Most long-distance internal travel is by air. Tickets will normally be purchased by guides and the price will be included in any tour costs. Independent travellers can also book through the local Chinese International Travel Service , which charges a small commission, or they can buy tickets in booking offices. It is advisable to purchase internal air tickets well in advance if the time of travel is to be during May, September or October. There are regular ferry services between mainland China and Hong Kong.
Railways provide the principal means of transport for goods and people throughout China.
The major routes are from Beijing to Guangzhou, Shanghai, Harbin, Chengdu and Urumqi. Children under 1m tall travel free and those under 1.3m pay a quarter of the fare. Roads are not always of the highest quality. Distances should not be underestimated and vehicles should be in prime mechanical condition as China is still very much an agricultural nation without the mechanical expertise or services found in the West. Traffic drives on the right.