Transportation Options in China
Buying tickets at train stations can be difficult for foreigners who cannot speak Chinese. I come from the LA area and our mode of transportation is car or bike. In China the most popular mode of transportation is the metro system. Trains are the best way to travel long distance around China in reasonable speed and comfort. They are also adventurous, exciting, fun, practical and efficient, and ticket prices are reasonable as well. On my second night in Beijing the group I was with all decided to go to a village location that had plenty of traditional snacks and shops. We took the train to get there, and this is when I experienced the metro for the first time. It was crowded, and we had to switch trains at times as well, but overall it was an experience I won’t be able to forget.
Train stations sell tickets 28 days before departure. You need to queue in front of the ticket window to buy tickets. There are always long queues in front of each ticket window at train stations in large cities such as Beijing and Shanghai, especially during the holidays. An electronic board over the windows will update the information regarding the availability of tickets in Chinese only. During our time in China there was a festival going on which led to a three day holiday in the country. Nobody works as it is a very special celebration, on the first day of the long weekend my group chose to go to the Summer Palace in Beijing, one of the hot spots that all locals, and foreigners have on their bucket list. The metro was extremely crowded, and let’s just say that everyone became quite close during that time, so if you do choose to use this mode of transportation then make sure to go with a friend.
Another way of transportation is to take a cab, but know that there are legal and illegal taxis. The way to know the taxi is legal is that all license plates depending on your region will have a common character to start off the plate with, then the second character is a letter which is the same on all license plates as well, then the plate must end with a specific number. So for Example in Beijing the license plate would look something like this (北B12346), these are the things that will let you know the taxi is okay, otherwise you may be overcharged by an illegal taxi.
A downfall about taking a taxi would be traffic. Traffic is 10 times worse in China than in the US. Some people that only live about 30 minutes away from their workplace would have to take the metro instead, because if they took a taxi then it would take them an hour to get to work.
A contrast between China and the US is the fact that when walking to your destination, on a map in America, if one dot is only a small distance from your desired location then it might take about five minutes to get there. In contrast, that same distance between dots in China would probably take around 30 minutes rather than five. The country is so big that everything is spread far apart, so if you really need to get somewhere fast then I suggest taking the metro or a cab instead.
If you are planning to go to a special destination then as a foreigner you should purchase tickets in advance online. The reason for this is because the Chinese wait to the last minute to get their tickets, so even if you feel like waiting to purchase because there are so many available seats, you might regret doing so since it will most likely be full the night before. To purchase online China Highlights is a website which makes train ticket online booking available to you to save you time, hassle, and money. All inquiries will be handled by China Highlights’ experienced and professional travel advisors to ensure you get the best service. The process takes only 3 steps to make the booking, through a 24/7 one-to-one service you can select seats for free, with bilingual instructions provided to help you book domestic and international tickets.
Whether you choose to travel by metro/train, taxi, or by foot in China, everything should go by smoothly. Luckily the locals love foreigners, so if you happen to have any trouble purchasing your tickets at the station or online you won’t be alone since the locals are very helpful when you have questions. The taxi drivers are kind, but when you go with them it is best to have your address written down in advance, in Chinese if you can. This will ensure for a quick process, and in many hotels they will call a taxi for you and give the driver the address for you. Traveling in China has its ups and downs, but ultimately it will be a learning adventure!
