Please note that the information provided here is for reference purposes only. Ensure you verify any related information directly from flight operators to avoid any misinformation or understandings.

China has built a very comprehensive transportation system with flights, trains, highways and waterways, as well as local city transportation, such as taxi,  bus and metro.

A world-leading high-speed-rail network stitches together major cities at record speeds, while domestic flights reach the country’s farthest corners. Buses link rural villages, while within urban centers, well-designed metro systems and pedestrian-friendly roads make walking and cycling appealing choices.

Click the table of content on the right side to navigate your way of travelling in China. 

Travel in China by Train

Traveling by train is a relaxing and cost-effective way to explore China’s landscapes. New or modernised trains and carriages are now available throughout most of the country. Travellers who don’t have time to cross all of China should not miss the wonderful experience of a train journey.

China’s high-speed railway (CRH) covers major cities in the country and has comfortable waiting areas. The trains have a punctuality rate of close to 99%. Passengers may purchase tickets using mobile apps and go through the stations by scanning their ID cards or faces, which greatly facilitate travelling.

Please purchase train tickets from channels offered by railway operation company or its sales agency. At present, the following channels are offered:

  1. ticketing counters, in railway stations or in railway ticket agencies.
  2. automatic ticketing machines installed in railway stations or at designated places.
  3. 12306.cn or 12306 mobile app.
  4. ticket hotline. In areas where telephone booking service has been opened, passengers can book tickets on hotline and then pay at the designated place within the specified time.

For railway lines where commuter cards can be used, passengers can apply for the card at the card selling outlets, and then check-in and take the train with the card.

To ensure the safety and order of passenger transportation, railway operation company has implemented real-name ticketing in accordance with related regulations.

For the scope of real-name ticketing and the details of ticketing, ID verification and check-in, please refer to station announcements. When purchasing real-name tickets, please show a valid ID document of the passenger. Foreign passengers can purchase real-name tickets with valid passports that can be used according to related regulations.

FAQ: 

Currently, both E-tickets and paper tickets are on sale.

  1. E-tickets: Railway E-ticket is a voucher of railway passenger transport contract in electronic form. Passengers can purchase E-tickets within the scope designated by the railway authority on 12306.cn (or 12306 mobile app), at ticketing counters or on automatic ticketing machines in railway stations selling e-tickets, or from railway ticket agencies. Passenger shall reserve the information of railway e-ticket and the valid ID document used to purchase the ticket, and shall show the ID document to check-in and out of the station and get aboard the train.
  2. Paper tickets: Paper tickets mainly include printed soft paper tickets with red shading; printed magnetic medium tickets with light blue shading; train tickets printed by onboard mobile ticketing devices; substitute tickets, section tickets, and receipts of miscellaneous fees of passenger transport rates.

Passengers shall take the train according to the date and train number indicated on the ticket. A through ticket is valid only for the day and the train indicated on the ticket, and if the passenger gets on (off) the train on the way, the ticket becomes invalid for the section not travelled.

At the station,you can buy tickets for others at the ticket counter by taking the original or copy of the passenger’s valid ID document with you .

On 12306.cn, registered users with ID information “verified” and “ready to be verified” can buy tickets for themselves or others. After logging in, please add your friend to My Passengers list and enter his/her name, valid ID document type and number accurately. After his/her ID information becomes “verified” or “ready to be verified”, you can buy tickets according to the corresponding prompts on the website.

Passengers can change their ticket (date, train No., seat class, arrival station) once, with fees structured as follows: No fees apply for changes made over 48 hours before departure or changes made 24 to 48 hours before departure if switching to a train departing before 24:00 of the departure date. Additionally, changes made after the train departs for switching to a same-day train are exempt from fees.

5% of the lower fare for changes made 24 to 48 hours before departure to a train departing later than the original date. 15% of the lower fare for changes made less than 24 hours before departure to a train departing later than the original date. 40% of the lower fare for changes to a next-day (or later) train after the train departs.

Changing the arrival station requires a request 48 hours before departure, and once changed, no other changes (incl. date, train No., seat class) are allowed. If changing to a train that will depart over 8 days (including changing the arrival station) before original departure date and then requesting a refund over 8 days before departure, a 5% service fee applies.

Passengers can get a ticket refund via the 12306.cn website ahead of train departure. Passengers who have registered on the 12306.cn and completed the facial identity verification via mobile APP can also get a refund on the website for their own tickets purchased via ticket window at the station, ticketing machine, ticket agency, and by other people on 12306.cn. For e-tickets purchased by cash or with reimbursement receipt printed, passengers can apply for a refund on the 12306.cn and get the refund at the station ticket window with the passengers’ original ID card within 180 days after successfully apply for the refund online. Passengers shall return the reimbursement receipt if it is already printed.

Passengers can also get a full refund at the station ahead of train departure time described on the ticket after charging a refund service fee. In special cases, the refund can be handled within 2 hours after train departure with approval of the chief of the station where the ticket is sold or the departure station on the ticket.

The ticket can’t be refunded after the trip starts. However, if the passenger is not able to continue the trip due to injury or illness, the difference between the ticket price charged and the ticket price of the already travelled section can be refunded according to the passenger transport record issued by the train crew after a refund service fee is charged; if the travelled distance is less than the minimum mileage, it will be calculated as the minimum mileage. The same procedure can be handled to accompanying passengers.

Tickets endorsed after train departure will not be refunded. Platform tickets are non-refundable.

Railway transport company can adjust the refund rules temporarily when necessary. Please consult the local station or pay attention to the station announcement.

Refund at the station ticket counter must be processed before the train departure:

  1. For a passenger who applies for the refund in person, please provide the ticket and the original valid ID used to purchase the ticket.
  2. If someone entrusted by the passenger, please provide the ticket, the original valid ID of the trustee and that of the passenger used to purchase the ticket.
  3. Please provide the purchase order number If the automatic reader cannot read the resident ID card or if a valid ID document other than the resident ID card was used to purchase the ticket.

In some large stations, there are service counters providing priority service on ticket purchase, entering the station, boarding, luggage check-in and so on for the elderly, infants and children, the sick, the disabled and pregnant passengers. Some stations also provide wheelchair services for people with disabilities. Please consult the station for details.

The maximum limit of free cabin luggage for each passenger are: 10 kg for children (including those free of tickets), 35 kg for diplomats and 20 kg for other passengers. The maximum dimension of each item is 160 cm in total (rod-shaped items 200 cm) for traditional trains, and 130 cm for EMU trains; the maximum weight for each item is 20kg. Foldable wheelchairs used by people with disabilities are not included in the above range.

According to relevant laws and regulations, all passengers and their belongings carried are subject to security check. When entering the station, please place your baggage and belongings in the dangerous goods inspector and pass through the security gate. If you are traveling with a guide dog, please wait for an inspection with your dog.

There might be a queue at the security check, so please reserve enough time.

Smoking is strictly prohibited anywhere on EMU trains, or in the coaches of conventional trains. Passengers can find smoking areas by the door or in the vestibule on a limited number of conventional trains.

Travel in China by Domestic Flights

Flights are available to all provinces, and the entire country is covered by an extensive network. To take domestic flights in China, foreign travelers may book air tickets online on the airline’s official website, app and WeChat mini program, or a ticketing platform. Since some routes are heavily traveled, early reservation is recommended.

How to book a domestic flight in China?

  1. Ticket purchase
    When buying tickets on an airline’s official website, app and WeChat mini program, or a ticketing platform, they can make payments via Alipay, WeChat Pay or UnionPay bank cards. Chinese and foreign bank cards are accepted at the online and offline ticketing channels of ticketing platforms and airlines operating international flights.

    They can also buy tickets at an airport and pay in RMB cash or via WeChat Pay, Alipay, or bank cards following the policies of the airline.

  2. Ticket change and refund
    Foreign travelers can change or refund tickets through the ticketing platform or at the airport. Fees may be incurred, which is subject to the policies of the airline.

Travel in China by Bus

Buses offer another excellent way to travel within a city. For bus routes, travellers are advised to check on online maps such as Baidu Map or AMap apps.

Foreign travellers can pay with RMB cash, transit cards, or Alipay to take the bus.

  1. Foreign travellers can pay in RMB cash to take buses and are advised to prepare the exact change in advance.
  2. Foreign travellers can take their passports to the service outlets of bus companies to buy transit cards. Payment for the cards can be made in RMB cash or via WeChat Pay or Alipay.
  3. Some mobile payment apps and bus operators’ apps also support passing the turnstiles by scanning QR codes. The following are the specific operation steps using Alipay as an example. Foreign travellers need to open Alipay, click on “Transport”, and select “City”. After completing identity verification, they will obtain a QR code for buses. They need to have the QR code scanned when getting on and off a bus.

For more specific information on applicable payment methods, please refer to the bus/coach operator or local ticket cashier for guidance.

Travel in China by Intercity Coach

With the development of the national highway network over the past decade, luxury buses/coaches have become a popular mode of transportation for tourists as well. For travellers venturing into China’s more remote villages and regions, long-distance buses/coaches often serve as the primary mode of transportation. These buses/coaches are generally more affordable than trains or flights, and range from express buses to smaller minibuses and overnight sleeper coaches.

Tickets can be purchased at local coach stations, with payments typically accepted in cash, via mobile payment apps like Alipay or WeChat Pay, or using a public-transportation card. Foreign visitors should keep in mind that coach stations and companies usually have limited English-language signage, which can pose challenges for non-Chinese speakers. ​

Travel in China by Taxi

In most cities in China, there are quite a lot taxis available, which are painted red, yellow, or green. Taxi fares may vary from city to city, but they are supposed to be marked on the taxi window, and the drivers are supposed to use a taximeter. Most taxi drivers do not speak English, have your destinations written down in Chinese.

For online taxi / ride-halling services,  foreign travellers can use Alipay, WeChat, or Didi to book taxi services.

The Didi app offers a seamless and relatively affordable way to get around cities. It works much like Uber: register with a phone number (as with the bicycles above, foreign numbers are acceptable, but you must be able to receive an SMS for verification), link a payment method, and select from ride options ranging from budget-friendly taxis to premium cars. Since many taxi drivers don’t speak English, DiDi’s in-app translation feature makes communication easier.

Additionally, Trip.com can be used to book airport shuttle services. 

Travel in China by Renting a Car

Foreign travelers can rent cars at international airports and downtown service outlets. Additionally, car rental apps are available, or travelers can search for “mini programs for car rental” on Alipay or WeChat. After registering, a reservation can be made for car rental.

China boasts dense highway networks, which radiate to all directions with Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou as the center. Now China is sparing no effort to develop expressways and the first-and second-class highways. The work has made great achievements in many tourist cities, thus providing great convenience for tourists. 

  • (I) Foreign travelers who are going to rent cars need to bring their passports or Foreign Permanent Resident ID Cards, valid Chinese driver’s licenses, and international or Chinese credit cards.
    • Note: Foreigners renting a car for the first time need to have their identity document information verified at least one working day in advance.
  • Foreign travellers applying for Chinese Provisional Driving Permits for compact cars must take their passports, overseas driver’s licenses with Chinese translation, recent one-inch half-length, bareheaded, full-faced colour photos against a white background, and other necessary documents to public security traffic management service halls. Foreigners who enter China for a short-term stay can apply for Provisional Driving Permits with a validity period of 3 months. For those who intend to stay longer than 3 months, the validity period can be extended to a maximum of one year. The permits can be used whenever the holders reenter China during the validity period without the need for reapplication.
    • Note: China has signed agreements for mutual recognition and exchange of driver’s licenses with France, Serbia, Belgium, and the United Arab Emirates. This allows individuals holding driver’s licenses from the aforementioned countries to drive directly in China or obtain Chinese driver’s licenses without taking a test.