If you are new to China, start with taxis. All taxis have a sign that says "TAXI" on the top.In most cities, the taxi tends to be a small local-made car painted in either red or yellow.In large cities, there are luxurious sedans at a higher rate.Taxi fares vary from city to city,usually starts at CNY10 (USD1.5) in large cities and CNY 6 (USD1) in small cities as always clearly marked on the taxi window. A ride costs 1.00 or 2.80 Chinese yuan per kilometer.Taxis are easily flagged in the street and are generally clean and comfortable. There is no extra-charge for luggage, but at night it does get a bit more expensive. In most large Chinese cities, the driver will turn on the taxi-meter but in some of the smaller cities, taxi drivers may ignore the taxi meter and insist on a certain pre-determined price. Request that they turn on the meter or threaten to change to another taxi or report them to the authorities. Taxi licence are lucrative and most drivers will avoid getting into trouble with the Chinese authorities.

Most Chinese taxi drivers do not speak English and it may be advisable to carry your intended destination written in Chinese. Be aware that in large cities like Beijing and Shanghai, even taxi drivers can get lost! So, always have your destination on hand or have the other party mobile phone on hand so that the driver can communicate with the other party direct for driving instructions.

Taxis will be able to print receipts. Always ask for a receipt at the end of a journey. In case you leave behind something, a receipt will be useful to trace the driver and the taxi.