With a growing population of 1.3 billion people, by far the world’s largest, what’s a country to do in terms of transportation? Develop the urban underground! As of now, 11 major cities in China boast subway systems: Beijing, Shenzhen, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Taipei, Wuhan, Shenyang, Tianjin, Nanjing, and Chongqing. 20 additional cities have applied for permits to begin construction of their own subway lines, known as dìtiě in Chinese. If you’ve landed in China with China Flights and this is your first time traveling to a city that has a subway system, never fear! China Travels is here with a step-by-step guide to help you master the underground!

Things you will need:

• Money
• Current map of your city

1. Walk to the nearest subway station. Subway stations are uniformly marked and easily recognizable. For example, in Beijing, look for a large D on a blue sign.
2. Put your baggage through the security scanner. (Note: Security scanners are not at every station.)
3. Use either the automated machine or the ticket window to purchase a ticket. Depending on the city, prices will range between 2-5 yuan. Some cities set a fixed price (e.g. Beijing) while others use distance traveled to determine the price (e.g. Tianjin).
4. Wave your ticket over the turnstile sensor to enter the station.
5. Using your own map or the maps posted in the subway station, locate your destination and see which subway line(s) will take you there. Head to the appropriate subway line.
6. Check the signs and maps to make sure you are lining up on the side of the platform with a train traveling in your desired direction. For example, if Line 2 runs north-south, the platform will have two different trains that stop on either side, one going north and one going south.
7. Line up at the yellow lines on the edge of the platform.
8. Follow the crowd and squeeze onto the subway!
9. Keep an eye on the map located above the subway doors and listen to the announcements to make sure you don’t miss your stop.
10. Before your exit, nudge your way to the front of the doors for a smooth exit. Otherwise, if the subways are crowded, you might get stuck at the back of the car and be unable to get off because people are pushing to come on board.
11. Step off the subway!
12. Follow the signs to either A) transfer to the appropriate subway line, or B) see which terminal you should exit through to put you closest to your destination.
13. To exit the station: if your ticket is one-time use only, stick it into the turnstile slot located below the sensor; if it is a Metro Pass, wave it over the turnstile sensor.

Things you may want to know:

• If you plan to use the subway often, consider purchasing a Metro Pass (called an IC card). With a 20 yuan refundable deposit, you can load as much money onto it as you’d like, eliminating the need to buy an individual ticket each time you use the subway.
• If you take the wrong exit, the only inconvenience will be an extra few minutes of walking.
• Subway stations are full of signs in both Chinese and English.

Best of luck! If you’d like some more advice on mastering the underground during your trip to China, consider joining a tour group and hearing the expert advice of a tour guide!

Related posts:

1. Beijing Subways, Take You an Underground World
2. China Tour Service —Airport Pickups in Beijing
3. Underground City Beijing
4. Qufu, Confucius hometown