Transportation in China

China's transportation network is one of the most extensive on Earth, built around a high-speed rail system that connects virtually every major city. The G-trains and D-trains (China's HSR services) are fast, punctual, and comfortable, covering the Beijing, Shanghai corridor, for example, in around four to five hours. Book through 12306.cn (the official platform) or Trip.com, which has a far more foreigner-friendly interface. One non-obvious requirement: rail tickets are tied to your passport number, and station gates scan your document before boarding, build in extra time for this on your first trip. In major cities, metro networks in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and dozens of others are reliable, clean, and increasingly signed in English. The single most important prep work before arrival is payment. China has moved almost entirely to Alipay and WeChat Pay, cash is increasingly refused even at convenience stores, and many transit systems and apps simply don't accept foreign credit cards directly. Foreign visitors can now link international cards to Alipay. Do this before you land. Without it, DiDi (the dominant ride-hailing app, covering most cities) won't work, and you'll find yourself stranded at minor inconveniences repeatedly. Also download Amap (Gaode Maps) rather than relying on Google Maps, which returns unreliable results inside China due to coordinate system differences and access restrictions. For airport arrivals: Shanghai Pudong Airport (PVG) is served by a maglev train to the Longyang Road metro hub, economy class is budget-friendly and far faster than road during peak hours. Beijing Capital Airport (PEK) has a dedicated Airport Express subway line that runs directly into the city center. At both airports, ignore taxi touts in the arrivals hall. They operate outside the metered system. Use the official taxi queue or book a DiDi once you have a local data connection.