Bus Travel

Bus travel in China is a common way of getting from larger towns and cities to small, out of the way places. If you never leave the main rail lines, you might never have the need to buy a bus ticket. There are a few key differences between taking a bus and taking a train or a plane.


More Destinations

In China, buses go almost everywhere. Trains go to all big cities and many of the smaller towns, but buses help take you the extra step to where you need to go. Remote locations are usually only reachable by bus, especially in less developed areas in western and south western China.

Usually travellers will take a combination of planes or trains, and buses. After arriving via plane or train in a large city or town, travellers can switch to buses for short rides to off-the-beaten-track locations.


Convenience

There are more buses going to any particular location than there are trains. For example, there may be one train everyday going to a small town you want to visit, but there might be several buses leaving throughout the day.

This is especially important during busy travel times of the year, like the Chinese New Year. Train tickets might be sold out but buses are still available. It also allows you to better plan what time of day you’ll arrive at a destination because you have more choices of when to leave.


Disadvantages of Bus Travel

Buses suffer from certain problems that trains don’t. Road conditions and bad weather are more likely delay buses, and buses can be more expensive than trains for the same distance, depending on the exact route. Buses are not as safe as trains and are more likely to get into accidents.

Taller passengers will find long rides uncomfortable. China does have overnight buses but they are not as comfortable as a hard sleeper on a train. Overnight buses consist of several rows of bunk beds piled onto a huge bus. Bad road conditions can make it hard to sleep and there are no restrooms on the bus.


Buying Bus Tickets

You don’t generally need to buy bus tickets in advance. Travellers can usually just go to the bus station and buy their tickets. The price of a ticket depends on the distance, the condition of the bus and the speed. Newer buses that make fewer stops will be faster and more expensive, while older buses tend to be slower and less comfortable, and so tickets cost less money.

Keep in mind that larger towns and cities have several bus stations, each with buses heading to different destinations. You can only buy tickets for a bus that leaves at the station you’re at, so make sure you know what station your bus leaves from.


Riding the Bus

Your ticket will usually have a seat number printed on it. When you get on the bus, feel free to sit anywhere you like. If the bus isn’t crowded, it won’t matter. However, if the bus is full, someone might show you their ticket and ask that you leave their seat. If this happens you might have to ask someone to leave your assigned seat. If you can’t speak Chinese, simply politely get their attention and show them your seat number; they will understand what you mean.

On long bus rides, drivers usually stop at designated places along the route that have small restaurants for passengers to eat at. These areas also usually have public bathrooms that local people charge a small fee to use. Remember to bring your own toilet paper. If you have a lot of luggage it is best to store it in the compartment on the bottom of the bus.