A valid passport and visa are required for travel through China. For
most of the world’s population, China is a long-distance destination.
Although a cruise ship is a possible mode of transport, getting to China
by air is the most logical (and probably least expensive) choice. Many
cities in China have airports, but the flights to and from certain
cities are limited. It is most common to fly into Beijing or Shanghai.
Many airlines let you check your flight’s status online. Be sure to
check the flight before you leave for the airport, so that if your
flight is delayed you can spend the extra time at home instead of in the
terminal.
It is possible to arrive in China from Europe or other parts of Asia
without taking flight; popular train routes include Vietnam to China and
the Trans-Siberian Railway. However, China does not typically allow
foreigners to drive cars into the country.
Slow boats travel between China, Japan, and South Korea. Although travel
blogs and articles reference the boats, there is no way to book one
online. If you want to try one of the arduous journeys (up to 48 hours
long), try asking in a China forum, or waiting until you arrive to ask
around.
By Air: Air China, China Southern, China Eastern, Hainan Airline and
other international airlines fly to all the major cities in China.
By Train: Trans-Siberian railway
Other railway services operates from Vietnam-China, Tibet-Nepal, Pakistan-Xinjiang and Kazakstan-Xinjiang.
Other entry points:
Zhuhai-Macau,
Kashgar-Islamabad (Pakistan) via the Karakoram Highway,
Urumqi-Almaty (Kazakstan),
Kashgar-Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan),
Beijing-Pyongyang (North Korea),
Pinxiang/Hekou-Dong Dang/Lao Cai (Vietnam).
By Sea: Ports of call include Shanghai, Xiamen, Tanggu, Dalian, Dandong, Macau and Hong Kong.
