Travel in China

Introduction: Travelling

in China

China, formally the People’s Republic

of is a country in Eastern Asia that

is slightly larger than the United States

of America. With coasts on the East China

Sea, Korea Bay, Yellow Sea, and South

China Sea, it borders Afghanistan, Pakistan,

India, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar (or Burma),

Laos and Vietnam to the south, Tajikistan,

Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan to the west,

Russia to the northeast and northwest,

Mongolia to the north, North Korea on

the northeastern coast.

As you travel in China, you will enjoy

a diversity of culture, language, customs,

and economic levels. The economic landscape

is particularly diverse ranging from

the major cities such as Beijing and

Shanghai which are basically first world

to rural areas in the interior which

are still at third world levels.

China Climate and Topography

The climate is also extremely diverse,

with it being tropical in south to being

sub-arctic in north

There is also a wide range of terrain

with mostly mountains, high plateaus,

and deserts in west; while plains, deltas,

and hills can be found in the east. On

the border between Tibet and Nepal lies

Mount Everest, at 8,850 m, being the

highest point on earth. While Turpan

Pendi, in northwest China is the lowest

point of the country, at 154 m below

sea level. This is also the second lowest

point in the world, after the Dead Sea

in Israel.

Travel in China by Airplane

China

has a great deal of domestic flights

to all the major cities and tourist destinations.

Beware, though, that travelling from

China to Hong Kong is considered an international

flight and, as such, can be quite expensive;

you can save some money at the price

of some hassle by flying to Shenzhen,

just across the border, instead.

Prices for domestic flights in China

are set at standard rates. However, most

good hotels will have a travel ticket

service and will be able to save you

15%-40% off the price of tickets. Even

after considering discounts, traveling

by plane in China is not inexpensive.

Do be prepared for flight delays; these

are on the increase despite pressure

from both the government and consumers.

Train Travel in China

Train

travel is the major mode of long-distance

transportation for the Chinese themselves,

with an extensive network of routes covering

the entire country (with the notable

exception of Tibet).

There are five classes of travel:

    * hard seat travel

class (ying zuo)

    * soft seat travel

class (ruan zuo)

    * hard sleeper travel

class (ying wo)

    * soft sleeper travel

class (ruan wo)

    * standing travel

class

Soft sleepers are the preferred mode

of transportation for long distance travel

and are relatively cheap by Western travel

standards.

Travel China by Bus

Traveling

in China by bus, and by coach,

is inexpensive and ideal

for in-city and short distances

transportation. Local buses

start at around 1 RMB and

can be quite packed during

rush hour. More modern buses

with air conditioning charge

2 RMB. Fares are marked on

the outside of bus doors

and no change is provided,

so have exact fare.

Travel by taxi (in China’s

Cities)

Taxis

in China are generally common, and reasonably

priced. In most situations, expect between

10 and 30 Chinese Yuan for an ordinary

travel within the city. There is no extra-charge

for luggage, but at night it does get

a bit more expensive. While drivers trying

to cheat you by taking a longer way are

not unheard of, it is not that common,

and on average shouldn’t be a nuisance.

Note that sitting in the front passenger

seat of taxis is the norm — some taxis

even mount the taxi meter down by the

gearbox, where you can only see it from

the front seat.

Car Travel in China

It

is disputed if International

Driver’s Permits can be used in mainland

China (the ROC, or Taiwan, is a signatory

to the convention which created IDPs,

but not the mainland). If IDPs cannot

be used on the mainland then one must

pass a local exam to get a PRC driving

licence.

Travel by pedicab

In

some mid-sized cities, pedicabs are a

much more convenient means of travelling

short distances.

Travel in China: Health and

Safety tips

•  Be careful of your valuables

while on the train; property theft on

public transportation has gone up in

the recent years.

•  When you travel in China

by train, be prepared with some motion

sickness pills if you are inclined toward

that type of ailment.

•  Drivers in China often

disregard the rules of the road, and

accidents are frequent. Sudden swerves

and stops can cause injury, so keep a

good hold wherever possible.

This article is licensed under the GNU

Free Documentation License.

It uses material from the Wikitravel

article “China”.

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