is it OK to travel China by ourselves and not in an organised tour?. I heard public transport is chaos?

Answer 1

Yes it's perfectly ok nowadays, It used to be chaos but no more, I go there alone hundred of times

But just check this site could be handy
http://www.travelchinaguide.com/

Answer 2

Well from my experience of China, if anything else their public transportation system is alive & kicking, much more so that say in the United States. That's because, most people rely on public transportation versus in the States where everyone has a car.

However, language will be a problem for you. Also if you are travelling within a city like Beijing & Shanghai, then you can rest easy. The local subway's are easy to navigate & they use both Chinese characters & also ABC. There is of course taxis in abundance. A lot of the younger kids there can speak English too so you can always ask questions.

Now travelling across China, you can use the train but each local city public transportation is different (some better and some worst but it won't be as good as Shanghai or Beijing).

Also remember one thing, in cities like Shanghai or Beijing their public transportation is safe. Be careful of pick pockets tho'. Now in New York, if you end up in the wrong part of the city, its more than your wallet that is taken, am I right?.

Answer 3

Definitely. I've only gone on a somewhat organized tour, and it was nice to feel that there was a safety net if needed. However, it's probably cheaper to go without one. And even though you don't have a guide, you'll almost always be able to find someone that speaks English.

As everyone else has said, taking a taxi is the best way to go. Bigger cities have subways - that should be fine. I know Chengdu is looking at around 7 more years before theirs is complete. Some of my friends took buses and said that it was fine. I never did, but as long you can handle crowded places well, I would guess that you'd be fine.

Answer 4

Unless you know Mandarin, even in large cities, just getting a ticket for a bus or a traincan be a problem.

Don't always count on there being someone who speaks english nearby to help you out in places other than Beijing or Shanghai.

Even travelling with organised tour can be chaotic, especially if it is lead by a Chenglish, as opposed to english speaking guide.

Oh, and taxi-drivers never speak english. SOme can't even read Hanzi or Pinyin. So using addresses written in Chinese to show the driver don't always help.

Answer 5

Between cities, I fly or take the train. There are also car hires in major cities like Beijing, but I have not tried that (not sure if I want to drive in China). I have only arranged for private car service, which means the driver takes you around or to nearby cities.
Within a city, I used to take taxis like other good little tourists, until one time I tried the bus and after that I was hooked. It's really cheap and fast. You never wait for more than two minutes for the bus. And you don't have to struggle talking to the taxi driver. You just get on with the right fare. With fare so cheap, you just get on and off all over the city. It's great.

Answer 6

i've traveled around china alone plenty of times. just have a lot of information before you go. have an idea of when/how you want to get places. for instance, if you want to take a train, you can only buy train tickets i believe up to 3 days in advance and depending on the time and place they might sell out quickly. have phone numbers of places that you might need to contact like train stations, bus terminals, ferry terminals, etc. when i kind of figure out where i want to go, i head to the bookstore with a notebook and write down information that i need from guidebooks like lonely planet. it's a great source for info.

as far as getting around a city, it's quite easy. in major cities like beijing, shanghai, and guangzhou you can take the subway which is quick, cheap, and easy. you can also grab a bus which really is not that bad at all. taxis are also a great way to get around, but are a bit more costly.

Answer 7

It's perfectly fine to travel around China on your own via public transportation (bus or train), as long as you know exactly where you are going and where to get off. Ask someone who can write Chinese to jot down on paper the destination for you. I traveled by train even during the Chinese New Year and did not have any trouble getting train tickets, at least in soft sleepers, and they were clean and the service was great. In big cities, public transit is great and cheap (e.g. 1 yuan in BJ, 2 yuan in SH?), but taxis are also plentiful and relatively cheap for short distances.

Answer 8

Public transportation in china? no no no... Don't do it. In hong kong its okay but elsewhere no... Better to take a taxi its very easy and cheap.

Traveling by yourself isn't so bad. Many hotels offer information on day tours you can take and sign up for when you arrive.

Have fun

Answer 9

To be honest it can de done without being on a tour but it can sometimes be hair raising.
It can be real real hard sometimes to communicate especially when it comes to public transportation. Having said that, my friend and I alsways seemed to get by.

Answer 10

Yep, it's fine.
The buses are quite crowded, but taxis are readily available.