Getting Around
China has the best transport network on earth for travelers — spotless metros, 350 km/h trains, and cheap ride-hailing. Once you crack the ticketing, moving around is effortless.
High-speed rail
Up to 350 km/h
Metro fare
¥3–8 per ride
Ride-hailing
DiDi
Book trains
Trip.com / 12306
High-speed rail
The high-speed network connects almost every major city — Beijing to Shanghai in under 4.5 hours. Book on Trip.com (English) or the official 12306 app. Your passport is your ticket: scan it at the gate. Arrive 30–40 minutes early for security.
City metros
Every big city has a clean, signed-in-English metro. Buy single-ride tokens from machines, or add a transit card to Alipay/WeChat and simply scan your phone. It is the fastest way past traffic.
Taxis & DiDi
DiDi is China's Uber and has an English interface — set your pickup and destination in-app so there is no language barrier. Street taxis are cheap but usually cash-only and Mandarin-only; show your destination in Chinese characters.
Bikes & buses
Shared bikes (Meituan, HelloBike) are everywhere — scan, ride, park. Buses are the cheapest option but signage is often Chinese-only, so lean on Amap for routing.
Useful phrases Phrases
Next up
Visa & Entry