Transport & Getting Around
Getting around China: high-speed rail (CR400, 350 km/h between Beijing-Shanghai in 4.5 hours), Didi (Chinese Uber, in-app English support), Beijing/Shanghai metros (use Alipay or WeChat ride codes), airport transfers, and how to book trains as a foreigner using your passport. Also which Chinese taxi apps actually accept overseas cards.
45 answers
Can a family choose seats in advance on West Air or China Southern when booked through Trip.com?
On China Southern, standard economy advance seat selection is free on domestic flights, so open the seat map early.
If the Laowai Drive practice app has weird or wrong-looking answers, should I still memorize them for the China driving test?
Memorize the official answers exactly as shown, even when the English looks wrong.
Should I book China train tickets through 12306 or Trip.com?
Book on 12306 within the 15-day window for face-value fares and real seat selection.
After landing in Beijing, should I take Didi, a taxi, metro, or pre-booked airport transfer to my hotel?
For most first arrivals, the official taxi queue is simplest: metered, about RMB 100 to 150 plus tolls into central Beijing, door to door.
Can I still get Chengdu or Chongqing to Shanghai train tickets around Golden Week?
Tickets release exactly 15 days before the travel date at 14:00 Beijing time on 12306; some overnight sleepers open about 20 days out.
How do I book high-speed trains in China?
takeaway one
Can I order food delivery to my seat on a Chinese high-speed train?
Seat delivery is real on G and D trains through the official Railway 12306 app, but it is unreliable.
Can I get a temporary driving permit in Guangzhou and use it for a Xinjiang self-drive trip?
The temporary driving permit is province-specific; a Guangzhou permit is for Guangdong, not nationwide.
For a first China itinerary, are night trains worth using between major stops?
Night trains save a full daytime and depart from central stations, not distant airports.