This is the way most locals get around. The fare is RMB 1 to get pretty much anywhere in Qingdao. There are lots of buses buzzing around and wherever you are, there probably will be a bus stop nearby. At rush hour, they can get pretty crowded, however, they are great to have during that time as they zip by most traffic as there are bus lanes on the main roads in the downtown district. However, if you wish to take a bus to another city, you’ll have to go to the long distance bus station.

Taxis are cheap and plentiful, except of course during the shift change, which is at about 6pm.. The fare starts at RMB 8 and goes up by RMB1.1 per KM. Trying to find a taxi during heavy rain can also be a nightmare. Most cab drivers are quite friendly and are always willing to converse with a foreigner, even if you don’t speak Chinese.

There are plenty of flights going around China from Qingdao’s LiuTing Airport. However, traveling internationally can only take you as far as Japan, Hong Kong or Korea. If you are going anywhere else, you have to go through Shanghai and Beijing (1 hour flight) The fares are gener ally quite reasonable (not during high season though). A tip for you : In China the fares go down as you get closer to the flight date.

For short distance, inter-city travel, we recommend the train. Its cheap, quite comfortable, although the food is something left to be desired. As far as comfort, there are hard seats, soft seats, hard and soft sleepers (prices go up in this order). For example at hard sleeper to Beijing which is a 12 hour ride costs about RMB100. If you have the time, its an experience worth having at least once.

You can rent a private car with a driver for a day at between 200-400 RMB (depending on the car). There are some expats who drive here, although we do not recommend it unless you’re going to live here for a long time. Be Careful though!!!