Transport in China
Prepare China Railway 12306, airports, metros, buses and taxis around complete place names, the correct identity document, readable directions and realistic transfer time.
Check direct high-speed rail first
Compare rail with door-to-door flight time
Metro first; taxi when luggage or location justifies it
Save the full Chinese and English place name
The China reality now
A road taxi is still a valid option, but DiDi or the ride-hailing tools inside Alipay and WeChat let you set the destination, see the pickup point and match the licence plate without a long spoken conversation.
The app shows a useful estimate and lets you compare service tiers. The final cost can still change with traffic, route, demand and vehicle class, so check the current quote before booking.
In Alipay, open Transport and choose Taxi. In WeChat, open Me, Services, then Mobility or Ride Hailing. Or use the DiDi-Greater China app, which the government guide says supports registration with a foreign mobile number and international credit card.
Paste the official simplified-Chinese venue name and full address whenever possible. For an airport, railway station, mall or park, select the exact terminal, station building, entrance or gate—not a broad place pin.
Confirm that the blue pickup pin is on the road where you are actually waiting. Airports, stations and shopping centres often use signed ride-hailing zones; follow the signs and send the zone, gate or nearby landmark through the app if the driver asks.
When a driver accepts, the app shows vehicle details and the licence plate. Match the plate before opening the door. DiDi may ask you and the driver to confirm the last four digits of the registered phone number.
Use the in-app call or message flow; DiDi's current visitor guidance notes that messages can be translated into English. Complete payment through the linked app or supported card and review the trip receipt rather than agreeing to an unofficial off-app fare.
Wait in a legal, well-lit pickup place, wear the seat belt, and do not board a different vehicle even if someone knows your destination. Keep the Chinese destination and a second payment method available in case the booking or phone fails.
Alipay
Transport → Taxi
Me → Services → Mobility / Ride Hailing
DiDi-Greater China
Foreign number and international-card registration supported
Point-to-point routes
These are repeatable route checks—not fixed itineraries. Use them for the journey in front of you, then verify live service information in the responsible map, railway, airport or local operator.
Choose
Compare the airport's official rail or metro connection with the authorised taxi queue and app-based ride-hailing pickup zone.
Save
Airport code, terminal, hotel name and address in Chinese, front-desk phone number and a late-arrival fallback.
Verify
Operating hours, final service, pickup level or zone, and whether check-in remains open after your expected arrival.
Choose
Use a mainland-ready map to compare metro, walking and taxi time from the actual hotel entrance to the attraction's correct gate.
Save
Chinese attraction name, reserved entrance, metro exit number and the booking time shown on the confirmation.
Verify
Opening day, reservation gate, security time and the final return service if the visit ends late.
Choose
Search the official 12306 channel using the complete origin and destination station names, then compare hotel-to-hotel time.
Save
Train number, both station names in Chinese, carriage, seat, booking reference and the original passport used to book.
Verify
Departure station, date, boarding cutoff and the transfer from the arrival station to the next accommodation.
Choose
Prefer the simplest route with the fewest transfers. A legitimate taxi or ride-hailing trip may be more workable than the cheapest route.
Save
Correct pickup pin, destination in Chinese, vehicle plate and a screenshot of the legitimate booking flow.
Verify
Last metro, safe pickup area, hotel access and a second payment method before leaving the building.
China Railway 12306
The official English website supports ticket purchase and common after-sales actions. Rules and availability shown by 12306 for the selected train remain authoritative.
Open official 12306 ↗China Railway's official channels include the 12306 English website and app. Third-party sellers have their own prices, changes and support processes; a third-party confirmation is not the same thing as 12306 support.
Rail uses real-name ticketing. Enter the passenger's name and passport information exactly as the official flow requests, complete identity verification, and avoid copying details from an old booking without checking them.
The city name alone is not enough. Beijing, Beijing South and Beijing West are different stations; Shanghai and Shanghai Hongqiao are different stations. Match every word on the ticket.
Take the original valid identity document used for the purchase. An itinerary sheet or reimbursement receipt is not a substitute for the required travel document at check-in.
Allow for the ride to the correct station, security, identity or manual checks, the walk to the gate and boarding. Follow the ticket and station displays because gates stop admitting passengers before departure.
Station-name check
The same applies to Shanghai and Shanghai Hongqiao, Xi'an and Xi'an North, and many other city stations. A map search for the city centre does not verify a railway departure point.
Airports & domestic flights
A short flight can still be the longer hotel-to-hotel choice after airport transfers, check-in, security and baggage. Compare the full journey before booking.
Confirm the IATA airport code, full airport name and terminal with the airline. Large cities may have more than one airport, and a terminal or airport change can consume hours.
Account for immigration and baggage on the arriving international flight, then any terminal transfer and a fresh domestic check-in. Separate tickets need a more conservative buffer.
Use the operating airline for terminal, baggage, check-in, disruption and change rules. A booking platform may sell the itinerary but does not operate the flight.
Save the airport's Chinese name, terminal, hotel address and an official taxi or ride-hailing pickup point before the phone loses connectivity.
Inside each city
A metro-plus-taxi plan covers most first trips. Payment, QR access and foreign-card support differ by city, so check local operator guidance instead of assuming a national rule.
Metro
Single-journey tickets, transit cards and mobile QR options vary by city. Some systems accept particular foreign cards, but do not assume one city's gate method works nationwide.
Taxi
Use an official rank or a normal metered taxi where available. Show the destination in Chinese and keep the hotel telephone number ready if the entrance is hard to find. Street-hailing still exists, but an app booking often removes the hardest parts for a visitor: explaining the destination, finding the right pickup point and identifying the car.
Ride-hailing
The 2025 government guide lists ride-hailing access through Alipay, WeChat and Didi-Greater China. In many cities it is more convenient than trying to hail a passing taxi because the pickup, destination, service tier and vehicle details stay in the app. Fares are often competitive, but they are not guaranteed to be cheaper: traffic, demand, route and vehicle class all matter. Check that the pickup pin is on the correct road or designated zone.
Bus & walking
Bus payment and route information vary locally. Save stops in Chinese, carry small cash if needed, and use a map that shows the correct side of the road and entrance.
Reading a route
A route is useful only when you can recognise the place names, direction, transfer and exit while moving through the city.
Use the hotel entrance, airport terminal, railway station building or attraction gate as the origin and destination. A broad place pin can put you on the wrong side of a block or station.
For metro routes, save the line number or colour, the destination-side terminal that shows direction, every interchange and the final exit number.
A route with one fewer stop can still involve a long underground walk. Review the first and final walking legs, accessibility needs and luggage before choosing it.
Use the map as guidance, then follow official station signs, staff instructions and service notices. Platforms, exits and temporary closures can change.
Screenshot the full route and keep the destination in Chinese. If the route fails, you can show the next station, gate or address to staff or a driver.
Other ways to move
Use the named bus terminal rather than a generic city pin. Passport rules, sales channels, luggage and schedules differ by operator, so verify at the official terminal or provider.
Confirm the port, pier, operator, identity document and weather notice. A city can have several terminals that are far apart.
Do not assume an overseas licence or international permit alone authorises driving in mainland China. The government guide says rental requires a valid Chinese licence; eligible short-stay visitors can ask traffic authorities about a provisional driving permit.
Registration, deposits and payment can require a local app or identity check. Follow local road rules, use a helmet and choose a simpler option on fast or unfamiliar roads.
Time buffers
Do not anchor the first sightseeing booking to an optimistic airport exit time. Immigration, baggage, connectivity and payment setup can all vary.
Treat a station-to-station journey as a half-day unless the complete hotel-to-hotel calculation proves otherwise.
Avoid a tight connection between different stations, airports or separately ticketed carriers. Recovery options matter more than a perfect spreadsheet.
Keep the final hours flexible until the airport or station, terminal, baggage, check-in and local traffic assumptions are confirmed.
Official and primary sources
12306 controls railway inventory and rules. Airlines, airports and local operators control their own schedules, terminals and service notices.
Source-linked guidance
Every guide links to official or primary sources so you can verify important details before travel.
Reviewed August 2026
