Go to China

The transport system in China has improved considerably since 1949. Today, China has a complete transport network made up of airports, trains, motorways, metros, ports and sailors. Among these, the high-speed rail lines, the highways and the many new metros have spectacularly improved the daily life of the inhabitants.

Plane

Airlines in China offer a safe and comfortable service to travelers. Currently, there are around 1,279 airlines. Among them, 1,035 are interior connections, including connections to Hong Kong and Macao, and 244 are international links. Most airlines and airports offer world -class services and facilities. They are all under the responsibility of the General Administration of Civil Aviation in China.

The most popular airports are those of Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. Besides Hong Kong and Macao, there are more 200 airports In continental China, which connect more than 100 interior cities and 80 foreign cities.

A advice for plane trips: there is an access policy without visa For a maximum duration of 144 hours, which is available in the main cities of China. It is advantageous for foreign travelers who simply wish to visit one of these cities in a short time, or who wish to make a long stop between two flights. The cities benefiting from an access without visa are Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Chongqing, Guilin, Xi'an, Kunming, Hangzhou, Xiamen, Wuhan, Tianjin, Harbin, Nanjing, Shenyang, Dalian, Qingdao and Changsha.

Go by train

The train is one of the main means of transport in China and the national rail network is one of the largest in the world. The total mileage of railways open to traffic in China is 124,000 kilometers. The number of passengers transported by train has reached 2.5 billion. Chinese rail service is proud of its national operations.

The Chinese rail network covers 124,000 kilometers in total, of which 22,000 kilometers belong to high -speed railways. These railways cover almost all the places in China, even the distant mountain regions, the plateaus and the seaside.

Move by train at high speed

The high -speed train is the most popular among all types of trains, as it works at a speed of 250 to 300 km/h And has a high quality service. It is also called fast train or CRH, with the initial "G", "D" or "C" as a serial number.

TGV tickets are classified in second class, first class, business class and VIP category. Some night trains offer luxury berths and berths. Many trains offer tickets with standing places, the price of which is the same as that of second class seats.

The installations aboard these trains are similar to those of an airplane. The seats can always adapt to the meaning of the walking, the backrest can be set to the desired corner, a small folding table is available for each seat, a space for your cabin suitcase And electrical outlets are available in each row or compartment. In addition meals and snacks are provided for payment.

Move through highways

China has many and complex highways at all levels, connecting almost all cities, villages and countryside. The safety, quality, convenience and capacity of Chinese fast tracks were quickly developed.

The length of the highways in China is 1.18 million kilometers, including 68 national roads and more than 1600 provincial roads. The Chinese government accelerates the development of highways to promote the economy of China. Beijing, as the capital of China, has 11 national roads, which connect many other cities like Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Wuhan, Chengdu, Changsha, Taiyuan and Xian.

Currently, all provincial capitals are passenger road transport centers. Bus shuttles ensure the connection between provincial capitals and their cities, counties and municipalities. Although there is a large road network in China with a complete express bus service, it is less recommended to travel by line bus due to uncomfortable conditions and the long duration of journeys. On the main axes connecting large cities, luxury buses (Gaokuai Daba) are equipped with air conditioning and inclined seats. On the night lines, there are also buses (wopuche). Apart from the main roads, traffic is ensured by minibus (zhongba) or small vans, less comfortable, they often only leave when they are full. Bus trip can be trying, especially if passengers smoke.

Boat

China counts 110,000 kilometers Rivers, streams, lakes and navigable canals, more than any other country in the world. The main ones are the Heilong Jiang, the Yangtse, the Xiang, the Pearl River, the Huangpu, the Lijiang and the Xi Jiang.

The Grand Canal is the longest in the world, with 1,794 km, and serves 17 cities between Beijing and Hangzhou. It connects five large rivers: Haihe, Huaihe, Huanghe, Qiantang and Yangtze. The construction of new railways and highways has reduced the use of Chinese rivers for the transport of passengers.

However, transport boats are still popular in certain mountainous regions, such as the Western Hubei and Chongqing (the three Gorges region), where the railways are few and where road access to many cities is impractical.

Move in town

Many practical modes of transport are available in the urban areas of China. Public buses, metros, taxis, are the most common means of transport:

Move by bus

In large cities, the buses are numerous and the road operating is able to develop. Even if you don't speak Chinese, you can manage, provided you take a card with the names of the Chinese streets. Do not hesitate to check the destination with a Chinese traveler.

There are also systems of trolley-bus or electric bus. Since 2010, TrolleyBus have been part of the public transport service in 14 Chinese cities. All the Trolleybus systems in China were opened after 1950, with the exception of Shanghai, which was still active and opened its doors in 1914; This is the oldest trolleybus system in the world.

Metro

Large cities have metro systems in service, construction or under planning. The metro is ideal for major Chinese cities and its ability to quickly transport large amounts of high frequency people over short distances, avoiding traffic jams, make him the most appreciated means of transport. Thanks to the metro you can taste your favorite dish with your Chinese chopsticks At the other end of the city in no time. The Shanghai metro, open in 1995, is the longest metro system in the world. Tickets are sold by employees or by automatic machines.

Taxi

This mode of transport is practical and inexpensive. In large cities, all vehicles are equipped with a counter, used almost systematically. In cities and in the provinces, ask your hotel the current price of a trip. For long journeys, it is very well possible to negotiate an attractive price attractive as long as the prices charged are known. Taxis are everywhere, at any time of the day and night. Just hail them or call them by phone. In general, drivers do not cheat not.

Advice: Taxi drivers in China often only speak Chinese. Few of them speak English! It is therefore necessary to have the destination address in Chinese characters write.

Move in electric scooter

Indeed China is not exempt by the meteoric ascent of electric scooters. These scooters can be a great means of transport for short distances and at a lower cost. If you are interested in this means of transport you can get your own electric scooter with our partner.