Traveling China: China's well-connected public Transportation System

sinjahaag
30. Juli 2024
9 Min. Lesezeit

Aktualisiert: 9. Mai

If you are thinking about hiring a car in China, you might want to think twice. By this, I do not mean to question your driving skills, even though these might be challenged in especially bigger cities, such as Shanghai and Beijing, as traffic rules sometimes appear to be obsolete and a bit chaotic. Mixed with a little bit of bicycle riders here and some out-of-nowhere appearing mopeds there, you will have an adventurous time driving. The biggest challenge of all will in fact be the high traffic volume that reaches its peak during rush hours. During these times, short distances can easily turn into a 1 - 1,5 hour ride with lots of honking, criss-crossing lanes and standing still. Therefore, choosing public transport options instead will not only make you save time, but nerves and sanity. China's public transport infrastructure mainly relies upon three main categories:

China's subway
Didi aka Uber as affordable taxi alternative
Trains

How these transportation systems work, what you need to know and look forward to, consider and pay attention to is listed below.

China's Subway: easy, convenient and fast

China has a well- developed and convenient subway system that takes you anywhere whilst bypassing high traffic on the streets. Each station obtains a full metro map for you to look at, whilst you can also download a metro app and/or metro overview up front onto your phone.

To me, the easiest way to travel and find the next station, depending on where I want to head to next, is Apple Maps. Simply enter your desired end destination and the app will tell you the exact subway line to look for, possibly applying transfer stations, number of stops and duration time.

Taking the Subway: where & how to buy tickets?

To take the subway, you can either purchase single-way tickets at one of ticket vending machines situated at each station. An easier, more convenient way, is to purchase a physical subway card. This is especially useful if you are staying in a city longer than just one day. Subway cards can be purchased at a ticket counter. In most cases they require a minimum purchase of 40 – 50RMB. One ride is usually between 2 – 3 RMB, sometimes, depending on the destination and distance, up to 5RMB. Meaning, you have plenty of time to use your card, exploring the city flexibly without recharging and/or buying new tickets every time entering the metro. The remaining money on your card can be seen each time to hold your card onto the exit doors when leaving a metro. This way, you are always up-to-date on how many more rides you are able to undertake. Another cool thing when using Apple Maps is that it usually tells you amount of money to be paid when travelling from destination A to B.

Also good to know is that even if you run out of money, e.g. in the case you enter the metro with 2RMB remaining on your card, whereas the distance requires for you to pay 5RMB, you will always get out of the metro without any consequence; just re-entering is not possible.

If your money is almost used, simply go back to the ticket counter for a quick recharge. You can pay via Alipay, WeChat or cash. Please take into consideration that each city, e.g. Shanghai, Beijing, Chengdu, etc. all require separate metro cards.

Entering China's Subway: security first!

How to find the right platform?

You know your desired destination and metro line? Then it is easy to get around! Subway lines are clearly marked in different colors, depending on the metro lines you need to take. You can also pay attention to the floor, guiding the way to respective stations.

Once at the station, you have two directions to choose from. If you are not certain which platform is the right one to take, simply take a look at the route plan- greyed-out stations have already been passed, in black marked stations are the ones the subway is heading to next. So, in case your end destination is marked in grey, you might want to change sides to catch the right train. And no worries, all stations are written in English letters as well for tourists to find their way.

Subway riding: cuddling at narrow space

Once the train arrives, announcements are made in both Chinese and English. You also have monitors highlighting when the next train arrives. In most cases, trains depart every 2 – 6 minutes.

To enter the train, marks can be found on the floor to follow. Usually, people are required to queue on the left- and right-hand side of a wagon, leaving space for everyone exiting the train in the middle. As you will notice, a smooth transit oftentimes does not take place, depending on how crowded the trains are. Rather, a respectful push- and pull principle applies. If you are lucky enough to grab a seat, great! But pay attention to elderly people, as seats are usually offered out of respect.

Too full to enter? Foreign word and not applicable to China. Where there is a train, there is a way to enter. So, even if trains might seem to be overpacked, people will manage to still get in- and out, and so will you. Do not hesitate or feel uncomfortable, people will ensure for you to find space.

Moving along, the stations ahead are announced in Chinese and English, a monitor also highlights which station the train is arriving to, making it quite difficult to miss your end point.

Subway exit: caught in the maze?

Exiting the subway station is not a single-way-out story. There are several exists to consider. Depending on where you want to go, you might find yourself at the complete opposite of a desired destination street when taking the wrong exit. Therefore, check the signs that usually highlight tourist attractions and street destinations, pointing right or left or sometimes are even marked with north/east/south/west or alphabetical numbers (e.g. A – F). Taking the wrong turn is nothing bad but might result in time-consuming detours you need to walk.

You might also find exists into a shopping mall whose staircase is connected to the entry/exit of the metro. These exits, from my own experience, even cause more confusion than taking the normal way-out. So, if you can avoid them, do so! 

Didi: China's mobile transportation platform

Looking for a low budget alternative to taking a taxi? Then Didi will become your all-time favourite. Didi is the leading mobile transportation platform in China, comparable to what’s commonly known as “Uber” in other countries.

Didi can be accessed via a separate app or even easier by simply opening your Alipay app, in which Didi is included. Choose your desired destination and pick a car- or scooter option. The app will search for the closest available driver and confirm your pick-up shortly afterwards. You can either pay via app or scan the QR code in the taxi to pay.

China's Train System: high-speed traveling with comfort

Taking the climate-friendly option of train riding instead of catching a plane when traveling from one place to another in China is an underestimated experience that saves you time and money. Plus, it allows you to comfortably observe China's landscape out of the window.

Where and how to buy tickets?

Train tickets can either be purchased online (Alipay or trip.com) or at the service counter at the train station. Due to high traffic, it is recommendable to book your tickets in advance. You might proceed as follows:

Open your Alipay app and click on "TripAir-Train" (you will automatically be forwarded to trip.com)

Choose "trains" in the upper navigation bar
Enter your place of departure, arrival destination & travel date
Please note: pay attention to which train station you choose. Most cities have more than one train station to leave from/arrive to, so ensure to double-check where to head to/leave from on the day of travel!
Click on "add return trip" in case you want to come back to the place of departure
Scroll through the list of options to choose from and pay attention to date, time and duration of respective train offers
Choose the filter function to fine-tune your search, e.g. only high-speed trains
Select the train ride of choice and make your pick between business-, 1st- and 2nd class train ride
Confirm your booking

>> Note that trains can only be booked earliest two weeks in advance. In this case, you can make a reservation to already save a spot <<

Train Station Entrance: security check & platform orientation

Unlike Germany, where one can freely enter the train station, directly proceeding to your platform of departure, China's train stations cannot be entered without surpassing a security check first. Have your train ticket and more importantly passport ready and look out for staff members at the security line. This is due to the fact that the usual security check-in terminals require for Chinese citizens to scan their ID to enter. International passports will unfortunately not work and will need to be checked manually.

Your luggage must go onto a conveyer band to be checked, whilst also you will be scanned from the staff. This is a common and quick procedure, similar to taking the subway.

Lighters, sharp things, sprays and water are prohibited to be taken with you. However, you have plenty of opportunities to purchase water, coffee, other drinks and of course snacks inside the train station.

Find me at the Gates!

Past the security check, you will find yourself in the hall of gates. By saying gates, I do not refer to the actual train platform but rather waiting halls with plenty of seats. The actual train platform is situated one floor below another ticket check-in point that will be opened approximately 30min. to departure. You will see people queuing up in front quite early.

Have a look onto your ticket, which states both your gate, seat number and wagon to look for. Big TV screens also highlight different train departures, times and gate to cross-check. You can also approach service staff to double-check on where to go, in case needed.

Now comes the interesting part: the separation between platforms "A" and "B". Let's say your train departs at platform 21, you will find 21A on the left-hand side and 21B on the right-hand side. Below A and B the sequential numbering of wagons is stated, e.g. 21A (wagon 1 - 15), 21B (wagon 16 - 31). Again, have a look onto your ticket and approach the appropriate waiting hall. Get in-line for people with special needs/assistance, as your passport will, again, not pass the common security check-in counters, requiring Chinese citizens to scan their ID-card to enter. The staff at the check-in will be happy to help you.

Follow the crowd onto the train platform (usually taking a staircase down one level). The train will be readily awaiting. Wagon numbers are clearly stated, so it will be easy to find your wagon and seat inside straight away. If you have bigger luggage with you ensure to check-in as early as possible, as storage space is limited. Take a seat, lean back and enjoy the ride!

Train Service & Travel Comfort

Speaking of my own experiences, traveling 2nd class has never been a disappointment. Each seat is equipped with USB interfaces to charge your devices while traveling. In addition, train staff will ensure for you to feel comfortable all along your train ride. You will see staff cleaning the floors at regular intervals, collecting garbage you might have whilst snacking and offering coffee, water and a variety of affordable snacks whilst passing with a snack trolley. Toilets are neat and clean, containing washing soap and hand disenfection. Upgrading to business- or 1st class might involve more seat space and even more service pampering to look forward to.

How to know where to get off? Station announcements and possible language barriers

All stations the train is about to approach are announced in both Chinese and English. You can even read the next station on a TV screen hung up in the train. If you want to have an overview on the total numbers of stops and stations, you can either open Apple Maps or alternatively check on your e-ticket (trip.com) in your app, highlighting all intermediate stops + estimated travel times in between.