Getting Around China
China's best way to get around is its high-speed rail network — G-trains connect Beijing, Xi'an, and Shanghai in comfort, with one-way fares from roughly $50-90. Book through Trip.com or the 12306 app before you fly. The one real catch: Uber doesn't operate in mainland China, so download Didi (and a VPN, since most Western apps are blocked) before you land, not after.
Getting to China
Beijing Capital/Daxing and Shanghai Pudong are the main international gateways, with Guangzhou and Hong Kong as secondary options for the south. Flight time runs roughly 10-15 hours depending on where you're flying from, with round-trip fares typically $700-1,400 from the US, Europe, or Australia. Direct flights exist from most major Western hubs; travelers from smaller cities usually connect through one of these gateways or a hub like Seoul or Tokyo.
Getting around: the real options
China is enormous, and its cities are genuinely far apart — Beijing to Shanghai is roughly the distance from New York to Chicago. The good news is the country built one of the best rail networks on Earth specifically to solve this problem, and it's almost always the better choice over flying once you factor in airport time.
- High-speed rail (G-trains) — the standout option. Beijing-Xi'an runs 4.5-6 hours (~$70-85), Xi'an-Shanghai 6-7 hours (~$75-95), Beijing-Shanghai 4.5-5.5 hours (~$85-110). Clean, punctual, and genuinely comfortable, with second-class seats fine for most travelers.
- Domestic flights — worth it for far-flung regions the rail network doesn't cover well, like Guilin, Chengdu, or Tibet. Airports are often far from city centers and delays are common, so factor in real transfer time.
- Long-distance buses — cheaper than trains but much slower; mainly useful for reaching specific rural sites (some Great Wall sections) not well served by rail.
- Car rental / driving — not realistic for most visitors. Foreign licenses aren't valid; you'd need a temporary Chinese driving permit through a local vehicle office, which is a genuinely complicated process not built for tourists. Hire a driver for day trips instead, or stick to trains and Didi.
Getting around inside cities
Beijing, Shanghai, and Xi'an all have modern, cheap, English-signed subway systems — genuinely one of the easier parts of a China trip. For anything the subway doesn't reach, use Didi, China's dominant ride-hailing app (Uber does not operate in mainland China at all). Didi has an English-language mode, but you'll want a China-friendly payment method (Alipay or WeChat Pay, set up before you arrive) linked to it.
| Route/option | Typical cost | Typical time |
|---|---|---|
| Beijing Capital Airport to downtown (Airport Express + subway) | $3-4 | 45-60 min |
| Beijing to Xi'an by G-train | $70-85 | 4.5-6 hrs |
| Beijing subway, single ride | $0.30-0.70 | — |
Download Didi and a VPN before you land — VPN provider websites and app stores are themselves blocked once you're inside China, so setting one up at the airport is much harder than doing it at home. Set up Alipay's international tourist mode too; it's what actually gets Didi rides and train tickets paid for smoothly.
Common transport mistakes
The single biggest mistake is assuming Uber will work — it hasn't operated in mainland China for years, and Didi is the only real equivalent. The second is not realizing China's high-speed trains run on a real-name ticket system: every ticket is tied to your passport, and you'll need it to both buy and board, so keep it handy rather than packed away. Booking Great Wall or Terracotta Army day trips as add-ons to a train transfer day, rather than giving each its own full day, is a common scheduling mistake too — see our attractions guide for the timing that actually works.