Bus – through the Yunnan rural countryside
This was the second method of transportation I took in china. I took an eight-hour day bus from Kunming to Lincang, Yunnan. I later took buses from Lincang to Dali and then to Lijiang. My face was plastered to the window the entire time because it was so incredibly beautiful and dramatic. This trip is not for the faint of heart. We were often driving on the sides of mountains at a decent height. Pro: countryside views, cheap. Con: slightly cramped, long.
Train – 30 hours hard sleeper from Kunming to Guangzhou
This was by far my most interesting travel experience. It was the longest I’ve ever been on a train, but the good thing was that I had a hard sleeper that was fairly comfortable. Pro: cheap, fairly comfortable depending on what type of seat you get, nice countryside views. Con: long! 30 hours definitely wore on me, food options – pretty much ate ramen the entire time.
Planes – Beijing to Kunming, Shanghai to Hong Kong
I arrived in Beijing to smog-filled skies. Over a half hour before landing, I couldn’t see anything outside my window – fairly disappointing. I have since flown via China Airways and Spring Airlines from Beijing to Kunming, Shantou to Shanghai, and Shanghai to Hong Kong. Surprising highlights from Spring Airways – eye and arm exercises. Pro: quick trip. Con: expensive.
High speed train – Shanghai, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Beijing
High speed train remains my favorite means of transport in China. Mostly because it’s quick, comfortable and relatively cheap. Highlight: countryside views. Pro: speed and frequency of trains.
Regular train – Beijing, Suzhou
I recently took the regular train to Beijing (overnight, hard seat) because it was the cheapest method available. It was an 11-hour trip, and my seat was similar to an airplane seat. Overall it was a decent, cheap way to arrive. Pro: cheap. Con: hard seat.
Subway – Shanghai, Beijing, Hong Kong, Suzhou
I use the subway whenever possible when I’m in Beijing, Shanghai, or Suzhou. Although Suzhou currently only has one line, it is building two more that should be completed in the next couple of years. I found the Shanghai and Beijing subways quick, easy to navigate and with stops in all parts of the city. I’ve only taken the Hong Kong subway (MTR) a couple of times, but I have been amazed by how clean it is. Pro: easy, quick, cheap. Con: depending on the day and time it can be crowded, being squished sometimes.
Taxi/car
Only at times when I’m not sure where something is or when I am in a hurry do I take a taxi. It’s cheap for Western standards, but for me, it’s a bit expensive. In Beijing I would advise taking a cab or car, if you have great patience and don’t mind waiting in terrible traffic. Pro: worth taking when you drive in a city you’re not familiar with. Con: frequent cab rides can add up, could be long ride.
Transportation in China has always impressed me. I often catch myself wondering why the U.S. doesn’t have a more efficient public transportation system. Big cities do have subways, but they tend to be old and rather dirty. Shanghai, Beijing and Hong Kong subways have been incredibly amazing. Definitely wish we had more trains and beautiful train terminals in the U.S.
公交 – 穿越云南的偏远乡村
这是我在中国使用过的第二种交通方式。我乘坐了8小时的公共汽车从云南的昆明到了临沧。后来我又乘公共汽车从临沧到了大理，继而到达丽江。在整个旅途中我始终把脸贴在窗上，景色实在太迷人太令人陶醉。这样的旅行不适合那些心脏不好的人，因为我们经常行驶在高海拔的山路上。优点：乡村景色、价廉。缺点：道路狭窄，旅途过长。
火车： 乘坐30小时的硬卧从昆明到广州
这是迄今为止我感到最有趣的旅行经历，也是有史以来我乘坐火车时间最长的一次，不过还好我的硬卧相当舒适。优点：价廉，可以选择座位类型，舒适宜人，田园风光优美。缺点：时间太长！30个小时绝对把我给累垮了，至于吃的，基本上全是方便面。
飞机 – 从北京到昆明，从上海到香港
我抵达了空气污染度极高的北京。在飞机降落前的半个多小时，我完全看不见窗外的景色——真让人失望。之后我又搭乘国航和春秋航班从北京到昆明，从汕头到上海，从上海到香港。春秋航班上有个奇特的亮点——乘务员会带领乘客做眼保健操和伸展运动。优点：迅速。缺点：昂贵。
高铁 – 上海，苏州，杭州，北京
高铁依旧是我在中国最喜欢的交通方式。最大的原因是它快捷、舒适，而且相对便宜。亮点：田园景色一览无余。优点：速度快、频率高。
普通火车 – 北京、苏州
我最近坐了一次普通火车去北京（隔夜、硬座）因为这是可行的最便宜的选择。旅行时长11个小时，我的座位和飞机上的座位几乎同等级。总体来说，这是个不错而且便宜的交通方式。优点：便宜。缺点：硬座。
地铁 – 上海、北京、香港、苏州
在北京、上海和苏州的时候，我通常搭乘地铁。尽管苏州现在仅有一条地铁线，但预计几年之内第二、三条线就可完工。我发现上海和北京的地铁快捷、提示明确，在城市的大街小巷都有站点。在香港我仅乘过几次地铁，但每次我都惊叹于它的干净。优点：快捷、便宜。缺点：时间不凑巧的话会拥挤，有时会十分拥挤。
出租车/轿车
只有在不确定目的地位置或赶时间的时候我才会打车。根据西方的标准来说，打车很便宜。但对我而言还是有点贵的。在北京，除非你有很好的耐心，不介意塞车，不然的话还是不要打车比较好。优点：在一个你不熟悉的城市中穿梭很值。缺点：频繁的打车会积少成多，总距离会很长。
中国的交通让我印象深刻。我总在想为什么美国没有这么高效的公共交通系统。大城市确实有地铁，不过它们往往又旧又脏。上海，北京和香港的地铁简直就是太赞了。我深切希望在美国也可以有更多的地铁和更漂亮的地铁站。