TRANSPORT / OPERATIONS

Getting around China for the first time

Use the official tool for the move you are making, then keep a second route when a station, account or pickup point surprises you.

Official ruleReviewed 30 August 20267 min read

THE SHORT VERSION

Use China Railway 12306 for the passenger and passport workflow when rail is part of the route.
DiDi support for foreign numbers and international cards is useful but remains conditional on the current account, city and pickup context.
City transit hours, station names and airport procedures are local and date-specific; save a fallback before you leave.

Rail is an identity workflow

Enter the passport details exactly in the official 12306 English workflow and keep the same document accessible for station entry and boarding. If verification is not automatic, follow the service's current passport-image or station-office path.

Make ride-hailing legible

Official visitor guidance says DiDi-Greater China supports foreign mobile-number registration and international credit cards. Confirm the service type, city coverage and pickup point in the live app, then keep the Chinese destination address visible to the driver or staffed desk.

Treat the city layer as local

Metro, bus, domestic-flight and station routines differ by city and date. Check the operator or booking record for the exact station, entrance, service window and transfer rather than carrying a national assumption from one city to the next.

Build the second route

Keep enough charge, a physical card or RMB cash and the accommodation address outside the primary app. A staffed taxi desk, hotel contact or official station counter is a different fallback from a second copy of the same failed account.

SOURCE DESK

Check the underlying sources

Policies, provider terms and local operations change. Recheck the named authority before a consequential booking or travel decision.