Traveling around China by bus

[Brian US]

I'm planning a trip to Dalian and started with the train schedule. I was surprised to see it would be at least 10 hours from Beijing to Dalian. My friend went this year by plane, but there were some problems with getting a return plane/train ticket, so he took a bus back. I believe he mentioned it was also around 10 hours for bus. A quick search online at piaojia.cn shows the shortest 11 hour bus trip costs just over 200 kuai, which is about the cost of a train ticket. My friend just left the country, so I won't be able to ask more details about his travels for awhile.

I was wondering:

Anyone know a good site to check bus schedules/prices?

Are there bunks on any buses?

Anyone have experience traveling long distances on public buses?

One complaint I remember my friend having is that it was a bumpy ride, which made it hard to sleep.

[roddy]

Did a couple of 5-6 hour trips over Duanwujie. They were ok, buses were comfy enough, as many rest stops as people demanded, TV wasn't too loud. No smoking, no screaming babies. I'd certainly take a good bus ride over a bad train journey. Just make sure you're getting on a bus leaving from an actual stance at an actual bus station, rather than some roadside cowboy.

A search for 长途汽车 turns up a few sites that reckon they'll give you timetables. However at peak times they put on a lot more services, so it might be worth phoning the station.

I suspect sleeper buses tend to be a lot older - I reckon I might prefer a seat on a more modern bus.

[cui ruide]

Did a couple of 5-6 hour trips over Duanwujie. They were ok, buses were comfy enough, as many rest stops as people demanded, TV wasn't too loud. No smoking, no screaming babies. I'd certainly take a good bus ride over a bad train journey.

In my experience, all of the mentioned advantages are subject to the bus ride. Unfortunately, all of my bus rides have been shared with chain-smokers. The horns can be really loud. The tv can be really loud (with bad pop, bad nasally classical singing, or bad b-action movies). It's not uncommon for people to vomit from motion-sickness. Even though it's illegal, they like to stop and pick up people and sit them wherever there's space. Most people I have shared buses with are from the country, with all of the perks that entails. Some only have one bathroom stop--in the second hour of six... I have never done a sleeper-bus, myself. Most of my bus rides have been in the south and the west of China--to destinations not on train tracks.

Some of my best and worst moments of China have been on buses. Going to Huangshan, a bunch of ruralites opened a winning can of coke and promptly spilled all of it on my sleeping head in their excitement. Another time I was holding it for 4 hours (granted I didn't ask for a stop). North of Chengdu, the roads were still terrible from the quake and we were stopped for hours. Another time I was sitting by an ancient Tibetan lady who chanted murmured prayers for the first hour or two of the morning ride. I loved the mountain pass pit-stops in Qinghai, southern Gansu, and Sichuan because there would be women selling delicious yak yogurt with sugar. The scenery can also be breathtaking.

They're an experience, but I pick my battles and would prefer a hard sleeper train ticket for 10 hours.

[knadolny]

Just make sure you're getting on a bus leaving from an actual stance at an actual bus station, rather than some roadside cowboy.

Roadside cowboy! Hilarious. That must have been my bus I took from Yangshuo to a border town with Vietnam. And wow that was an experience. Lots of good memories. It was a sleeper bus and they sat us in the front of the bus (we were three) so that we wouldn't get our stuff stolen as easily. The highlights I remember are one girl got her passport stolen. She must have been sleeping with her purse open and someone reached in to grab it. And it was a very very long trip. Maybe 20 hours or something I forget. Don't take those roadside cowboys.

The other sleeper bus I took was in Yunnan. The bus was very nice and the journey overall was pleasant, except the sleeper was made for someone 5'10 and I am 6'0. I could never stretch all the way out and didn't sleep well the whole trip.

I am personally a fan of the trains.

[xueshengDan]

Hi, I will be flying into Dalian but then in august I have to get back to Beijing. The University FSO said that getting a train ticket would be a major hassle in August. So, I thought I just might spend the extra money and fly back. I will continue watching your post, for ideas. But, so far from what I do know, the train might be a better way to go as opposed to a bus; esp. with the extreme temps.

[Brian US]

Sounds like a bus would be fine for a trip that is less than 5 hours. I'll opt for a train going to Dalian.

[knadolny]

Oh here is one more idea to look into. I took a boat from Seoul to Tanggu (near Tianjin). I loved the trip and met a lot of friends on the way there. It did take 28 hours but I had the time and it was cheap. Maybe a train from Beijing to Tanggu and then a boat from there to Dalian is a possibility if you are up for it.