PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IN CHINA

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IN CHINA
Sep 13, 2006 06:44
TEKNOMED Points: Join Date: Aug 7, 2006 Status: offline	Public transportation in China at least Eastern China are excellent. Within the cities taxi are very good. Most taxi drivers are honest and hardworking people. It is not that I have not been ripped off before but these are exeception rather than the norm. The Metro is a cheap and fast way of getting around if you know where you want to go. Only thing to watch out for are pickpockets. For intercity travel, the buses are very good if your journey is about 3 hours or so. Most of these buses are new and comfortable. The trains are very good for long distances of more than 3 or 4 hours. The soft seats are very comfortable and the coaches are clean and spacious. Air transport in China can be quite a problem due to delays and sometimes flight cancellation. Most of the planes are new though. In order to travel smoothly without any incident, one should have a very basic knowledge of the Chinese language as most of the local people do not speak English.

Sep 13, 2006 06:44

TEKNOMED
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Join Date: Aug 7, 2006
Status: offline

Public transportation in China at least Eastern China are excellent. Within the cities taxi are very good. Most taxi drivers are honest and hardworking people. It is not that I have not been ripped off before but these are exeception rather than the norm. The Metro is a cheap and fast way of getting around if you know where you want to go. Only thing to watch out for are pickpockets.
For intercity travel, the buses are very good if your journey is about 3 hours or so. Most of these buses are new and comfortable. The trains are very good for long distances of more than 3 or 4 hours. The soft seats are very comfortable and the coaches are clean and spacious. Air transport in China can be quite a problem due to delays and sometimes flight cancellation. Most of the planes are new though.
In order to travel smoothly without any incident, one should have a very basic knowledge of the Chinese language as most of the local people do not speak English.

Sep 14, 2006 17:31

GERALDINE
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Join Date: Jun 6, 2004
Status: Offline

Totally agree- we had no trouble getting transport at all and even with no knowledge of the language, we were armed with a Lonely Planet Guide Book and a LP phrase book and we were able to secure just what we wanted without any hassle. Some of the challenge for me in travelling is having to work through those situations like language differences and some of the best and most memorable times of our trip were the ones we spent with the local people ans our two phrase books!!( we carried a second book so that we could lend it to the people we ended up travelling with and at least have some sort of conversation. They were unforgettable moments of hilarity as we struggled to get our tongues around each others languages.

Sep 14, 2006 22:50	#2
MSTRAN Points: Join Date: Sep 11, 2006 Status: Offline	Thanks for telling something that could be helpful for most first-time traveler to China like us ! I 've heard that almost the local peoples speak no English . That why I 'm trying to learn and print out some usual Mandarin phrases . It might help .

Sep 15, 2006 04:14

TEKNOMED
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Join Date: Aug 7, 2006
Status: Offline

Mstran and any first time traveller to China, I think you will find the local very helpful. We left our Indian friend in Changzhou recently with a train ticket back to Shanghai. He does not speak or read Chinese. When he arrived at the Changzhou railway station he showed his ticket to a girl in uniform. Using gestures she made him wait at the departure lounge. When the train to Shanghai was at the station, this unifrom person lead my Indian friend not only to the platform but up the coach as well. All this was done without having to understand each other's language. That is service for you.

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