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Air :
Flying is the easiest way to get from city
to city, and China has a vast domestic air
network -  though some
airlines are better than others. These
include Air China (not to be confused with
the Taiwanese flag carrier, China Airlines),
Hong Kong-based Dragonair, China Southern,
China Eastern, Yunnan Airlines and China
Northern. Always check what type of plane
you are flying on: older Russian aircraft  such
as the Tupolev should be avoided. These are
actually pretty rare, though some older
planes still operate on the more
out-of-the-way routes, particularly in
western provinces such as Xinjiang and
Qinghai. Baggage allowance in economy class
is 20kg (30kg in first class). Hot meals are
rarely served.
Train :
Trains offer a cheaper but slower connection
to every part of the country except Tibet.
Travel times between larger cities are
falling as the 52,000-km rail network
becomes more efficient and old track is
replaced.
 Passengers
can travel either hard seat/sleeper or soft
seat/sleeper. Hard seat is tough but for all
but the shortest trips, since sleep on the
high-backed, packed benches is all but
impossible. Hard sleeper is the choice of
the budget traveller, with six berths in an
open compartments and a limited number of
passengers in each carriage.
Soft seat
carriages are only found on shorter journeys
(Shanghai to Hangzhou, for example) and cost about the
same as hard sleepers. Soft sleepers provide
the best accommodation on the train, with
four (and occasionally two) berths to a
closed compartment, air-conditioning and
even a volume control on the speakers
through which ceaseless official
announcements are made. |
China in Brief
with soft sleep berths costing just 300 Rmb
one-way. Train tickets can be bought through the larger hotels, travel
agencies or main railway stations, but for popular destinations they MUST
be bought at least three days in advance.
China's bus network covers all areas of the
country, including those not yet reached by train. Buses are slow and
basic, though private competition in recent years has raised levels of
comfort and frequency. Good-value luxury and sleeper buses are now
available on some routes, offering padded seats or even bunks, though
passengers are still required to bring their own food and drink.
means of getting around. Larger rivers such as the Yangzi
offer a tremendous experience for tourists seeking to see China at a more
sedate pace. Conditions on board tend to be basic, with accommodation
varying from acceptable to atrocious. Tourists should opt for private
cabins if at all possible.