Simon Foster - CHINA's Three Gorges & Xi'an

By Water

Not many people arrive in China by ship, but it is still a possibility and Shanghai is served by ferries from Japanwhile cruise liners call in at Hong Kong. Cruises last from a couple of weeks to months, but they generally only spend a few days docked at Hong Kong and cost in the thousands of dollars. Cruise companies that run to Hong Kong include:

Clipper (www.clippercruise.com)

Cunard (www.cunard.com)

P&O (www.pocruises.com)

Princess (www.princess.com)

Seabourn (www.seabourn.com)

Star (www.starcruises.com)

Getting Around

China is a vast country with an ever-improving transport network, especially between principal cities, but it is also still a developing country and, while some services are ultra-modern, others are super-slow. Some regions are ruled by the road, while others are served better by rail. Travel by any mode of transport tends to be good value, especially when the distances covered are considered, although bus is usually the cheapest and flying the most expensive. The duration and scope of your itinerary and the amount of money you have to spend are deciding factors in how you travel. To get to smaller or more out of the way places you may have to take a bus (often from a railhead town), although for anything longer than a few hours, if it's an option, the train is preferable, unless you have the money to fly. Even if money is no object, I'd recommend at least one long distance train journeyfor the experience. Indeed, implicit in the term "traveling” is the journey itself and, for some, getting from A to B is the best part of the adventure. China has an abundance of local transport options which, while often uncomfortable, give you real insight into the lives of the people. Wherever you're planning to travel, unless you speak Mandarin, be sure to take along your destination written in Chinese (see the Chinese language section at the end of this guide). While pronouncing the name may seem like a simple process, the tones of the language and the plethora of similar-sounding place names can cause confusion.

Below are some sample fares (quoted in US dollars) in order to give a rough idea of the costs of different modes of transport.

By Air

China has an extensive flight network incorporating hundreds of frequently served airports. There are several regional airlines(China Southern, China Southwestern, etc.), many of which are subdivisions of Air China, the national carrier. Most towns of any significance have a branch of the regional airline that can issue tickets and many hotels have travel agents who can book them for a small commission. In larger cities you'll find CAAC offices where you can buy tickets for most airlines and often get buses to the airport. Airports can be close to the city center or tens of miles away so check when you purchase your tickets. While Chinese air travel doesn't have a particularly good safety track record, things have definitely improved, both in terms of pilot ability and aircraft quality. That said, flying in China is a very different experience, from the frequent turbulence to the "lucky seat lottery,” although delays seem to be a worldwide feature!

Airline Details

Air China (www.airchina.com)

China Eastern Airlines (www.ce-air.com)

China Southern Airlines (www.cs-air.com/en)

China Southwestern Airlines (www.cswa.com)

Dragon Air (www.dragonair.com)

Shanghai Airlines (www.shanghai-air.com/English/ehome)

By Rail

Rail is generally my favorite mode of travel in any country and China is no exception. More comfortable than by road and cheaper than air, train travel affords you some time to reflect on your travels as the countryside unfolds through the window to the gentle (and sometimes abrupt) clackety clack of the tracks below. It also offers the opportunity to meet locals (albeit, on occasion, too closely for comfort). And it can give you a look at the conflicts of modern China; the system is authoritarian in essence, with its smartly dressed, stern staff and regulated systems, but these days you can hire VCD players (some trains even have individual TVs in first-class sleeper compartments) and buy tacky toys along the way. Stations usually have shops and stalls selling all the goods you'll need for a long journey and there are dining carriages on many sleeper servicesalong with platform snacks along the way. You'll also find checkroomsfor luggage at stations and some stations have designated waiting rooms for first-class passengers (see Classes , below). China has an extensive railway network that covers all the major cities, now including Lhasa, which is the end destination of the high-altitude, ultra-modern Tibet line, part of the government's program to develop the west.

Categories of Train

Trains are categorized according to their speed. The new D trainsare the fastest, with Ztrains hot on their heels, followed by Tand then Ktrains, which are still fairly speedy. Un-lettered trains are the slowest of the bunch and are worth avoiding if you have a long distance to cover, as they also tend to be older and thus less comfortable and clean. The faster the train, the more expensive the tickets will be.

Classes

Trains are divided into four classes and any train may have all or only one of these classes, depending on its route and speed. All classes have restrooms(though these are often squat and can get pretty filthy), a supply of hot waterfor tea, and generally some kind of food and drinkprovision, usually in the form of a buffet car and food trolleys.

The bottom of the scale is " hard seat” which is, on the oldest trains, literally that, just a hard wooden seat, though most of these have been replaced by (still fairly rigid) cushioned seats. This is where you'll get to mingle with the masses but, when you consider the price, it's really not that bad, although it can be taxing for longer journeys. Soft seatis the next level up and the seats and clientele reflect the jump in price. Soft-seat carriages are sometimes double-decker. Hard sleeperis the most commonly used class for longer trips and accordingly gets booked up the quickest. Although the name doesn't quite conjure up images of luxury, it's actually fairly comfortable. Here you'll have one of six bunks fitted into booths along one side of the train. Although the bottom level is the most expensive, followed by the middle level and then the top, there is debate among travelers as to which is best. The bottom obviously offers the easiest access and is the roomiest, but you'll have people sitting on your bed during the day. You get a little less room in the middle but more privacy, and on the top you feel away from it all, although you have very little space to savor this. Soft sleeperis the top of the line, where you'll reside in a private four-bunk compartment. As with hotels, the comfort of the train also depends on its age, thus hard sleeper on a new train can be almost as good as soft sleeper on an old one The most modern trains on major routes (Beijing to Shanghai, for example) have a new " business” classwhere you get a two-room compartment complete with restroom and TV! In the sleeper classes you're provided with clean bedding and a flask of hot water per compartment. On entering the train you'll need to exchange your ticket for a metal or plastic tag, which enables the attendant to make sure you get off at the right station. Indeed, you'll often be awakened a good hour before the train is due so they can turn your bed around for the next passenger. Although the incidence of crime isn't high, it's worth securing your luggage to a rail with a padlock and keeping an eye on your possessions