Onward arrangements must be made at each stop. Thus, passengers may arrive with reservations from Tokyo to Beijing, to Shanghai, to Hong Kong, and find that the flights after Beijing are nonexistent, or exist, but are fully booked. Local CAAC agents issue tickets only for travel originating in their own cities. Hotels, for a fee, will sometimes assist in making reservations and purchasing tickets on CAAC flights if you make the request in advance. Plane reservations to the most popular tourist cities must often be made a month in advance.
Train travel is similarly difficult to reserve, and trains are often overbooked.
Round trip rail tickets are not sold. Beware of counterfeit train tickets. Unethical entrepreneurs have been caught manufacturing and selling such tickets at railway stations. Restricted Areas Visitors to China should be aware that Chinese regulations strictly prohibit travel in certain areas without special permission. However, over 500 cities and areas in China are open to visitors without special travel permits, including most major scenic and historical sites.