Holidays in China: everything you need to know about traveling to the country. Use public transport. Chinese cuisine and catering

Modern China is very different from the ideas of those who have never been there, and is based on photographs of other tourists and TV shows. Moreover, if you have not been to central cities China, your next visit to Beijing, namely, we will tell you about it, will greatly surprise you.

Trip to China: Modern Beijing

I was in Beijing for the first time, but my "fellow travelers" who were already familiar with the capital of China, claimed that much had changed.

If before the Chinese openly stared at the Europeans, now they are not looking at us so fiercely, taking less pictures and not pointing fingers. Of course, in tourist areas visitors from the Chinese provinces click their cameras, trying to capture not only beautiful views, buildings or nature, but also you.

Some do not mind taking a picture against the background of you or your company, they can also easily ask you for a joint photo. It is worth noting that all guidebooks report such curiosity of the Chinese, and ask them not to be angry at the simple-minded Asians, but to smile back at them.

The Chinese are very fond of taking pictures with Europeans, what is the reason for this is a mystery. Photo taken from the Internet

For the first few days, such attention was even flattering, but after four days of “ourselves” with the Chinese, we, impudent tourists, asked three euros for a photo, but no less impudent Chinese, pretending that they did not understand anything, were simply photographed against the background of us on the sly than just amused. But these are trifles that can be easily and humorously endured.

Guidebooks advise not to pay attention to some "childhood" of the Chinese, because they have a mentality. Photo taken from Internet resources.

Separately, I want to talk about smoking. If a few years ago the Chinese smoked everywhere: in public transport, at the reception in a hotel, in cafes and restaurants, now this trend has practically subsided to zero. Smoking Beijingers can only be found on the streets, and mostly men smoke, we met a smoking woman only once in 8 days in Beijing.

In some cafes, you can smoke if we are talking about the usual Chinese eateries, but it is better to ask the waiters or the owner of the establishment about this, as a rule, this is the same person. But it's better not to buy cigarettes in China. Tobacco in cigarettes there is much worse than in Russia, there are also world brands, but the price for them is higher than the Russian one by 20-30 rubles. That is why tourists fly to China with a block of their usual cigarettes.

There are no special bins for cigarette butts in Beijing, unlike most European countries, but this does not bother locals and tourists - they throw garbage directly on the sidewalk. Despite this, Beijing is incredibly clean, but more on that below.

How many cities and countries I have visited, and believe me, there are quite a few of them, I have never seen pedestrian streets washed, garbage cans cleaned with brushes, and people on special mopeds or bicycles with a small body drove around the city and collected garbage with “grasping sticks” . You don’t have time to open the candy, as the worker is already there to pick up the wrapper, and when he sees how you throw the wrapper into the trash, either with relief, or with annoyance, he sighs and leaves.

It is very easy to get used to such cleanliness, but it is difficult to wean it off. And this cleanliness is superficial. Beijing is a very dirty city, whose government has been unsuccessfully fighting an impending environmental disaster for several years.

The fact is that the highest concentration of nitrogen dioxin and other hazardous substances was recorded in the atmosphere of Beijing. The main reason is the large number of cars on the streets of the city. In addition, chemical emissions from factories in neighboring Hebei and Henan significantly increase the content of these same particles in the air. An impassable smog hangs over the city, skyscrapers stand as if in soot, and the Chinese themselves wear masks without exception. The Beijing authorities are struggling with exhaust gas situations in various ways, we will talk about one of them in more detail.

Bicycle rental in the capital of China is a common thing. Anyone can take it for temporary use, but there is one condition - you must have a special program installed on your mobile, for example, OFO and Mobike. Of course, renting a bike, although it costs from 1 to 10 yuan, depending on the time, is still not free.

Therefore, a card must be attached to the program, your identity is identified, and, of course, a local SIM card with access to the Internet. This is necessary so that you can unlock and pay for transport online.

Each bike has a QR code that needs to be read using the program, then a code will appear on the mobile phone screen, which must be entered on the bike's combination lock to unlock the wheel automatically. The bike can be left anywhere, a special truck will come to pick it up and take it to the parking areas, but this will only be at night.

During the day, bikes are quietly left on the sidewalks, where they are taken by the next tourists or city residents. It is worth noting that there is no shortage of bicycles, the application's online map shows where the nearest bicycle is located.

In total, there are more than 13 million bicycles in Beijing. They are used by street vendors, couriers, scavengers, utility workers, employees. In addition, since China does not recognize international driving licenses, many foreigners move around the city on bicycles.

If you decide to download one of the applications for yourself, we recommend that you do this before entering China, where you will not see many of the usual Internet browsers and programs that are actively used in other parts of the world.

Throughout China, there are no Instagram, Google, Facebook, Twitter, Dropbox and other less popular services. If you are an active user of the above, you need to install VPN anonymizers on your gadgets in advance, which will help you bypass the blocking.

It works like this: when you visit a site, it changes your IP address, hides your location, and keeps you anonymous in your browser. To simplify, with the help of the program you will enter the network from China, but the network will think that you are coming from India, the UK, the USA or any other country. Such a program “eats up” the battery very quickly, so we do not recommend using it for a long time.

Speaking of programs that will make it easier tourist travel not only in Beijing, but also in any other cities, it is impossible not to mention MAPS.ME (MapsWithMe). This is a program with offline maps of the whole world. It helps a lot if you travel without a guide. The travel assistants also include a metro map, which can be downloaded from the Play Store for Android devices and the App Store for iPhone.

In general, Beijing and its residents, as well as tourists from other provinces, are very friendly and hospitable to foreigners. Many speak fluent English and will try to help you if you ask them to.

Of course, their culture, rhythm of life and much more differs from those familiar to us, but this is precisely why we travel - to see how people live in other parts of the world.

*All photos used in the material were taken from open sources on the Internet.

Before traveling to any country, tourists ask typical questions about how much money to take with them, whether vaccinations are needed, whether to take medicines, etc. And if with European countries everything is more or less clear, then the distant and mysterious China raises many times more questions.

Tickets and visas

The most convenient way to get to China from Russia is by plane. From Moscow to Beijing, there are regular non-stop flights lasting about seven and a half hours. The cost of economy class round trip tickets per person is about 20,000 rubles. Flights to Hong Kong are also made from Moscow, and the travel time is ten hours. Direct flights have also been established between the Chinese capital and such Russian cities like Irkutsk, Novosibirsk and Vladivostok. From these Siberian cities you can also get to the less popular so far Dalian, Shenyang and Urumqi. In addition, two trains run from Moscow to Beijing every week - one through Zabaikalsk, and the second through Ulaanbaatar. It takes about six days to get to China by rail. As for the CIS countries, but as of the beginning of 2014, there were no direct flights to China from Belarus and Ukraine - many airlines carry tourists with one or two transfers through Dubai, Astana, Rome, Istanbul.

Russian citizens can rest in China without a visa only in Hong Kong, provided that their stay there does not exceed 14 calendar days. To visit the rest of China, you need to apply for a visa by submitting documents to the embassy in Moscow or the consulate in Irkutsk, Vladivostok, Khabarovsk or St. Petersburg. Average term visa processing is one week, but you can process documents faster upon presentation of an air ticket and payment of an additional commission. It should be borne in mind that the package of documents is quite extensive and their verification is treated very carefully. However, there are a number of concessions - for example, tourists who go to bask in the sun on Hainan Island as part of a tourist group do not need a visa for up to 14 days. In Macau, a visa can be issued at the border, and in Beijing, Dalian, Shanghai and a number of other cities, Russians can transit without a visa for up to 72 hours. However, on the first day of the stay, the tourist must register with the local police.

Health and Safety

In addition to buying tours and issuing visas, many tourists going to China are seriously wondering about the necessary vaccinations, and especially after some time ago the issue of the bird flu epidemic was acute in the Celestial Empire. As of spring 2014, there were no mandatory vaccinations to visit China. However, doctors advise to be vaccinated against typhoid fever, hepatitis A, tetanus and diphtheria. In addition, those who enter China from regions that have had cases of yellow fever need a certificate that confirms the appropriate vaccination.

Regardless of the vaccinations made, in China it is recommended to follow some safety rules so as not to undermine your health. The first of these rules concerns drinking water. In China, drinking tap water is strongly discouraged. Worth it or buy bottled drinking water or use an electric kettle or a thermos, which is in every, even the most budgetary, Chinese hotel. As for the quality of food, as experienced travelers in the Middle Kingdom say, the most delicious food here can be treated not in tourist areas, but in places where there are no tours and where locals eat. Most often, such establishments turn out to be small, not too tidy cafes near the road. It is obvious that the sanitary condition of such establishments is not always at the proper level. Therefore, it is recommended to avoid such places, and if you really want the exotic, then experienced travelers advise in such cases not to neglect the local strong alcohol “for disinfection”. More traditional is the advice to take necessary medicines from home just in case. Special import restrictions medicines in China, no, unless these drugs are narcotic or psychotropic.

Especially carefully you should collect your first aid kit for people suffering from diseases of the lungs, respiratory organs and different types allergies. The fact is that in China they do not particularly care about the environment, and even outside the city the air cannot be called clean and fresh. Concerning big cities, then there the sky is often covered with smog, and the smell of burning is clearly felt on the streets - which is why many Chinese wear special masks that cover their mouth and nose, or simply tie half their faces with a scarf. It is worth adding that in China smoking is allowed almost everywhere - this cannot but please smokers, but it gives little pleasure to the rest, and especially those suffering from pulmonary diseases.

As for security, the advice here is quite familiar and traditional. Valuables and money should be left not in bags and suitcases, but in safes in the room or at the hotel reception. It is recommended to make copies before traveling to China foreign passport and write down the phone number of the Russian consulate in case of unforeseen situations. In the case of a domestic conflict situation, for example, with controllers in transport, you should say the word “budun”, which means “I don’t understand”. This often helps, and tourists are left alone, even if they did something wrong.

During excursions, shopping and walking around the city, you should always have a hotel business card with the address written in Chinese. It is worth remembering this and also understanding that knowledge of English, French and other European languages ​​will not help when traveling to China. Outside of major cities like Beijing and Shanghai, no one here speaks English, even hotel employees in most cases do not understand even a couple of words in English. It will also be useless to try to reproduce Chinese names and pronounce phrases on your own, since there are many dialects in the country and even the locals do not always understand each other. In addition, each Chinese word can be pronounced with different intonations that change its meaning. Waiting for help from taxi drivers in China is also not worth it - outside of big cities, they generally prefer not to contact incomprehensible foreigners, even if this foreigner shows the business card of the hotel and the place he needs on the map. That is why it would be better to get into the car first and only after that give the driver the address, ignoring his protests and exclamations, politely but insistently demanding to go to the indicated address.

What to take with you to China

Going on a trip to a distant and mysterious China, it is worth taking with you such necessary items as sunglasses and sunscreens, a first aid kit with a minimum set of medicines (broad-spectrum antibiotics, antipyretics and painkillers, remedies for allergies, gastrointestinal problems, etc.) and hygiene products, as well as comfortable clothes and shoes and a phrasebook. With it, you can communicate with the Chinese, showing the necessary hieroglyphs. As for clothing, it is difficult to advise something here, since, for example, most women take almost their entire wardrobe with them even on a week-long vacation. The only thing worth remembering is that, even when going to hot places, it will not be superfluous to grab at least one set of warm clothes (windbreaker, jacket, sweatshirt and jeans), a hat and an umbrella. Evening attire will not hurt in case you visit a restaurant with a dress code. You also need to take care of comfortable shoes in advance, especially if long excursions or hikes are planned. The choice is better to stop on durable sneakers with non-slip and grooved soles.

As for the amount of money needed when traveling to China, this moment is very individual. For some, 50 US dollars a day is enough, and for some, even 500 dollars will be close. In general, China is considered inexpensive country, but only if you do not go to museums and do not visit sights. Here you can live in inexpensive hotels and spend no more than 7 US dollars (about 250 rubles) on lunch, but the main funds will be spent on excursions. In China, the entrance to the museum costs from 5 to 15 US dollars (180 - 540 rubles), to national parks - 50 dollars (about 1,800 rubles), and to the temples, which are also paid here - 2 - 10 dollars (72 - 360 rubles). In order to roughly calculate your expenses, you should know that a taxi costs 3 - 10 yuan per trip (17 - 60 rubles), street pastries and sweets - 10 - 20 yuan (59 - 118 rubles), wine about 20 yuan (118 rubles), beer - 4 - 6 yuan (23 - 35 rubles). You can spend about 50 - 100 yuan per day on all this (about 296 - 590 rubles). If it is possible to take more, then with a paid hotel it is worth taking with a margin - at the rate of 100 US dollars (about 3,600 rubles) per day. You can carry up to 3,000 US dollars (approximately 108,000 rudders) with you without documents and certificates, and up to 10,000 dollars (approximately 3,600,000 rubles) with a declaration. As for the currency that should be taken from Russia to China, it is recommended that the entire amount be converted into dollars or yuan. The ideal option would be 40% of the amount in dollars and 60% of the amount in yuan. By the way, it is worth keeping in mind that it is better to keep currency exchange checks in China until the end of the trip. Plastic cards in China can be paid only in shopping malls, hotels, restaurants and boutiques in major cities.

And finally...

China is truly an amazing, unique and amazing country. However, going here on vacation, you need to be prepared for the fact that this country is strikingly different from Russia and European states. Every day here, things will come across that, to put it mildly, shock a person with a traditional European perception. This should not be emphasized and local residents their surprise, discontent and similar emotions. We are talking, for example, about the fact that the Chinese are very fond of high volume. In China, it is customary to speak loudly, shout, sing, honk and swear. In addition, the citizens of China often and a lot sing - they do it anywhere and when they please. Here you can meet singing residents in shops, in transport or just on the street. An unpleasant shock can be caused by unprepared tourists and such things as, for example, the lack of habit of covering your mouth or turning away when coughing and sneezing - this is simply not accepted here. In China, in general, it is very easy to treat any physiological manifestations. An example of this is small children who relieve themselves everywhere and admire their “works”. However, if you ignore such things and try not to pay attention, then a trip to China will become one of the most memorable adventures.

1) Haggling in the markets and with taxi drivers naturally falls on the fingers. The main thing to know is that the Chinese show numbers differently from the Europeans - they show the numbers from 1 to 9 on the fingers of one hand, not two.

2) At bus stations and railway stations Often no one speaks English. It is better to write the name on a piece of paper in advance destination and the desired time period of departure, this is done using an Internet translator or dictionary. Just get in line at the cashier and hold out a piece of paper. The exact time and price will be shown to you on a computer screen or they will also be written on a piece of paper. Of course, they will also be on the ticket - everything is in Chinese:
In this case, March 7, 14 at 15:40, seat 3, bus number K0935, price 17 yuan, goes to Mengla city

Most important words:
Today is 今天
Tomorrow - 明天
day – 天 (order lead time 1 day) or 日 (day of the month)
month - 月
year - 年
morning - 上午
noon - 中午
evening - 黄昏
and cities: Guachzhou (广州), Shenzhen (深圳), Hong Kong (香港), Guilin (桂林), Kunming (昆明), Beijing (北京), Shanghai (上海)

3) In China, there is censorship on the Internet, to the point that messages in in social networks undergo manual moderation!
Facebook and You tube are banned and inaccessible, RenRen is used instead of the first one, Youku instead of the second one. For instant messages, the network and WeChat are used. Although Google is available, Baidu is much more popular. Vkontakte works without problems.

4) Almost all public toilets will not have the usual toilet bowl. Instead, there will be a floor-standing toilet, familiar to many from our school toilets. You also need to carry toilet paper with you. But tourist toilets have a star rating, like hotels.

By the way, you should also carry a supply of napkins with you. They are not available in cafes and restaurants or they are sold for a fee.

5) 4 - purely unlucky, it comes to the point that there are no 4 floors in houses.
8 is a lucky number. Phones of large companies often end in eights.
The main Chinese color is red.

6) Chinese is the name of a large group of languages, often mutually incomprehensible. Each city may have its own dialect. The government is trying to campaign for the popularization of a common language - Putonghua or Mandarin. In Hong Kong, Macau, Canton (Guangzhou) and overseas diasporas, the vast majority of the population speaks Cantonese. One thing pleases - all dialects use the same hieroglyphs, which, by the way, are also partially used in Japanese. So the spelling is the same. If true, there are difficulties with the presence of two writing systems: traditional Chinese characters and simplified Chinese characters. If you do not plan to read ancient texts, the latter will be enough for everyday needs.

All this works until you get into areas with Tibetan and Mongolian scripts, languages ​​​​of the Thai-Lao, Burmese or Arabic group. On top of that, in some villages, many people cannot read.

7) The most useful application for the phone is Waygo, which can translate inscriptions using the camera on the fly, without the Internet.

Google maps help you not get lost, and navigation mode can guide you optimal route on land transport and say which bus to go where, although Internet access is required.

A SIM card can be purchased with a passport. Mobile Internet is very expensive: 300 MB for 96 yuan per month.

Hotels can be booked on booking, but local players give better prices, it's worth comparing on RoomGuru

8) A couple of years ago, there were a lot of counterfeit 100 yuan bills in the south of China. Until now, in any store, such banknotes are carefully checked. The crooks may try to swap your real bill and return you a fake one, they say the best defense against this is to crease the corner or fold it so that the crooks would not be able to repeat the same with a fake quickly.

For the same reason, when paying in a taxi, transport cards are handed over in a case - there is no possibility of a quick replacement for another card with a zero balance.

9) Speaking of transport. Buses are entered through the front door. Payment at the entrance either by transport card or in cash without change in a special box. Fares can be fixed or staggered. For example 1 or 2 yuan in Kunming depending on the type of bus. The exact value can be seen on the money box, though in Chinese: 一元 (one yuan) or 二元 (two yuan). While in Hong Kong, you need to look at the fare from stop to stop in advance at the stop or in case of using transport card do not forget to lean it again at the exit, otherwise the maximum fare will be charged.

Transport cards can also often be used to pay in stores and to enter museums and parks (for example, at 7-11 and McDonald's in Hong Kong)
Payment cards of world cities

In China, the scale is felt in everything: the Great Wall of China and the terracotta army with 8,000 soldiers, a tea ceremony for half an hour, hundreds of Chinese dishes and as many as four special areas: Hong Kong, Tibet, Macau and Taiwan. All about China: tours for rest and treatment, visa, maps and photos.

• Hot tours To China
• Tours for May Worldwide

As paradoxical as it sounds, China is a country for "moneybags". A tourist with absolutely any level of income does not have to feel like Scrooge McDuck and the Miserly Knight all rolled into one. For example, having bought for a start a collectible Rolex for 10 bucks and a pair of Levi's, but a little more expensive, for 12 dollars, and without any derogatory marks “made in China”. Then, having amused the pride of a wealthy person, take care of yourself at the main health and recreation resort in China - the island of Hainan. And to make sure that the phrase “you can’t save on your health” was said by a person who obviously had never been there.

In addition, China miraculously combines two completely different architectural style: huge concrete and glass monsters of skyscrapers overwhelming with their size and small houses with sloping roofs, figurines of lions and incense. In general, paradoxical Asia in its most obvious manifestation - this is how China appears to inquisitive travelers.

Time difference with Moscow

5 o'clock

• with Kaliningrad

• with Samara

• with Yekaterinburg

• with Omsk

• with Krasnoyarsk

• with Irkutsk

• with Yakutsk

• with Vladivostok

• with Severo-Kurilsk

• with Kamchatka

Climate

The climate in different parts of the country, stretching along three climatic zones, varies greatly: from temperate continental with hot summers and harsh winters in the west and north to subtropical in the central regions of the country and tropical monsoon in south coast and islands. In many central and southern regions very high humidity in summer.

Best time for trips to China - late spring (April and May), as well as autumn from September to October, (in the south - from November to December). But on the island of Hainan it is quite possible to travel all year round. Average annual temperature air there +28 ° C, sea water - +25.6 ° C.

See the current weather forecast in the main cities and resorts of the country. Read also detailed information about the weather in China in spring, summer, autumn and winter.

Visa and customs

Citizens of the Russian Federation and CIS countries require a visa to visit the country. You do not need to apply for a visa to Hong Kong if the period of stay does not exceed 14 days.

For those traveling through China to a third country, visa-free transits with access to the city for 24, 72 and 144 hours, depending on the airport of arrival. Learn more about how to use them on this page.

The import of national currency is limited to 6000 CNY. Import and export of foreign currency is unlimited. If during the stay in China the tourist has not spent all the local currency, before leaving he can exchange it for the desired foreign one by presenting a certificate of the original exchange (valid for six months).

Duty-free import of 400 cigarettes, 100 cigars or 500 g of tobacco is allowed; 1.5 liters of alcoholic beverages; household electrical appliances and other household items in the amount up to 2000 CNY. Personal items, cameras, portable tape recorders, portable video cameras and laptops are imported duty-free - one item per tourist if their value does not exceed 5000 CNY (things must be presented upon departure). Citizens arriving and departing from PRC airports must report their valuables and other goods in a special customs declaration. The rules do not apply to children under 16 accompanied by adults and to persons not subject to customs inspection.

The import of weapons, pornography, explosives, drugs and poisons is prohibited. Export prohibited historical documents, valuable objects and works of art, as well as paintings and graphics without a store receipt confirming the legality of the purchase, or an export permit from the Chinese Administrative Department for Cultural Property under the Ministry of Culture of the PRC.

In Macau, the import and export of currency values, including casino winnings, antiques, antiquities and art, gold and jewelry, and electronics is not limited.

tax free

China has a Tax free system, but it is not so easy to use it in practice. The refund amount can be from 7 to 20%, the scheme is the same as in the whole world. You need to make a purchase in a store where there is an inscription “ Tax Free Shopping”, issue a special check from the seller and get your money at the return points.

The difficulty lies in the fact that there are few such stores in China (as a rule, they are located in large shopping malls), employees often do not speak English and, no matter how strange it sounds, they do not know how to issue such checks.

If you still managed to write a check, VAT refund points are located at Beijing Airport, at The Bank of East Asia in Hong Kong, at the Guangdong International Hotel in Guangzhou, there are also several Refund Points on the streets of Shanghai (open only on weekdays).

• Is it possible to travel independently in China on a group visa?
• Is a certificate of employment required to obtain a visa to China?
• Is it possible to take out of China the amount indicated at the time of entry in the declaration

How to get to China

You can get to China from Russia by plane, train, bus and ferry.

By plane

Aeroflot operates regular flights from Sheremetyevo to Beijing (7.5 hours in the air), Shanghai (9 hours) and Hong Kong (10 hours). You can also fly from Sheremetyevo to Beijing on regular flights of China Airlines, and to Shanghai on China Eastern flights.

Es Seven offers direct flights to Beijing from Domodedovo in Moscow, from Novosibirsk, Irkutsk and Vladivostok, as well as from Siberian cities to Urumqi, Shenyang and Dalian. In the season, charters are raised from Moscow to Hainan. Since April 2015, the flight program of the Russian IFly charter has started from Moscow Vnukovo to Xi'an, Tianjin and Shenyang three times a week.

There are no direct flights from St. Petersburg to China, but you can fly with one transfer in Moscow or Novosibirsk.

Look for detailed information about airports in China on our page.

By train

Every week, two trains depart from the Yaroslavsky railway station in the capital to Beijing - Chinese (via Ulaanbaatar, a transit visa is required) and Russian (via Zabaikalsk and Harbin). The first one goes on Tuesdays, the journey takes about 5 days, the ticket price is 38,074 RUB one way. The train departs through Zabaikalsk on Saturdays, on the way - about 6 days, tickets 41,899 RUB one way. Prices on the page are for November 2018.

By bus

Traveling to China by bus from Moscow is a long, expensive and therefore rather pointless task. But from Vladivostok you can: a bus runs daily to the city of Suifenhe, the fare is 900-1400 RUB.

By ferry

You can also get to China by sea. The first option is from Khabarovsk to Fuyuan. Ferries run several times a day, the journey takes about 1.5 hours. However independent travelers Difficulties await: you can’t buy a ferry ticket, they are sold only with a ticket, which includes a hotel. Such a two-day tour costs from 4500 RUB.

It is much easier to cross the Chinese border from Blagoveshchensk. Every hour boats depart from here across the Amur to Haihe. Ticket price - from 1650 RUB one way, when crossing the border an additional fee of 120 CNY is paid.

Find flights to China

Transport

Considering the scale of the country, it is most convenient to travel between remote cities by plane. There are 3 national and 4 regional carriers in the country, as well as many Asian low-cost airlines with ticket prices starting from 15 USD one way. Delays and cancellations of flights are not uncommon, so it is worth checking the status of the departure before moving to the airport.

The train too convenient way for travel in China, in the country extensive network railways. Trains - high-speed express trains (350 km / h) and ordinary electric trains. Accommodation - in a soft or hard compartment, on soft or hard seats or standing. Tickets can be booked up to 5 days before the date of travel and one way only, return ticket You will have to buy already at the departure station. Hard recumbent and seated places disperse most quickly, a soft coupe costs 2-3 times more than a hard one.

Traveling in China will cost more for tall people. For passengers up to 140 cm tall, there is a 50% discount on trains.

Short people (up to 140 cm) ride half price, children under 110 cm - free of charge if they do not occupy a separate seat. Service on Chinese trains is spartan, but there are ticket offices for foreigners where you can buy a ticket to skip the line (queues in China are usually huge and very slow) with a surcharge for "special service". For comparison: a ticket for the Shanghai - Beijing train will cost from 510 CNY.

There are also intercity buses in China, and they are somewhat cheaper than trains. But the risk of riding an old bus without air conditioning in the company of Chinese peasants sitting on each other's heads is much higher. However, new comfortable buses usually run between major cities.

Public transport in cities

Public transport in cities is overloaded. Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Shenzhen and Tianjin have subways, buses and trolleybuses (open from 5:00-5:30 to 22:00-23:00). Tickets for the metro are sold at the box office at the entrance, for the bus and trolleybus - from the conductor, and on suburban lines - from the driver. The cost of one trip is from 1 to 3 CNY, payment is often possible only in cash. IN major cities there are magnetic cards, for example, the IC-card "Ikatong" (IC-card Yikatong). This is an analogue of the Moscow Troika, which can be used by buses, metro and trolleybuses. The card gives a significant discount on trips (up to 50%), costs 20 CNY and is sold at ticket kiosks, ticket offices and vending machines, replenished there.

The most convenient way to travel around major cities is the metro, as traffic jams on the streets of China are a common occurrence, and they are quite commensurate with Moscow. Bus and trolleybus stops have information about routes and timetables, but only in Chinese.

Taxi is the most comfortable option for a foreigner. Each car is equipped with a meter, the cost of the trip starts from 10 CNY for the first 4 km and then 1-2 CNY for each next. The highest rates are for taxis that are “on duty” at hotels, if you go at least next street, the trip will cost 1.5 times cheaper.

In addition to ordinary taxis, trishaws (sanlunche) - tricycles - are popular in China. They make do more expensive than a car, but they are colorful and know how to bypass traffic jams. The price depends not only on the distance, but also on the weight of the passengers. There are no meters in cycle rickshaws, it is worth agreeing on the cost of the trip before boarding.

Bicycles for rent

Bicycles are a fairly popular mode of transport in China. There are rental points at hotels and in tourist offices. In rental offices, bikes are rarely new, and sometimes they don’t give out a helmet and other protection at all. So be sure to check the technical condition of the bike, at least the brakes. An hour of rent costs approximately 5 CNY, a day - 20-60 CNY. In addition, depending on the model, you will be charged a deposit of 400-500 CNY. Bicycle parking in China is usually paid - 0.5-1 CNY per hour.

If you plan to ride a lot, experienced travelers recommend not renting a bike, but buying a new one. Prices for good mountain models start at 300 CNY. If desired, the bike can be sold at the end of the trip.

Journey to China

Rent a Car

International driving licenses in China are not valid, only those issued in China give you the right to drive. You can get a temporary Chinese driving license valid for 3 months. As a rule, this service is provided by large rental offices, in particular, Hertz. The whole process takes about a week and includes paperwork, medical examination and theoretical training. The latter cannot be ignored, since the Chinese are not the most accurate drivers, and you need to know what to be prepared for on the roads (speeding, improper parking, etc.). Of the documents you need only a passport and a valid driver's license. Renting a car in such scenarios will cost from 300 CNY per day (or from 65 CNY per hour), you will additionally need to pay insurance and a deposit.

In China, you can also rent a car with a driver. Small local companies are cheaper (from 500 CNY per day). Large international car rental companies offer cars at prices starting from 800 CNY per day, but almost all drivers speak English, and some even speak Russian.

• Is a Russian driver's license valid in China?

Communication and Wi-Fi

Mobile communications in China are inexpensive and of high quality. To save money, it makes sense to buy a SIM card from one of the local operators: China Mobile, China Unicom or China Telecom. Tariff plans are about the same for everyone, but many tourists note that outside of major cities, China Mobile is the best.

SIM cards are sold in communication stores and newsstands, they cost 30-50 CNY, while 10 CNY will be on the account, in most outlets a passport is required for purchase. Cards for replenishing the account are also sold there, in addition, you can replenish your account in cash through special terminals, but without knowing Chinese, it is almost impossible to do this. Some SIM cards are supplied with instructions in English, when buying, you need to warn the seller that you need this one. It is also worth clarifying in advance whether the selected tariff plan supports mobile Internet (3G) - in China this is not provided by default. A minute of conversation with Russia will cost an average of 5 CNY, local calls, of course, are cheaper. Sometimes international communication needs to be connected additionally.

Prices for SIM cards depend not only on the tariff, but also on the number. The Chinese believe in numerology and are willing to overpay for "lucky numbers". So if you are not superstitious, feel free to choose the cheapest card.

In China, telephone booths and call centers are still in use today. post offices. You can pay for the call with a special magnetic card, which is sold at newsstands or at the post office.

There are no problems with Wi-Fi in large cities. Lots of free points, communication is quite fast. True, almost everywhere you will need to register for a local phone number to connect. Keep in mind that Facebook, Youtube and some other sites are blocked in China. Free access to them is only in Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.

China Hotels

Consulate General in Shanghai: Huangpu Road, 20; tel.: 632-483-83, 632-426-82; Web site .

Consulate General in Hong Kong: 2106, 21/Fl., Sun Hung Kai Centre, 30 Harbor Road, Wanchai; tel.: 287-771-88, 287-750-24, 284-554-44; Web site .

Consulate General in Guangzhou: No.3 Linjiang Dadao, Zhujiang Xincheng, 26A, Development Center; tel.: 851-850-01, 851-850-02, 851-850-03; Web site .

Consulate General in Shenyang: Nan 13 Wei Road, 31; tel.: 232-239-27, 232-243-27, 232-244-08; Web site .

International Inquiry Service (in English): 115, Police and Rescue Service: 110, Fire Brigade: 119, Ambulance: 120, Traffic Police: 122, Inquiry: 114.

Emergency Information Service for Foreigners: Shanghai 6-439-0630, Guangzhou 8-667-7422.

The telephone code for Beijing is 10, Shanghai is 21, and Guangzhou is 20.

Beaches in China

All Chinese beaches are municipal and free, but hotels on the coast reserve the right to provide their paid sunbeds and umbrellas (about 50 CNY per day). There are beaches with a paid entrance, they are cleaner, equipped and, as a rule, guarded. Entrance costs from 5 to 25 CNY.

Beach resorts in China are not considered the most popular in the world, so they are relatively uncrowded. The most famous of them is Hainan Island. There is clean air here sandy beaches and almost all year round warm sea. On the shore there is all the infrastructure for both adults and children, and under the water there are caves, grottoes and beautiful inhabitants, so Hainan also attracts divers.

Treatment in China

Chinese medicine is becoming more and more popular, the number of patients from abroad is increasing every year. The concept of Chinese medicine is a combination of medical teachings and the Chinese worldview. Man is the universe, any disease is a signal of imbalance, and it cannot be cured separately from the rest of the body. This teaching is based on the harmony of the feminine and masculine principles, as well as the 5 elements and the direct dependence of health on the thoughts and emotions of a person.

For treatment, acupuncture, massage, special diet, gymnastics and meditation are used. The largest and most popular sanatoriums and medical centers are located in Beijing, Dalian, Urumqi and Hainan Island. Many of them have Russian-speaking translators.

More information about Chinese medicine can be found on the Treatment in China page.

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shopping

The choice of souvenirs in the country is huge, but many are of low quality. Chopsticks, porcelain, cups, lacquer boxes, seals and scroll cases are sold at every turn. Blue and white porcelain of the Ming Dynasty can be bought in specialized stores, art and antique shops, where you should also look for classical Chinese paintings - originals and reproductions, as well as copies of world-famous paintings at a reasonable price.

Hangzhou and Suzhou are famous for their excellent tea and silk. It is also worth asking the price for jade products (from rings to sculptures), carpets, silk fabrics, pearl jewelry and silver coins. Well, the fair sex is guaranteed to be interested in natural cosmetics and products with pearl extract. Siberians prefer to go shopping in nearby Manchuria.

In large state-owned stores and food stalls, prices are fixed. The markets should be skillfully bargained. State stores are open seven days a week from 9:30 to 20:30, private - from 9:00 to 21:00, and often longer. Markets usually open at 7:00 (some even at 4:00) and are open until 10:00-12:00.

When buying tea and bulk products, you need to keep in mind that the measure of weight in China is “jin”, which is approximately 500 g, and the indicated price corresponds to it.

Fakes are everywhere. Postgraduate student of the university, specialist in Chinese history, tried to give Buddhist temple for Taoist - to a tourist, they say, does it matter? I found this advanced compatriot via the Internet, when I hung out on the forums of Russian Beijingers before the trip. From there, a certain Tolya also appeared, who amused my friends well with boring emails about the high cost of gasoline and comical distortion of our sayings ...

Cuisine and restaurants of China

Chinese cuisine is a very vague concept. By and large, this is a set of dissimilar dishes that differ markedly from region to region. There are 4 main "gastronomic regions" in the country: Shandong, Sichuan, Canton (Guangdong) and Fujian - however, the boundaries between them are very conditional and are constantly violated. For example, the cuisine of Beijing, although it belongs to Shandong, it also contains a number of typical Sichuan dishes. However, there are certain differences: Shandong cuisine is characterized by more salty dishes and an abundance of light sauces. Sichuan - a lot of strong seasonings, spicy and burning. Canton is known for its light processing and variety of ingredients. For more details, see the Chinese Cuisine page.

China is the birthplace of ice cream. The recipe for this beloved dessert came to Europe along with the recipe for noodles thanks to Marco Polo.

Rice, soy and vegetables are widely used in Chinese cuisine. You should definitely try the original Chinese noodles: rubber spirochetes from packs of “instant food” cannot be compared with it. Numerous types of dumplings are also popular in China. More exotic dishes: swallow's nest soup, fried bear palms and "longhudou" ("dragon-tiger fight") - a dish of a wild leopard cat and a snake. Light and strong rice beer is widespread in the country - cheap and of high quality. The best varieties are considered "Qingdao" and "Wu-sin".

In China, it is not so much tea drinking that is important as an ancient ritual - the tea ceremony.

"Buddha jumps over the wall" is never a koan, but the name of a popular Fujian dish. According to legend, the Buddha was so seduced by its aroma that he jumped over the fence separating him from the plate with one jump - forgetting about the principles of vegetarianism.

Due to unusual food, tourists sometimes experience indigestion, so it is recommended to always have medicines with you. This risk is not related to the quality of cooking - it's all about unusual cuisine.

The main test that lies in wait for a foreigner in a Chinese restaurant is "stick" etiquette. The code of traditional eating "in tea style" is very extensive and detailed, but, unfortunately, not written. Firstly, you should take food silently: knocking with chopsticks on a plate is the lot of beggars (but the actual process of eating food, especially noodles, does not have to be quiet at all, on the contrary: anyone who has ever been to an authentic Chinese restaurant with natives will understand what you are talking about). Secondly, sticking appliances into cups of rice is strictly prohibited, as this resembles incense smoking in the temple, and therefore evokes thoughts about the transition to another world. Thirdly, stringing elusive pieces of food on sticks is a terrible bad manners: this suggests that you have not learned how to handle them. However, for the welcome guests (which are all the tourists of the Celestial Empire) there are also pleasant bonuses. For example, in a fish dish you will certainly be offered a head - this is the most delicious part!

The best photos of China

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. Authentic Chinese villages, natural monuments and reserves, amazing ancient monasteries, museums - everything breathes ancient traditions.

Historical and religious monuments

The craving for large-scale projects is in the blood of the Chinese. The Great Wall of China was built to protect the country from Mongol raids. But there are also structures for which there was no practical need, such as the Terracotta Army. She was fashioned in order to worthily see one good man- the first emperor of the Qin dynasty, who managed to pull off two grandiose things at once: to unite China and connect all the links of the aforementioned wall. Appreciate the scale and attention to detail: 8099 full-size statues of warriors, horses, officers, musicians, acrobats and even officials have been unearthed to date, and no two of them are alike! It must be assumed that Qin Shi Huang was pleased.

Active holidays in China

Fans of extreme tourism will also have something to have fun in China. There are excellent climbing bases on the eastern slopes of the Himalayas and the Karakorum. Fujian, Xiaman coast (also in the east) is a great place for kiteboarding. Tibet is perfect for mountain hiking, where you can meet the Himalayan bear, wild yaks and other animals. It is worth going there only as part of an organized group. Firstly, they won’t let you in otherwise, and secondly, it’s not safe. It is better to ride mountain bikes in Yunnan: there are mountain trails specially adapted for such trips and many local beauties: river canyons and an icy jade mountain.

The most significant holidays in China are national and are celebrated on lunar calendar. Although the Chinese “do not disdain” borrowed ones and celebrate with pleasure, for example, Catholic Christmas, but according to the Gregorian calendar.

The first day of the lunar year falls between January 21st and February 21st. Chinese New Year or Spring Festival is celebrated in a very colorful and big way. The entire population of the country goes on a week-long vacation and celebrates the rebirth of life after winter. “Jiaozi” (Chinese dumplings) is always served on the hostess’s table, and the next day - noodles, which symbolize a long and “smooth” life in the new year. Closer to the night, everyone takes to the streets with crackers and fireworks and walks until dawn.

About two weeks later, the Lantern Festival begins, it marks the end of the celebrations for the New Year. The streets are decorated with multi-colored lanterns, entertainment events are held with songs and dances, guests are treated to yuan sao cakes made from rice flour.

Another important national holiday is the Dragon Festival, which occurs about a month after the New Year (2nd day of the 2nd month of the lunar cycle). The Chinese believe that everything they have, they owe to the dragon, who lives in captivity under the mountain. Once a year, he raises his head to look at the world.

It is considered good luck not to cut your hair from the beginning of the year until the Dragon Festival - he will like it, and he will certainly send good luck for the whole year. Therefore, the barbershops have been empty for two whole months.

May Day is a holiday borrowed, but very respected by the Chinese. As in Russia, 3 days rest here on the May holidays, sometimes they transfer working days to weekends to get a full-fledged “extra” vacation. Also on this day, diplomas and prizes are awarded. the best workers, and cities host demonstrations and entertainment events.

The Mid-Autumn Festival is celebrated in China on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month, usually occurring between mid-September and mid-October. He also has a second extremely romantic name - Evening admiring the full moon. On this day, or rather the evening, it is customary to look at the full moon and dine on "moon cakes" with a sweet filling - "yue bing".

One of the most important national holidays in China is tied not to the lunar calendar, but to a specific date - the Founding Day of the PRC is celebrated every year on October 1. In 1947, on this day, the Communist Party led by Mao Zedong won the final political victory, and a completely new milestone in history began in the history of China. In terms of importance for Chinese people This holiday is comparable to the New Year, so it is also accompanied by a week off. The streets of cities are decorated with compositions of fresh flowers, dragons, elephants, peacocks and much more are built from plants. Concerts and other entertainment events are held everywhere in the squares, and very spectacular military parades are held on round dates.

A relatively young and funny holiday is celebrated on November 11 in China by all unmarried people - Singles Day. This figure was chosen, since two units in a row (on the 11th of the 11th month) symbolize two singles. Traditionally, on this evening, Chinese youth go to discos, treat themselves to brushwood (because it is made of stripes and also looks like units), and at exactly 11 pm and 11 minutes, all singles need to howl like a wolf together so that others notice who is from the company definitely free.

On Singles Day in China, it is customary to go on blind dates. Many even go on several such dates.

• Is it worth it to go on vacation and shopping in Beijing during the Chinese New Year