside China, Amap / Gaode Maps and Baidu Maps are usually much more reliable than Google Maps. They have better local data, public transport information, road updates and place listings. However, they work best in Chinese. Some functions can still be used with English place names, but not always.

If you are an independent traveler, download and test your VPN, maps, translation apps and payment apps before arrival. Do not wait until you are already inside China to set everything up.

Check your transportation options in China!

No matter how would you plan your trip to China, transportation is a very important part of it. You can easily combine various kinds of transport (along with your accommodation, which also has its specific peculiarities), so you can reach almost every corner of China. Just consider all these specific details about transportation in this country and you can have a great and unforgettable experience!

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Krasen and Ying Ying

Hi, we are Krasen and Ying Ying. Krasen is from Bulgaria, and Ying Ying is from China. We are passionate about geography and history, and we believe that the best way to experience it is by exploring the Earth in reality, not in a school, and not virtually.

So, we created this blog Journey Beyond the Horizon, where we share geographical knowledge, travel guides and tips how to experience it when you explore our planet, and a lot of inspiration.

And we wish you a happy journey, not just virtually, but most of all- in reality.

Enjoy!