Transportation in China

China Air Travel

Airplane is the most convenient and fastest means of transportation. Air travel can cover a longer distances, in shorter span of time.  Hence, the most conducive means to reach China would be through air travel.  Time and energy saved by air travel can be employed gainfully in one’s sojourn to the various tourist attractions that one’s destination has to offer.

China airlines have witnessed a dramatic improvement since the year 1978. A total of 1,176 domestic and international airlines were operated in China by the end of 2003. Some major airports in China are in places like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Hong Kong, with international flights to major cities around the world, as well as domestic flights to major cities within the country.

China Train Travel

A long distance in China can be covered by one of the best and the cheapest way i.e. by taking the train route. Tourists can get to Moscow (Russia), Ulan Bator (Mongolia), Hanoi (Vietnam) and Pyongyang (North Korea) by taking international trains from China.

Shanghai Maglev Train (Shanghai Maglev Demonstration Line) is the first commercial maglev line in the world, and was enrolled by Guinness Records in 2003 as the fastest train in the world in commercial use. It can reach up to 431 km/hr (268 mph) during the journey. See detailed introduction of maglev train.

Wuhan-Guangzhou bullet trains run at a speed of 350 kilometers (220 miles) per hour, which tremendously shortened the time on the road. See more detailed introduction.

Shangri-La Express, formerly known as Orient Express, is a luxury, privately owned hotel train traveling the route of the caravans of the ancient Silk Road.

China Highway Travel
Almost all the towns, counties and cities are accessible by highway. The total mileage of highways in China had reached 3,457,000 kilometers (2,148,080 miles) by the end of 2006. Road conditions are usually very good.

The plenty departures of buses makes the tickets more available than train tickets. And buses are often cheaper than train travel for the same distance.

China Waterway Travel

China now has over 140,000 kilometers (86,992 miles) of navigable inland waterway. Major navigable rivers include the Heilongjiang River, the Yangtze River, the Pearl River, the Huangpu River, as well as the Beijing – Hangzhou Grand Canal, which is the longest artificial canal in the world. More introduction of China'a waterways.

China's Subway

Subways are found only in metropolises including Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Nanjing, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, as well as Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

In Mainland China, the subway lines are not fully developed and the coverage is limited, it is still a good way to get around, as it takes you to the city’s major places where you can conveniently transfer to other means of transportation.