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

Buying a Ticket

Buying a ticket from the train station can be a confusing and time-consuming business, so many travelers elect to purchase them through an agent(often found in your hotel), for a small surcharge. For frequently served shorter routes it's easy enough to just arrive at the station and get a ticket for the next train. However, for longer journeys, especially during peak times or on popular routes, trains can be completely booked for days, so if you know your schedule it's worth buying your ticket on arrival in the city. If you do buy your ticket at the station, make sure you take along the written Chinese name for your destination(see language boxes in individual chapters), ask which line to stand in, then get ready for some pushing, culminating in the frantic decision-making process as the masses behind try to oust you from your number one spot! Some stations have designated foreigners' ticket windows, which are worth seeking out as the staff might speak English and the lines are often shorter. See the Language section at the end of this guide for the train classes in Chinese.

By Road

China's road network has undergone massive investment in the last decade and some journey times have been dramatically reduced as a result. The efficiency of the government is undeniable in making progress here. While environmental action committees and protests are often the norm when a new road is proposed in Europe, in China it's a simple case of get out of the way or face the consequences. This may show little concern for human rights, but it is certainly an efficient way of getting the job done and roads are finished in a fraction of the time it would take elsewhere in the world (safety considerations aside). New toll highwayshave been built between major cities and roads have often superseded former modes of transport (especially the rivers) as the way to get around. However, China remains an enormous country and, although some areas (the Pearl River Delta and the Yangzi Basin) have been dissected by new expresswaysin recent times, much of rural China is still connected by unbelievably bumpy dirt tracks, which get washed away every rainy season. Journeys on these routes can be crowded, uncomfortable, frustrating and scary. But, if you're not in a hurry, they are another great way to see the country and come face-to-face with the locals, baskets of chickens and all.

Buses

While seldom as comfortable as the train, buses are generally cheaper, more frequent and often quicker for shorter routes. In remote or mountainous areasbuses may be the only transport option. Intercity buses are generally categorized as putong ( ordinary) class or kuai ( express). The latter use expressways where available and are thus faster, tend to be more comfortable and are around double the price.There are also sleeper busesthat link cities across the country, sometimes taking upwards of 30 hours. Typically, these are rickety old affairs with flat bunk beds, but a new breed of upmarket express sleeper buseshas recently come into being, with DVD players, fully reclinable chairs and restrooms. On shorter routes you might also find shuttle minibuses, which cost a little more than standard buses and are a little quicker once on the road, but you'll have to wait for them to fill up before leaving. With local services your luggage may go on the roof or have to be squeezed in with you, but on more modern vehicles it will probably be stowed beneath and you'll receive a tag to reclaim it. It's worth taking some food on long-distance services as break stops can be erratic, but on rural routes there may be a wealth of local snacks to choose from as passengers get on and off at small market towns. There are usually shops selling snacks at bus stations and there may also be luggage storage facilities.

Buying a Ticket

In smaller towns and cities there may only be one bus stationbut in larger urban areas there can often be several, which serve different regions, as well as express stations in the center. For short hops you can generally just show up and get on the next bus, but for longer journeys it's worth buying your ticket in advance or arriving in the morning as buses are less frequent in the afternoons, and often finish at sundown during winter, unless there are sleeper services. Once you're at the station you may be faced with a daunting number of ticket windows but staff are generally helpful.

Car Rental

Forbidden until recently, car rental options are still limited in China unless you're a resident with a Z visa (and a valid license from your home country), in which case you can obtain the Chinese license necessary to drive here. Otherwise, your options are restricted to hiring a car with driver, which can be arranged through major international chains such as Avis (www.avischina.com) and Hertz (www.hertz.com.cn) or local companies – rates start from around US$40 a day.

Hong Kongand Macauare exceptions to the rule and you can easily rent a self-drive car in either – exploring Macau's coastal roads in the Cub and Moke jeeps they offer is great fun. If you live on the mainland and choose to drive, it soon becomes apparent that the rules of the road revolve around size – the bigger the vehicle the more you need to avoid it. Outside of the cities you need to pay particular attention at night as many drivers seem oblivious to the fact their cars have lights!

By Boat

Rivers and canals used to be one of the primary transport means for both people and freight in China, but these days they have been replaced by road, rail and air. Conversely, for visitors, river travel still offers one of the best ways to see idyllic rural China, with some of the country's most spectacular scenery as a backdrop. Of particular note are the Three Gorges, Guangxi's Li Riverand the Grand Canal. While you can organize most cruises while you're in China, if you want to guarantee a quality boat to cruise the Three Gorges it's worth booking from home – see the websites listed under Booking from Overseas . There are also ferriesbetween Hong Kongand Macauand to Pearl River Delta destinations.

City Travel

Subway

These days many of China's major cities, including Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Shanghai and Beijing, have subway systems which are sometimes known as MTRs (Mass Transit Railways) and these offer a convenient, easy and inexpensive way to get around these cities. You usually buy tickets ($2-10) from machines, which have English instructions, and stations are marked (and sometimes announced) in English. Closest subway stations are given where appropriate throughout the book.

Bus

Every Chinese city has a cheap and extensive bus network and this often forms the backbone of the urban transport system. However, the fact that destinations are generally only marked in Chinese, and that buses can be very crowded and often aren't air-conditioned makes the subway preferable where it's an option. You normally pay ($1-2) onboard and often need to have exact change. Show the driver your destination written in Chinese and, if you're lucky, he or she will give you the nod when it's time to get off. Bus numbers are given where appropriate throughout the book.