Trains. Taxis. Flights.
All in one app.

China's HSR network is the largest on earth — 45,000+ km of dedicated track. Top trains run at 350 km/h. Beijing to Shanghai (1,318 km) takes 4.5–5.5 hours and costs $77 in second class. The official app, 12306, has English mode but requires a 2–12 hour passport verification wait. Most foreign travelers skip it and use Trip.com, which charges a $2–5 fee but issues tickets instantly. Your passport is your ticket — show it at the gate, no paper needed.

Once Alipay is set up, you don't need to install Didi separately — it lives as a mini-program inside Alipay (open the app, search 'Didi'). English interface, foreign card accepted, payment automatic. Base fare $1.80, $0.40/km. A 20 km cross-city ride is $10–12. Tipping isn't expected. Old-school metered taxis still work too; have your destination written in Chinese characters as backup.

In May 2025, the central government banned hotels from refusing foreign guests — a national-level rule, not a guideline. In practice some budget hotels still claim they're 'unqualified' to avoid paperwork. Book through Trip.com (Ctrip), filter for 'all guests' to be safe. International chains (Hilton, Marriott, Atour, Hanting) are reliable. If you stay at an Airbnb, register with the local police within 24 hours — most cities now have a WeChat mini-program for self-registration.

China's domestic aviation market is huge and competitive. Beijing–Chengdu, Shanghai–Guangzhou, Shanghai–Chongqing routinely have $50–60 fares booked a few weeks out. Trip.com is the easiest place to book — same UI as for trains and hotels, foreign card accepted. Show up 90 minutes before departure; security is fast.