17 October 2026
Do not start with a car
On day one in a large Chinese city the metro is the calmer way across town.
Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Chengdu have metros that do not care whether you can negotiate a fare. Use one when the hotel and the station are both on it.
DiDi is the normal ride-hailing app when the last kilometer is awkward. Order inside the app. A person who approaches you at the exit offering a taxi is not the app.
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