Getting around
A foreign bank card on the metro, a passport on 12306, a clear Chinese address for the driver.
How to Ride China’s High-Speed Rail With a Passport
Foreign passport holders can book on the official 12306 English site: register, complete identity verification, and board with the same passport. How to do it, what happens at the station, and the West Kowloon catch for Shenzhen.
China essentials · Between citiesHow Foreign Visitors Use DiDi and Taxis in China
Official visitor guidance names three ways into DiDi: the Didi-Greater China app, Alipay’s Transport → Taxi, and WeChat’s Mobility section. A foreign phone number can be used. How a ride works, and how to handle a street taxi that will not meter.
China · Getting aroundAccessibility in China: Better in New Metros, Uneven Everywhere Else
What a visitor with reduced mobility, a wheelchair, or a pushchair can reasonably expect in Chinese cities: metros, high-speed rail, hotels, and attractions. Honest and incomplete.
China · Getting aroundBooking China Train Tickets on 12306 with a Passport: The Official English Path
How a foreign passport holder books a China Railway ticket on the official 12306 English site: registration, identity, payment, and collecting or boarding with the original passport. Complementary to our high-speed rail guide.
More from Shenzhen in this chapter
Shenzhen Metro: Just Tap Your Foreign Card
Since 10 September 2026, every gate on all 17 Shenzhen Metro lines (432 stations) accepts contactless Visa, Mastercard, UnionPay, American Express and JCB. How to ride, what to enable on the card, and when a taxi is still better.
Shenzhen · NeighbourhoodsShenzhen Neighbourhoods: Futian, Nanshan, Luohu, Shekou — Where to Base Yourself
A truthful sketch of the districts visitors actually ask about. Futian for a first-time metro base, Shekou for the water and the ferry, Luohu for the old crossing — and why the airport district is not a holiday base.
Shenzhen · Getting aroundShenzhen Airport Transport: Line 11 Is Under the Terminal — Not Airport East
How to leave Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport: Metro Line 11 at the Airport station under Terminal 3, approximate fares and first and last trains, taxis at the GTC, and the trap of Airport East on Line 1.
Shenzhen · Getting aroundArriving at Shenzhen Bao’an (SZX): Immigration, Bags, and the Metro Under Terminal 3
A walk-through of an international arrival at Shenzhen Bao’an: immigration, baggage, customs, the Ground Transport Centre, and Metro Line 11 under Terminal 3. Do not go to Airport East.
Shenzhen · LanguageA Shenzhen Glossary of Chinese Phrases for Travelers
A short, practical glossary of Mandarin phrases for a Shenzhen trip: everyday courtesy, food, metro, money, and getting help, with Chinese characters, pinyin, and English. This is a travel aid, not a language course.
Before you go
Visa-free rules, hotel registration, packing, and the weather — what to settle before you fly.
02Money & payments
Alipay, WeChat Pay, cash, fees, tipping and bargaining — how money actually moves.
03Connectivity & apps
eSIM, roaming, maps and translation — which apps work, and which usually do not.
05Eat
Cuisines, how to order, and eating with restrictions — dishes with their Chinese names, no paid rankings.
06See & do
Parks, museums, day trips and nightlife — honest looks, not brochure photography.
07Itineraries
First days, three-day plans, and side trips to Guangzhou, Macau or the coast.
08Budget
Approximate daily costs, in 2026 bands, to be tightened after we pay them ourselves.
09Honest tips & scams
Etiquette, the scams that actually happen, travelling solo or with children, and accessibility.
10Safety & emergencies
110, 119, 120, 122, hospitals, and what to do if a passport goes missing.