China Travel FAQ - Transportation

China is a country of vast distances and you need to travel from one city to another. As for foreigners, we always advise to take air instead of train, because it is much more comfortable and also the airfare in china is not very high.
The Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) is the civil aviation authority. There are several airlines under its management, including Air China, China Eastern, China Southern, China Southwest, China Northern, Shanghai, Yunnan and others, which has opened around 1,000 domestic lines that cover 140 cities with Beijing in the center. There are also 130 international airlines and 21 regional airlines, radiating to60 cities in 40 countries. Flying along these lines are some of the world's finest aircraft, and all the major airports are equipped with the world's best available facilities. Air China is one of the safest air companies in the world.
Planes vary in style and comfort. The more regular traveling routes between cities employ Boeing or Airbus. You may get a hot meal, or just a small piece of cake and an airline souvenir. On-board announcements are delivered in Chinese and English if there are foreigners on board.

You'll need to show your passport when reserving or purchasing a ticket. Business-class tickets cost 25% more than economy-class tickets, and first-class tickets cost an extra 60%. Children over 12 are charged adult fares; kids between two and 12 pay half-price. Toddlers under the age of two pay 10% of the full fare. You can use credit cards at most CAAC offices and travel agents.
Buying tickets during the Chinese New Year, and the 1 May and 1 October week-long holidays is near impossible, so plan early.

The validity period of normal fare tickets, whether for single, return or circular trips, is one year. The validity periods of special fare tickets and discount normal fare tickets are calculated on the basis of related fares in accordance with relevant stipulations.

In the past, you have to buy airport tax for each flight you took on the spot when you arrived at the airport. It is 50 Yuan for each domestic flight and 90 Yuan for each international flight.
But now the airport tax has been prepaid when issuing the tickets. It is included in the airfare. So it is not necessary to buy the airport tax in the airport on the day when you take the flight.

When you take flight in china, it is very important to know and follow the regulations of the airline or the airport, otherwise you will have troubles. Following are the baggage regulations:

1. Carry-on Baggage
According to the regulation, 2 pieces of carry-on luggage are allowed for a passenger holding a first-class ticket; and 1 piece for a passenger with a business or an economy-class ticket. The dimensions for each piece of luggage allowed should not exceed 20x40x55 cm, and the maximum weight shall not exceed 5 kg. You'll have to pay if you bring more luggage aboard than is allowed in terms of piece or weight.
2. Free Luggage Allowance by Weight
The free luggage allowance by weight for every passenger holding a ticket with full fare or half fare for an international or regional flight is 40 kg for a first-class ticket, 30 kg for a business class ticket, and 20 kg for an economy class ticket. No free luggage allowance is granted to babies who pay 10 percent of the adult fare.
IF YOU ARE TRAVELING TOGETHER IN GROUP MORE THAN 1 PEOPLE, YOU CAN USE YOUR ALLOWANCE TOGETHER.
Even though the check in Baggage allowance is 20kg for person when flying in China, you can put 2 people's allowance together, which means, if you have 35kg, your friend have only 5kg, as long as you 2 check in together at the airport, that will be fine. But if the total weight exceeds 40kg, they will charge you the over weight part. This policy also applies to 3, 4, 5 or even more people, as long as they are checking in at the same time on the airport counter.
3. ARTICLES WHICH CANNOT NE TAKEN AS BAGGAGE
Passengers are not allowed to carry in their checked or carryon baggage dangerous articles, such as flammable, explosive, corrosive, poisonous, radioactive, polymerizable and magnetized materials. Passengers are forbidden to carry arms, sharp or lethal weapons when taking a flight.
4.ARTICLES WHICH CANNOT BE PACKED IN THE CHECKED BAGGAGE
Passengers are not allowed to pack in the checked baggage important documents, classified materials, diplomatic mail bags, negotiable securities, currencies, money orders, valuables, vulnerable perishables and articles and other articles needed in the special custody of somebody. The carrier will not be liable for the loss of or damage to the aforementioned.
5.BAGGAGE PACKING
The checked baggage should be packed perfectly, well locked, toed up solidly and be able to withstand pressure to a reasonable extent. Carriers may refuse to accept for carriage if the baggage packing does not meet to the requirements.
6. BAGGAGE COMPENSATION
The carrier will be liable to compensate for the loss of or damage to the checked baggage due to the carrier's fault. The norm of compensation shall not exceed RMB 50 yuan per kg.. If the value of the baggage is less than RMB 50 yuan per kg., the amount of compensation shall be paid according to its actual value of the loss.
7. BAGGAGE DECLARED VALUE
A passenger may declare the value of his baggage if the value of his checked baggage exceeds RMB 50 yuan per kg.. Baggage declared value can not exceed the value of the current baggage. The maximum baggage declared value is RNB 8,000 yuan.
8. SECURITY INSPECTIION
Passengers and their baggage (including checked and carryon baggage) are subject to the security inspection before boarding the aircraft.

－For domestic flight, you need to arrive at the airport at least one hour before departure of flight; For international flight, you need to arrive two hours before departure.
－Do not leave your luggage unattended or with someone you don't know. If you need someone to help you with your luggage, you can call the “red hat” inside the airport. Never agree to carry anything on board or in your luggage for someone else. If you see an unattended briefcase, suitcase or package, notify security.
－When deplaning, claim your baggage immediately and leave the airport quickly. Beware of drivers in unmarked cars claiming to be cab drivers.
－when going through the security check, you have to put your carry-on luggage, wallet, key and cell phone on the belt for safety examination. After finishing, please have a check and don’t leave anything behind.
－please take care of the luggage claim checks which are offered to you when you check in your luggage at the check in counter. One check is offered for one piece of luggage. After you arrive at the next stop and claim all your check in luggage, you have to return the checks to the airport personnel before you go out of the arrival hall. In case your check in luggage is lost or damaged, you need to show the checks for compensation from the airport or airline.

Although crowded, trains are the best way to get around in reasonable speed and comfort. The network covers every province except Tibet, but engineers are working on that last mountainous bastion. There is an estimated 52,000kin of railway lines in China, most of which was built after 1949.
The safety record of the train system is good. The new fleet of trains is also a vast improvement on the old models - they are much cleaner and are equipped with air-con. Many train stations require that luggage be x-rayed before entering the waiting area. Just about all train stations have left-luggage rooms where you can safely dump your bags for about ¥2 to ¥4.
Most trains have dining cars where you can find passable food. Railway staffs also regularly walk by with pushcarts offering instant noodles, bread, boxed rice lunches, ham, beer, mineral water and soft drinks.
Remember never entrust your luggage to someone not in uniform. Get baggage claim checks and hold on to them

Different types of trains are usually recognizable by the train number. All trains beginning with the letter 'T' are 'special express' trains. They have all classes and there is a surcharge for speed and superior facilities. This class of train is the quickest, most luxurious and most ex-pensive. With a few exceptions, the inter-national trains are included in this group. All trains beginning with the letter 'K' are 'fast speed' trains. Train numbers starting with the letter 'Y' are tourist trains. All other train numbers not beginning with a T, K or Y are normal speed trains. Sleepers can be found on all long-distance trains.

Chinese trains differ from those in other countries as the seating is not separated into first and second class areas. In China, the accommodation on the trains is divided into four categories, namely, soft-sleeper, soft-seat, hard-sleeper and hard-seat.
Hard Seat
Except on the trains that serve some of the branch or more obscure lines, hard seat is in fact padded, but you'll get little sleep on the upright seats. Since hard seat is the cheapest rail option, it's usually packed to the gills, the lights stay on all night, passengers spit on the floor, you can carve the smoke in the air and the carriage speakers endlessly drone news, weather, good tidings and music. Hard seat on tourist, express trains or newer trains is more pleasant, less crowded and there could be air-con.
Hard seat is OK for a day trip, but beyond that the enjoyment of your journey will be dependent on your comfort threshold.
Hard Sleeper
These are comfortable and only a fixed number of people are allowed in the sleeper carriage. The carriage has doorless compartments with six bunks in three tiers. Sheets, pillows and blankets are provided. There is a small price difference between berths, with the lowest bunk the most expensive and the top-most bunk the cheapest. You may wish to take the middle bunk as all and sundry invade the lower berth to use it as a seat during the day, while the top one has little headroom and puts you near the speakers (tall passengers may prefer the top bunk as the beds are short and passengers in the aisle bash into their overhanging feet). When you buy your ticket you will be asked which level you want, and this will be on your ticket. Lights and speakers in hard sleeper go out at around 9.30pm to 10pm. Competition for hard sleepers has become keen in recent years, and you'll be lucky to get one on short notice.
Soft Seat
The seats are comfortable and overcrowding is not permitted. Smoking is prohibited, but if you want to smoke you can do so by going out into the corridor between cars. Soft seat costs about the same as hard sleeper.
Soft Sleeper
Soft sleeper is luxurious travel, with four comfortable bunks in a closed compartment, wood panelling, potted plants, lace curtains, teacups, clean washrooms, carpets and air-con. Soft sleeper costs twice as much as hard sleeper, and sometimes as much as flying.

Train travel in China has to be undertaken with the full knowledge that the system is designed for the local population who are familiar with the standard conditions, so you can not put very high expectations on the service on the train. Most of the train staffs can not speak English. But English signage is available in the railway stations. Also a separate waiting lounge in the railway stations is available to passengers with soft seat or soft sleeper. Preferential boarding is available for those passengers.

Nowadays in china, construction of expressways and first-and second-class highways for the nation's tourism industry is in high swing and road conditions are improving, so it is very comfortable and easy to take by bus from one city to another, especially for short -distance travel.
The tour bus dispatched by our company is clean, brand new and well-equipped with air conditioning and comfortable seats. All drivers are acre drivers with excellent service and good safety record. So when you take the bus from one city to another, you can have a good view of the beautiful scenery outside the window and also listen to the wonderful introductions delivered by the local guide. I think it will be a good experience for you.

Taxis are a convenient means of transportation in various cities in China. There is basic charge of 8 or 10 Yuan within certain amount of distances. Beyond that there are extra fares ranging from 1 to 2 Yuan per km. All taxis with business permit have meter installed inside. You will pay the expense according to the meter. And it is not necessary to give tips to the taxi driver.
You can easily call a taxi simply by standing on the roadside and raising your hand. In big cities like Beijing and Shanghai, it is very difficult to get a taxi in the rush hour, so it is advisable to reserve a taxi in advance through the front desk of the hotel. Because. You'd better choose a taxi with a business permit. Before you disembark from a taxi ride, ask the driver for a receipt.

There are bicycles for rent in some hotels in Beijing. If you have a free day in your itinerary, you can rent a new bicycle with a small sum of money, and then explore into the city on your own. The most exciting bicycle tour in china is in Yangshuo, a small county near Guilin with unrivalled beautiful scenery. You can take boat cruise from Guiin to Yangshuo and spend an overnight. In the next morning, you rent a bicycle and ride in the small countryside road. The fresh air and the idyllic scenery will make you feel you have come to the fairyland. Riding old-fashioned rickshaw for a tour of Beijing's hutongs and back alleys also proves a unique tourist experience.