Transport & Trains

Why trains beat flying

China's high-speed rail network is the largest on Earth, connecting every major city at up to 350 km/h. Beijing-Shanghai (1,318 km) takes 4.5 hours; Beijing-Xi'an 4.5; Shanghai-Hangzhou just 45 minutes. City-centre to city-centre, trains beat planes for nearly every route under 1,200 km once you count airport transfers and security queues.

Trains are punctual to the minute, comfortable, and stations are immaculate.

Booking with a foreign passport

Book on 12306.cn (official), the Trip.com app, or any reseller — all accept foreign passports. You'll enter your passport number at booking and show the same passport at the gate; name and number must match exactly.

Trip.com adds a small service fee but has a flawless English interface and instant e-ticket delivery. 12306 is cheapest but harder to navigate.

• Book 3-14 days ahead for popular routes (Beijing-Shanghai, Chengdu-Chongqing sell out)
• You can buy tickets up to 15 days before departure (sometimes 20+ days on resellers)
• Tickets are tied to your passport — don't lose it
• Collect paper tickets only if needed for reimbursement; e-tickets work at the gates

Seat classes decoded

Second class is a comfortable reclining seat — plenty for most trips. First class adds width and legroom; business class is a lie-flat pod on flagship routes. For 3+ hour journeys, pay the small upgrade to first class; your back will thank you.

The table below compares the three classes with real photos, seat widths and typical fares.

Class	Photo	Layout	Seat width	Recline	Typical fare (Beijing–Shanghai)	Best for
Business class		2+1 per row	≈ 55 cm	Lie-flat (180°)	≈ ¥1,748	Lie-flat comfort on long flagship routes
First class		2+2 per row	≈ 48–50 cm	≈ 30° recline	≈ ¥933	Worth the upgrade on 3+ hour trips
Second class		3+2 per row	≈ 43 cm	≈ 20° recline	¥526–673	Great value for most journeys

Fares are typical one-way prices on the Beijing–Shanghai route (2026); second-class tickets vary by train — the ¥553 ticket above is a mid-range example.

At the station

Arrive 30-40 minutes before departure. Stations are huge: find the right waiting hall (there are often 20+ gates), and note that security screening happens before you reach the platforms — laptops out, just like airports. Your ticket shows the boarding gate on departure screens; check them, not your memory.

Big stations have separate entrances for different directions — read the signage. When in doubt, show your ticket to staff.

Metro: fastest and cheapest

Every major city has a modern metro. Fares run ¥3-8. You can enter with Alipay/WeChat QR codes (Transport → Metro), contactless bank cards, or a transit card. The QR route is simplest: open Alipay, tap the transport icon, scan at the gate.

Metro maps are in English and Chinese; station announcements are bilingual in tourist cities.

Buses and the bus card

Buses cost ¥1-2 and cover everywhere the metro doesn't. Pay by scanning the same QR code or waving a transit card. Routes and stops are bilingual in major cities; in smaller towns, save a screenshot of your destination's Chinese name to show the driver.

Some buses are 'no-change' — exact fare or QR only.

Ride-hailing beats taxis

DiDi and Amap ride-hailing let you book with an Alipay/WeChat-linked account, show the driver's plate and your destination in the app, and charge the meter price automatically — no haggling, no language barrier. English UI is available in DiDi.

Taxi drivers rarely speak English and sometimes refuse short trips or meter-less fares in tourist areas. For peace of mind, always hail via app.

Shared bikes

HelloBike, Meituan Bike and DiDi Bike cover city streets. Scan the QR with Alipay/WeChat, unlock for about ¥1.5 per 30 minutes, and park at designated racks. Perfect for the last kilometre to a hutong or riverfront promenade.

Register with your foreign number — verification is quick.

When flying still makes sense

For routes over 1,200 km — Beijing-Urumqi, Shanghai-Kunming, Guangzhou-Harbin — flying is faster. Domestic fares are cheap (often ¥400-800) and flights are frequent. But factor in airport transfers: most big airports are 30-60 minutes from city centres.

Domestic security is thorough; arrive 2 hours early. Liquids, batteries and power banks follow standard rules.

Airport transfers

Every major airport connects by metro or airport express (25-45 min, ¥20-30). Airport buses and ride-hailing are alternatives; taxis charge metered fares plus an airport surcharge. Avoid unofficial 'fixed-price' drivers at the arrivals exit — use the official taxi queue or an app.

Night trains and sleepers

For a romantic (and practical) way to cover long distances, night trains with sleeper berths (hard sleeper / soft sleeper) link many cities. A soft sleeper gives you a private 4-berth cabin and saves a hotel night. Booking these needs planning — they sell out fast and require booking at least a week ahead.

ID at every step

Train gates, some long-distance buses and attractions require your passport (or the ticket app showing your passport-linked QR). Keep your passport photo on your phone as a backup, but carry the physical passport for boarding and hotel check-in.

A photocopy is not accepted for trains — original passport only.

Tickets and refunds

Train tickets are changeable once per ticket (same day) and refundable with a 5-20% fee depending on timing. Missed your train? Refund windows close once the train departs — change in the app first, then refund. Apps handle both with a few taps.

Scanning your passport at a self-service machine can also retrieve paper tickets.

Rush hours to dodge

Metro rush hours (7:30-9:30, 17:30-19:30) are shoulder-to-shoulder in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. Golden Week and Spring Festival see every train booked — travel between major hubs at least 3-4 days before the holiday starts.

Check the festival calendar in the Seasons module before locking your dates.