Getting around:

Local buses are almost always packed and it can be difficult to determine where they are going. Virtually no one will speak any English on buses and China doesn’t seem to have taken up the handy ‘bus map display’ or some other visual aid that most cities around the world use to help you decide the right bus that you need.

Make sure you know your destination in Chinese before reading through bus route info at bus stops or bus terminals. Online apps and browsers (such as Chinese Baidu) now do this effectively).

Usually, pay the driver (exit at the rear) and in smaller towns, smaller buses require payment with an attendant after you find a seat. These smaller buses hoot away in streets collecting as many passengers, and hence money, as possible. They make for a great adventure if you are a backpacker type of traveller.

Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong have -like so many cities now- underground systems and use a ‘zone’ pricing structure so be sure of your destination name before purchasing a ticket. Beijing went through a rapid underground network expansion in time for the 2008 Olympic Games and now has two massive airports. Make sure you know which you’re heading into/out of. Same goes for Shanghai.

Taxis are the best way to go in almost all parts of China and they’re still very affordable, although almost everyone uses private car apps (Didi being the most famous of these). For short hops ensure the meter is always used. In rural parts, some taxis will avoid meter usage in order to overcharge you – check they use it! For longer distances, when a meter would indeed become costly, you can haggle for an agreeable price. If you plan to visit several key tourist sights around a city and you’re with a group of friends, this could be the ideal way to go. Haggle for an overall price (effectively hiring the taxi, with driver) but set out exactly where you plan to visit. This is a rather economical way to explore off the beaten track sights that organised daytrips don’t cater for or bus services are scarce. This is what my friends and I did for many far-flung historic sites in Xinjiang.

(See also Trains and Daytrips).