Getting through the gates: metro and high-speed rail
Both systems are fast, frequent and signposted in English at the station level. What isn't in English is the conversation you have when something is slightly off — the wrong exit, the wrong queue, a ticket that needs changing.
The metro
Every station has a bag scanner at the entrance; put bags on the belt, keep walking. Ticket machines almost always have an English toggle in the corner of the screen, and most cities also let you enter with a QR code from a transit app or a transit mini-program inside Alipay or WeChat. Single-journey tokens and cards are sold at the 售票处 or from the machines.
Exits are numbered (A, B, C1…) and they matter — a big interchange can put you half a kilometre from where you meant to be. Look for the exit letter before you go up.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 请问入口在哪儿？ | Qǐngwèn rùkǒu zài nǎr? | Excuse me, where's the entrance? |
| 几号线？ | Jǐ hào xiàn? | Which line number? |
| 在哪儿换乘？ | Zài nǎr huànchéng? | Where do I change? |
| 这趟车去人民广场吗？ | Zhè tàng chē qù Rénmín Guǎngchǎng ma? | Does this train go to People's Square? |
| 我坐过站了 | Wǒ zuò guò zhàn le | I've gone past my stop |
| 末班车几点？ | Mòbānchē jǐ diǎn? | What time's the last train? |
| B口怎么走？ | B kǒu zěnme zǒu? | How do I get to exit B? |
The high-speed train
Tickets are tied to the passport you book with, so bring the same passport you used. Booking is done in the 12306 app or website, or at a station ticket window. At the station there's an airport-style security check, then a waiting hall, then a gate that opens shortly before departure.
The gates read Chinese ID cards automatically; a passport usually needs the staffed lane beside them, where someone checks it by hand. Allow extra time for that, and for the security queue, especially at a large station.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 我要取票 | Wǒ yào qǔ piào | I need to collect a ticket |
| 这是我的护照 | Zhè shì wǒ de hùzhào | Here's my passport |
| 人工通道在哪儿？ | Réngōng tōngdào zài nǎr? | Where's the staffed lane? |
| 检票口在哪儿？ | Jiǎnpiàokǒu zài nǎr? | Where's the ticket gate? |
| 几号车厢？ | Jǐ hào chēxiāng? | Which carriage number? |
| 这是我的座位 | Zhè shì wǒ de zuòwèi | This is my seat |
| 可以改签吗？ | Kěyǐ gǎiqiān ma? | Can I change it to another train? |
| 晚点了吗？ | Wǎndiǎn le ma? | Is it delayed? |
Your carriage number and seat are printed on the ticket and shown in the app; the platform is marked with carriage numbers on the floor, so stand at yours rather than the nearest door.
Signs worth recognising
| Sign | Pinyin | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 进站 | Jìnzhàn | Entry to the station |
| 出站 | Chūzhàn | Way out |
| 安检 | Ānjiǎn | Security check |
| 售票处 | Shòupiàochù | Ticket office |
| 候车室 | Hòuchēshì | Waiting hall |
| 检票 | Jiǎnpiào | Ticket check / boarding gate |
| 换乘 | Huànchéng | Transfer |
| 洗手间 | Xǐshǒujiān | Toilets |
What Laonei does here
Photograph a departure board, a ticket or a notice taped to a gate and Laonei tells you what it is before it reads the lines, keeping the Chinese beside each one so you can match it against the sign. Its translate mode is quick enough to use at a ticket window with a queue behind you. liuxuesheng.help/talk
FAQ
Do I need my passport to take the high-speed train in China? Yes — tickets are issued against the passport you book with, and it's checked at the gate and sometimes on board. Bring the physical passport, not a copy, and use the staffed lane rather than the automatic ID-card gates. Say 人工通道在哪儿？(réngōng tōngdào zài nǎr?) if you can't see it.
How do I pay for the metro in China as a foreigner? Ticket machines take cash and usually have an English mode, and most cities accept a QR code from the local transit app or a transit mini-program inside Alipay or WeChat. Stored-value cards are sold at the ticket office. Say 我要买票 (wǒ yào mǎi piào) — I'd like to buy a ticket — at the window.
How early should I get to a Chinese train station? For high-speed rail, aim for about 40 minutes before departure at a large station: there's a security queue, a wait to find your gate, and passport checks take longer than ID-card scans. Gates typically close a few minutes before the train leaves, and late is late — the ticket is for that train.