OT - travel within China

[PJ]

Hi All,

 

Anyone have any idea approximately how much the plane fare costs within China:

 

Guangzhou to Xiamen

Xiamen to Shanghai

Guangzhou to Beijing

 

A lot of my time during my upcoming trip will be spent on personal matters, but I still do hope to travel within China.

 

P.J.

[skrunks]

guangzhou to xiamen around 600rem

xiamen to shanghai around 1300rem

guangzhou to beijing around 1900rem

 

that is without any discount. add airport fee of 50 rem each leg of a trip.

[robhon]

I know my flights between Shenzhen and Chongqing have been about 650 RMB. The flights are about 2 hours.

[skrunks]

also, han lin says that they do have a discount of up to 40 or 50% if you purchase early a program that has been in place only since last month. the prices i gave earlier are for last minute purchases, so you can do better by buying early with china southern or northern, or shanghai air. Passing this on second hand..so..caveat emptor.

[Guest hakkamike]

PJ, you will get a little better fare if you will have a Chinese National call for you and get the booking agent for a price and get the ticket for you after they give them the price, don't have them call and say its for an American or someone other than a Chinese National or you will be more than likely charged a higher price in your air fare . One more thing PJ, just remember its China not the good ole USA, most of the people that post on this group have the attitude that if it is not to their upbringing its not right but if its all working out for them in China while they are living there its great until something bad happens to them ??? Abortion, one child per family, ect ect, hey if they have it in their laws, its not their falt that you did not follow the rules its not their problem that you did not follow the rules and the laws of the COUNTRY, you must pay the price if you do not not follow them??? Why should they change the laws just for you???????????

[danswayne]

I am a very foreign person in China, but during my 3 years I could sometimes get cheaper tickets than even my Chinese friends could. I guess I just made the right friends and found the right numbers to call. Maybe Changsha was nicer to foreigners than I used to think.

[owenkrout]

PJ, you will get a little better fare if you will have a Chinese National call for you and get the booking agent for a price and get the ticket for you after they give them the price, don't have them call and say its for an American or someone other than a Chinese National or you will be more than likely charged a higher price in your air fare .  One more thing PJ, just remember its China not the good ole USA, most of the people that post on this group have the attitude that if it is not to their upbringing its not right but if its all working out for them in China while they are living there its great until something bad happens to them ???  Abortion, one child per family, ect ect, hey if they have it in their laws,  its not their falt that you did not follow the rules its not their problem that you did not follow the rules and the laws of the COUNTRY, you must pay the price if you do not not follow them???  Why should they change the laws just for you???????????

Very good point. My two years in China went quite smoothly primarily because I took the attitude of "It's China, not America." Things were often very different but you just have to be flexible. As you say, its their country and they can run it how they please.

[robhon]

PJ, you will get a little better fare if you will have a Chinese National call for you and get the booking agent for a price and get the ticket for you after they give them the price, don't have them call and say its for an American or someone other than a Chinese National or you will be more than likely charged a higher price in your air fare .  One more thing PJ, just remember its China not the good ole USA, most of the people that post on this group have the attitude that if it is not to their upbringing its not right but if its all working out for them in China while they are living there its great until something bad happens to them ???  Abortion, one child per family, ect ect, hey if they have it in their laws,  its not their falt that you did not follow the rules its not their problem that you did not follow the rules and the laws of the COUNTRY, you must pay the price if you do not not follow them???  Why should they change the laws just for you???????????

It even says as much in your (or at least my) passport. Page 6, Tips for Travelers, number 9: "Familiarize yourself with the local laws and customs of the countries to which you are traveling. While in a foreign country, you are subject to its laws."

 

And here even we say, "Ignorance of the law is not a defense."

 

--

When buying plane tickets in China here's the shuffle we do...

We're having breakfast with the family, people are are talking about tons of stuff at about a millions miles a minute. All in Sichuan dialect, or Chongqing dialect, as they now like to say. Then my wife will say, "Today we must buy your plane ticket." Of course, I've been mentioning this for days. But today is the day.

 

We all go out shopping. This usually includes about 8 or 9 family members. Five in baba's car. The others take a bus across town. We meet at the central area in CQ with the tower, which I still don't know the name of. Then we're all wandering around, looking at VCD's, buying some clothes, maybe we go sit somewhere and talk and snack. Then comes lunchtime. We all find a place to eat and stuff ourselves silly. Then we're wandering in the square again poking into various shops. Maybe buy some tea or dishes.

 

Somewhere in the process we will pass close to an ticket office. There's a huddle. My wife says to give my passport to my aunt. She and mama wander over to the ticket agent and inquire about ticket prices to Shenzhen while we nonchalantly wander more... "Want a yogurt?" (or ice cream or whatever is near.) Every idle moment usually is turned into another eating moment. I'll peer over toward mama and her sister. There's some arm waving and sometimes a raised voice. Then they come back with a ticket.

 

At the ticket agent I know they hide my passport until the very last moment after the price has been agreed upon. It's almost like that card game I see everyone play there. It's where you slap down on the table that last set of cards to go out and win the hand. "And, HA HA!, the ticket is for an American!"

 

I have no idea if they really are getting a better price. But I do know playing the game is more important for them. And I totally love watching it, out of the corner of my eye, while they hide me behind Liu gwu yeah (uncle Liu).

[TimD]

One more thing PJ, just remember its China not the good ole USA, most of the people that post on this group have the attitude that if it is not to their upbringing its not right but if its all working out for them in China while they are living there its great until something bad happens to them ???

 

I think PJs bright enough to realize this fact. Thank god China is China and the US is the US. It wouldn't be such a wonderful place to live or visit if it were the same. I've seen a lot of things in my short time in China that I have found disterbing, but just wrote it off to another countries culture and customs. Then on the other hand I've seen things in the states that have discusted me too.

 

I came to China for many many reasons, one of which was to experience the culture of my wife, both the good and the bad. And even though I have seen some pretty outragous things here my opinion of this wonderful country has not changed in the least. I love being here more and more as each day passes.

 

As for the topic of plane tickets, as I've always said, just shop around, however if buying domestic airfare for Chinese flight it might be best to get the tickets here. We have a great agent we go through and he knows that if he gives us a steap price my wife will give him hell

 

-Tim

[danswayne]

Don, we are doing great in sunny Florida. My laogon is working in a doctors office and thinking about going to school to be able to practice herself. I am waiting for a certification test so I will be able to teach, but that should happen pretty soon. We are thinking about her first car right now and other scary things like that. I have not checked the board too much in the last few weeks but plan to be reading more in the future.