Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Touts swarm around train stations selling black-market tickets; this can be a way of getting scarce tickets,
but foreigners frequently get ripped off, so avoid doing this.
Long-Distance Buses
Long-distance bus service is extensive, and main roads are rapidly improving and the number of highways is
increasing. Buses are generally cheaper than trains. For example, the nine-hour bus from Beijing to Anshan
is $28 USD, while the train is between $34 USD and $143 USD. The two-hour bus from Beijing to Tianjin
is $4-6 USD, while the high-speed train is around $9. The trip from Shanghai to Hangzhou is two and a half
hours by bus and costs $11 USD, while the train is $14.
On the other hand, if you are traveling in slower trains and in the cheap hard seats, you will often find
them to be a less expensive alternative to the bus, so be sure to check the prices of both before you book.
Flying
Although traveling around China in buses or trains is the best way to see the country's vast and lush coun-
tryside, given the country's vast size, sometimes it's more efficient to fly. If you don't have the time or in-
clination for a long overland trip (and getting around China does take a while), flying is your most efficient
option. China has numerous airlines; major ones are the following:
Air China: airchina.com.cn
China Eastern Airlines: ce-air.com
China Southern Airlines: cs-air.com
China Southwest Airlines: cswa.com
Spring Airlines: china-sss.com
Additionally, nearly every province of China has regional carriers that operate primarily within the bor-
ders of the country, such as Hainan Airlines, Shanghai Airlines, and dozens of smaller regional carriers.
Chris from Aussie on the Road notes that you should be wary of one-time arrivals and departures: “I
have literally only ever had one flight in China leave on time. It's led to more than one missed connecting
flight. It seems like a mandatory part of travel here to wait for your flight to be delayed at least once or
twice. I even made it all the way onto the plane one night only to wait ninety minutes in the sweltering cabin
before they had us disembark and go back to the terminal to wait another two hours.”
ATTRACTIONS AND ACTIVITIES
Sights and activities are inexpensive in China—even the popular attractions such as the Great Wall and For-
bidden City are under $10 USD. While the Great Wall never kept out invaders, it's beautiful and is only $7
USD, the Forbidden City is $10 USD. (Also known as the Palace Museum, the Forbidden City is closed
on Mondays.) Smaller temples, activities, and sights are much more reasonably priced and cost around $2
USD.
If you want to see giant pandas, the breeding facility in Chéngdu costs around $9 USD to get in. In the
hometown of Confucius (Qufu), one of the most famous philosophers in Chinese history, you will find tick-
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