GUIDE
Transport Basics in China
Quick answer: use high-speed rail for city-to-city, metro inside cities, and ride hailing at night.
1. High-speed rail
- Arrive early at stations and carry your passport.
- Major stations can be large; allow navigation time.
- Choose routes with direct trains for smoother travel.
2. Metro
- Use metro for core city travel in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Chengdu, and Xi'an.
- Avoid rush hours when possible.
- Keep destination names in English and Chinese when available.
3. Airport to city
- Use airport express train where available.
- Use official taxi or ride-hailing pick-up points.
- Save hotel address in local language before landing.
Direct transport paths (to reduce search cost)
You can open these official paths directly and save them before travel. Routes and payment options can change, so please check latest notices.
- China Railway 12306: 12306.cn
- Didi global path: didiglobal.com
- Amap path: amap.com
Metro and airport path suggestions by city
These are path suggestions for faster planning, not service guarantees. Please follow latest city notices.
| City | Metro / map path | Airport transfer path | Suggestion |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beijing | map.bjsubway.com | PEK airport path | Download metro map image in advance for offline use |
| Shanghai | shmetro.com | PVG/SHA airport path | Compare metro and airport express at arrival time |
| Chengdu | cdmetro.cn | CTU airport path | Check first/last train time after landing |
| Xi'an | Official Xi'an metro path (verify latest reachable URL) | XIY airport path | Use airport bus + metro as fallback combination |
| Guangzhou | gzmtr.com | CAN airport path | Check QR ticketing method before peak hours |
| Shenzhen | szmc.net | SZX airport path | Save airport pickup zones in map app first |
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