Transport guides
Trains, metros, flights, and airport transfers with clear steps.
16 guides available
Transport setup path
China Transport Setup
Use this order to move from airport arrival to metro, taxis, ride-hailing, stations, trains, and intercity travel without guessing at each step.
Train travel path
China Train Travel
Use this order for high-speed rail, ticket buying, passport checks, station security, luggage, and intercity travel days.
Featured transport guides
How to get from a Chinese airport to the city, when metro is easiest, when a taxi or ride-hailing app makes more sense, and how to avoid bad arrival decisions.
How to Use the Metro in China (Foreigner Step-by-Step Guide)A practical guide to using metro systems in China, including how city differences matter, what payment options visitors actually use, and how to avoid common first-day mistakes.
Using Didi in China: The Ride-Hailing App Most Visitors NeedHow Didi works in China, why it is usually easier than street-hailing, and what foreign visitors should prepare before they rely on it.
High-Speed Rail in China: Usually the Smartest Way Between CitiesHow China’s high-speed rail works for foreign travelers, what seat classes matter, why 12306 is the best baseline, and what to expect on travel day.
Buying Train Tickets in China: A Foreigner’s Step-by-Step GuideHow foreign travelers buy train tickets in China, why 12306 is still the best baseline, what passport rules matter, and what to do if online purchase gets awkward.
Traveling Between Cities in China: How to Choose Rail, Flight, or RoadA practical guide to traveling between Chinese cities, including when to start with high-speed rail, when flying is worth it, and what makes one route easier than another.
Browse by topic
Start with local transport
Trains and intercity travel
Flights, airports, and baggage
If something goes wrong
Families, seniors, and accessibility
All transport guides
- From Airport to City in China: What Usually Works Best
How to get from a Chinese airport to the city, when metro is easiest, when a taxi or ride-hailing app makes more sense, and how to avoid bad arrival decisions.
- High-Speed Rail in China: Usually the Smartest Way Between Cities
How China’s high-speed rail works for foreign travelers, what seat classes matter, why 12306 is the best baseline, and what to expect on travel day.
- Accessibility & Senior-Friendly Travel in China
What seniors and mobility-limited travelers should realistically expect in China, including where transport is improving and where extra planning still matters.
- Buying Train Tickets in China: A Foreigner’s Step-by-Step Guide
How foreign travelers buy train tickets in China, why 12306 is still the best baseline, what passport rules matter, and what to do if online purchase gets awkward.
- Domestic Flights in China: When Flying Makes Sense
What domestic flights in China are usually like, when they are the better choice over rail, and what foreign travelers should prepare before airport day.
- Getting Lost in China: What to Do (and What Not to Do)
A calm recovery guide for getting lost in China, including how to reset, use your phone effectively, and avoid turning a small mistake into a long bad hour.
- Luggage & Baggage Rules in China: Trains vs Flights
How luggage rules differ between trains and flights in China, what the official 12306 railway limits say, and why airline rules and airport security need a separate check.
- How to Use the Metro in China (Foreigner Step-by-Step Guide)
A practical guide to using metro systems in China, including how city differences matter, what payment options visitors actually use, and how to avoid common first-day mistakes.
- Navigation, Maps & Translation in China: How to Move Without English
How to combine maps, saved Chinese addresses, and translation tools to get around China smoothly even when spoken English is limited.
- Night Travel Safety in China: Usually Fine, Still Worth Planning
What night travel in China is usually like, why it often feels normal, and what visitors should still prepare for after dark.
- When You Need Your Passport for Travel in China
When foreigners should carry a passport in China, when it is required for transport, and why a copy is useful but not a full substitute.
- Station & Airport Security Checks in China: What to Expect
What security checks are like at Chinese railway stations and airports, how to move through them smoothly, and why power banks now need special attention on domestic flights.
- Traveling Between Cities in China: How to Choose Rail, Flight, or Road
A practical guide to traveling between Chinese cities, including when to start with high-speed rail, when flying is worth it, and what makes one route easier than another.
- Taxis in China: What Still Works, and What Doesn't
How taxis operate in China today, why street hailing is less reliable than it used to be, and when an official taxi still makes sense.
- Traveling With Kids in China: Best Transport Choices for Families
How families with children can move around China more smoothly, including when rail is easier than flights and what official 12306 child-ticket rules mean in practice.
- Using Didi in China: The Ride-Hailing App Most Visitors Need
How Didi works in China, why it is usually easier than street-hailing, and what foreign visitors should prepare before they rely on it.