The cheapest trip to China. Independent travel to China

China is a big country that has its own culture. That is why many tourists strive to get to the Celestial Empire. There are many cities in the country worth seeing. Let's dwell on the main points that are important for every tourist to know. First, you need to resolve the issue with a visa, since every tourist needs it. If a single entry visa is issued, then its cost is 1,500 rubles, double entry - 3,000, multiple - 4,500.

How much does the flight cost?

Consider how much a ticket will cost to fly to China from Russia, while the rate is taken at the rate of 1 dollar approximately 7 yuan, which is equivalent to 58 rubles.

The cheapest flights from Moscow to Beijing for the year ahead

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1. It will be inexpensive to go from Moscow to Beijing or Shanghai, the ticket price will be about 20,000 rubles.

2. It will be even cheaper to go from Vladivostok, here the ticket price to Beijing will cost only 11,000 rubles.

The cheapest flights from Vladivostok to Beijing for the year ahead

departure date	Return date	Transplants	Airline	Find a ticket
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3. You can fly from Irkutsk to Beijing for only 14,000 rubles.

It often happens that airlines hold various promotions and if you carefully study them, you can find options for a few thousand more rubles cheaper.

Transport

When planning a vacation in China, you do not have to worry about transport, the infrastructure is well developed here. You can get anywhere in the country without any problems. If your stay in China will be long, then it is best to purchase a travel card, so there will be an opportunity to save a little. The pass is a plastic card that can be used freely on the metro and buses, it costs only $ 4. For travel, a tourist within the city will only need to spend $ 30 a month on public transport. Instead of a taxi, it is better to take a moped, such a trip will be much cheaper, in addition, mopedists never get stuck in a traffic jam, which means there is an opportunity to save your time.

Living in China

When deciding to go on vacation in 2020 to China, you should immediately take care of housing. The real estate market is actively developing in the country, so it will be possible to find a lot of advertisements for renting housing, while there are apartments that can be rented for a month. For a tourist who came to the country on vacation, there are two more suitable options:

1. You can rent a hotel room, but do not trust too much the photos that are posted on the sites, so you should only use trusted sources.

2. You can find where to stay through thematic groups in social networks, where announcements of renting an apartment for a month can be posted. It is very convenient to use such services, as you can find a room that will fully correspond to reality.

Many tourists advise to book a hotel or a room for just a day, and then decide whether to stay further or look for other options.

How much is housing?

Prices in the country are very different, so it all depends on what conditions the traveler wants to receive in return. If you want to rent an entire apartment for a month, it can cost $ 500, rent a room will be cheaper, somewhere around $ 300 will be enough. The options can be very diverse, for example, in Shenzhen, near the beach, you can rent an apartment for as little as $ 600. You can rent a room in a simple small hotel for only $ 20, but, according to tourists, it is still better to use the services of chain hotels that value their reputation, but in this case the room will cost $ 40.

Food and national cuisine

National cuisine in China is specific, so it may not please everyone. You can grab a bite to eat at McDonald's. Also, cafes will always come to the rescue, where the cost of lunch can be as little as $ 5, but as for restaurants, then you will have to pay double the price. But taking into account the reviews of tourists, it would be most correct to conclude that it is best to eat in a cafe where locals eat, in which the cost of a hearty lunch costs only $ 2.

If you want to cook on your own, you can stock up on food in the supermarket. There is a huge selection of different fruits and vegetables here. It is not recommended to buy sausages, because they differ from those products that our compatriots are used to using.

Features of China

In China, many tourists feel uncomfortable, especially when on the street a Chinese man may come up and ask to be photographed, as if with a celebrity. In addition, the Chinese associate a white person with wealth, so tourists are often trying to make money here, so there is no need to be ashamed of bargaining in the markets. The locals themselves are good-natured, but there are also cunning among them. Every tourist should know how to take care of their safety. It is best to keep the bag in front so that it is always in sight, as there are enough scammers and pickpockets everywhere.

How much will a trip to China from Russia cost?

Typically, a couple who wants to travel to China for ten days will need to calculate the funds as follows:

1. To get a single entry visa for two, you need about $ 50.

2. A flight to Beijing or Shanghai can cost 34,000 rubles.

3. An inexpensive hotel for ten days will cost $ 110 per night, a three-star hotel will cost $ 250.

4. You can eat in inexpensive cafes, this is about $ 600 for two for ten days.

6. The cost of transportation and excursions will be $ 200.

Of course, you can, but spending a vacation on your own is much cheaper, so budget tourists can enjoy the beauty of the Middle Kingdom for only $ 1100 for two. Travel Tips

So the long-awaited vacation has begun. I, unexpectedly for myself, was left without a companion - my companion at the last moment could not participate in the planned trip.

But I decided not to cancel anything and go to conquer China alone, which I did not regret for a minute.

And so I and my two suitcases are waiting for the start of registration at the Minsk airport. Until I got on the plane, the boredom of waiting was stronger than fear. I was not worried about flying on an airplane, I was worried about whether I would be able to orientate myself in the huge Beijing airport. I confess, being on the spot, the fear for a moment took up, but, pulling myself together, I found the taxi rank. I stood in a small queue, showed the taxi driver the address (I had booked a hotel in Beijing, as well as an air ticket, on the BiletyPlus.ru website) and drove off. By the way, China has very good hotels: the price is pretty low, and the decor and service are of the highest level.

The people call this skyscraper "Pants"

I spent my first day in Beijing in the Forbidden City, the largest palace complex in the world. Having defended a considerable queue, I got to the place where entry to mere mortals was once forbidden. The payback was terrible: they were cut off their heads or boiled in a cauldron (unless, of course, mortals are not servants of emperors or ministers). The excursion took me about 4 hours, and to be honest, it was not very fun to walk. It's good that I put the audio tour in Russian on the player in advance, otherwise the tour in Chinese would quickly tire me.

I also took a walk in Yiheyuan Park. Most of the territory is occupied by water, visitors move along the bridges. Since the borders are not fenced off, and there are many people, it was rather scary to walk. We rented a boat with my random companion. By the way, it is in this park that legendary walks on a stone ship are arranged.

In Beijing, I visited the main street of the city. The most expensive shops and boutiques are located here, as well as the world's largest screen, located right above the head of passers-by. In addition, fountains are built into the asphalt, which can be triggered at any time.

I lived not far from the Silk Market and became a frequent witness of whole performances with pseudo shoppers, their “comebacks” and long speeches, convincing that it is still necessary to reduce the cost of goods. Here I perfectly mastered the art of trading: they tell you the cost, you underestimate it by N times (depending on what you are fighting for, that is, you bargain), then you listen to reproaches, say "bye-bye", they catch up with you and sell you for your price.

But on the Yabaolu shopping street it is not customary to bargain until the last, they say, traders immediately set the minimum price. By the way, most of them speak Russian well.

Then it was time for a cultural program: I bought a ticket to the legendary Acrobat Show in Beijing. The ticket was not the cheapest (I was sitting on the 6th row and this event cost me $ 100). But it was an incredible sight: very expensive costumes, amazing scenery, and what to say about the skill of acrobats! A dozen dancers on one bike, incredible supports, but most of all I liked the huge ball that was installed on the stage - three motorcyclists were spinning circles inside it at once! I personally saw the wonders of human grace and plasticity. It was an incredible sight and well worth the money. I really liked it! If someday fate brings me back to Beijing, I will definitely go again.

In Beijing, I also visited the zoo. The vast territory contains hundreds of species of animals, but of course the panda bears touched me the most. By the way, you can even take baby pandas in your arms, of course, by paying. Near the zoo, on the same site, there is a dolphinarium.

At a tea ceremony in Beijing, I was offered 12 types of tea. For some reason, the cups are not washed here, they were simply doused with boiling water right in front of us. Perhaps this is an element of the local tea ceremony. We were seated at a special wooden table and one by one they poured a fragrant drink into tiny red clay cups. Despite the fact that the tea was infused for a very short time, it was quite strong and tasty. Most of all I liked the vanilla-flavored tea.

By the way, about tea. In any public place in Beijing, guests are always served a cup of hot and invigorating drink.

And, of course, any lunch at a restaurant starts with tea and fruit. In restaurants in China, spinning hanging tables are installed so as not to reach for your piece, knocking down all the salads on the way. The portions are small but filling. On my first day in Beijing, I ordered a Peking duck. They cooked it right in front of me, there was little meat in it, in addition they chopped it. The most valuable is leather, it is eaten with sugar, but I did not dare.

Perhaps the most impressed with me is the restaurant where you pay only for the entrance (about 18 RMB). At the entrance, guests take off their shoes and are given slippers. Visitors dine in cozy gazebos, surrounded on all sides by water, and the passage through the restaurant is carried out along small bridges. Moreover, you can curtain yourself in order to hide from prying eyes. And then the real feast of the belly begins: food can be taken in any quantity, as much as the soul (but most importantly - the stomach) wants. It serves delicious sushi, seafood, sweets, beer, sake. The restaurant works intermittently and you cannot sit there for more than two hours, take food out, of course, too.

Of course, I wanted to see the building of the legendary Bolshoi National Theater. The entrance to the theater is underground, because it is surrounded by water on all sides. I didn't go inside, I was impressed in absentia.

It is not for nothing that China was called the healthiest nation: every morning (at about 5 am) in city parks, the Chinese do gymnastics, dance a waltz or their national dances. I did not take part in the exercises, but I took a couple of photos.

It was interesting to travel, especially for the Chinese any "European face" is a real exotic, they often came up and asked to take a joint photo.

From Beijing I went to Baidahe and Shanghai. But about this - in the second part of my article.

It's time to talk about something important. I soaped myself in China again. I didn't have time to write about the last trip, and here it is again.

What is it smeared with? It's not just that I want to study China completely. Now there are also pretty damn cheap tickets. You need to seize the moment.

And I will tell you two ways how to do it.

*** Partner project. The text and thoughts are mine. ***

The ability to choose the right air tickets is an art. Experienced travelers know what days of the week, seasons and phases of the moon are the best deals. Sometimes this is unnecessary. Look, now on Aviasales you can buy a ticket from Moscow to Beijing for 20 thousand rubles. Directly, without transfers, by Aeroflot. At least tomorrow, at least in a month. Obviously, the airline has introduced a “flat” fare for this flight and until the conditions change, the date does not matter. This happens periodically in different directions, recently the same "pieces" were rolled with Vladivostok and Tel Aviv. This is a life hack number of times, how long it will last is unknown. You need to catch this in.

The second life hack is more interesting, as it always works. Everyone knows how to buy tickets through search engines, but not everyone can use additional "chips" that make searching easier and save money. Look, I have specific dates, and today a ticket costs the same twenty thousand rubles with a tail. Two weeks before departure, and there is a chance that it will become even cheaper. Elementary to the direction, and I receive any changes in tariffs in the mail. There will also be recommendations on whether it is worth waiting for a further decline or is it better to take it until the price has risen.

By the way, it can be even cheaper. The guys from Aviasales gave me some statistics on ticket prices to China. That the cheapest month to fly there is January. It's a long time to wait until the next one, but you can get a ticket Moscow - Urumqi for eight thousand (!!!) rubles. But since May, everything will rise in price: both seasonally and in connection with the increase in tariffs at Russian airports. So, even at the end of the year, it is better to buy tickets in advance.

Something like this, don't thank.

I will continue to talk about amazing and fucking China. Soon!

So, you are about to go to China. And they did the right thing! This country is famous for its centuries-old culture, inventions, natural landscapes, food and much more. Now there are many offers on the tourist market, but they are all of the same type and follow the same well-trodden routes. In addition, they do not give freedom: look to the right, look to the left ... How about entering the country where they look at you with genuine childish interest, like an alien, where the whole carriage gets up when it sees you)). Or chat with locals and get to know the life of the country from the inside. All this is provided by independent travel.

Below are the main practical issues related to independent travel in China.

1. Visa to China

The first thing you need for such a trip is a PRC visa. There are several types of visas, respectively, they require different documents, different costs. The simplest is a one-time tourist. You can register at a travel agency, which will naturally take an additional fee for its work. You can make a visa yourself by taking the documents to one of the consulates of the PRC: in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Irkutsk, Khabarovsk and Vladivostok.

2. How to get to China and travel within the country?

There are several ways to get to the Middle Kingdom from Russia: by plane, by train or by bus, and by hitchhiking. It all depends on your budget, where you are going from and which places in China you are going to visit. China, as you know, borders Russia on Far east, from there the path to Beijing is the closest. You can cover this distance by train. The easiest way to fly from Moscow, St. Petersburg and the European part of Russia is by plane. There are both direct flights and with a transfer in Astana, Almaty, Dubai, depending on the airline. Cheap tickets can be found on the website .

Within China, you can also move in different ways, which is more to your liking. We traveled by train, bought tickets ourselves at the box office a few days before departure.

3. How much money to take to China?

It is difficult to give an unambiguous answer - everyone has their own requirements and preferences. I can only give a link to our

It is better to exchange cash in advance in Russia for dollars, since rubles in China do not change. Dollars to yuan are changed mainly by the Bank of China, the exchange rate in the spring of 2013 was 6.1 yuan per dollar. You can also use Visa and MasterCard bank cards. A fee will be charged for withdrawing money from the card. It is different for different banks, check with your bank before traveling.

Anya and I issued ISIC youth cards, and in some places they give a good discount. For example, we saved 90 yuan (450 rubles) on Mount Emeishan.

4. What to take with you to China?

Experience is the son of difficult mistakes)) We did not understand why we were dragging sleeping bags with us, but it turned out that China is full of cheap and comfortable housing.

When packing, pay attention to the weather in China. For example, in the spring, the southwestern regions are rainy and damp, while Xinjiang can be cool but dry. From here and choose what to take. For independent travel, a backpack is an irreplaceable and convenient thing that must be \u003d).

In extreme cases, buy what you need in China, all the same, all the clothes are made there!

5. Accommodation in China - where to sleep?

As mentioned above, the choice of accommodation is huge, especially in places that are popular with tourists. And competition makes prices acceptable. You can book a hotel or hotel in advance - it is easy to do on the website. If you prefer to improvise, you can decide on the housing already on the spot. But I strongly advise against doing this if you are traveling on holidays: in early May and in the first half of October.

If you want to stay in an apartment or rent a room from the owners (often it is cheaper than a hotel) - try Airbnb (go to and get a gift for your first booking - $ 25).

6. Where to go in China, attractions

Here the choice is simply endless, China is an amazing country! At every step, there is a discovery \u003d).

We visited 4 provinces, or rather , and the province , Yunnan and Manchuria. We just passed the rest of the districts by train.

7. Food

They love and know how to eat in China! Local residents have adopted the rule "War is war, and lunch is on schedule")). The choice of food is very large, although the main products for the Chinese are rice and noodles, as well as additives to them. You can grab a bite to eat at local chifans or by purchasing food at the market or supermarkets.

It should be noted that Chinese food is very spicy - be careful, especially in the early days.

When organizing an independent travel, mobile applications are very helpful. We wrote .

That's all I wanted to say about traveling to China on my own. Come to the Celestial Empire, you will definitely be satisfied! Easy roads!

How much does a trip to China cost? Sasha and Katya - Trip4cent editors traveled for two weeks in South China and we calculated our travel expenses. Everyone's spending is different and we wrote this article only based on personal experience.

How much does a trip to China from Russia cost in 2020

How much does a visa to China cost

RUB 3.400 - RUB 4.800 per person

For us, getting a Chinese visa was a headache. There is a Consulate General of the Republic of China in St. Petersburg, but at the right moment they had a problem with issuing visas. Suddenly they began to refuse to issue a visa to everyone without giving any reason. Only business visas were issued.
Katya was leaving for a month and she had to overpay and get a business visa. I left later and managed to get my visa 3 days before departure.

You can apply for a visa yourself at the consulate for 3.300 rubles. + 2.5% for payment and collect a package of documents. We applied for a visa through a travel agency and I paid 4.800 rubles. for a single entry visa.

It is more convenient to register through a travel agency, because you do not need to collect a full package of documents and you can apply at a convenient time for you.

How much are tickets to China

20.000 - 35.000 rubles. per person

There are often promotions and sales on tickets to China. We failed to catch them - the flights were for the May holidays. We bought direct Aeroflot flights from Moscow to Guangzhou for about RUB 26.500 in two directions. Still approximately 7.000 rub. spent on tickets to Moscow and back.

Travel insurance to China

RUB 900 per person for 14 days

Insurance was required to obtain a visa. We already had credit card insurance and came up for a visa.
You can pre-order insurance online, print it and provide it with a package of documents.
You can get insurance for the requirements of the Chinese Consulate on the website.

How much is housing in China

RUB 10,000 - RUB 20,000 per person when traveling together

Our hotels were one of the small cost items. In just 2 weeks, we spent about RUB 17,000 for two... We did not have an exact travel plan - only the initial and final stages. We booked hotels on or through the site - sometimes there were cheaper offers on it.
We got into the period of the May holidays and in the ancient town of Fenhuang we could not find accommodation. The minimum price for Booking per room was 4.400 rubles. at night. We found a room for 2,700 rubles.

You can also buy train tickets in China through the app.

• IN Yangshuo we lived for 3 nights in a hostel at the language school where Katya studied. 80 yuan per night. Total 2.400 RUB for 3 nights.
• On Longshen Rice Terraces we lived in. Total 3.000 RUB for 2 nights... Also highly praised. The receptionists there speak English, which is rare, and helped us book bus tickets to Fenghuang.
  By the way, our rooms were modest everywhere, but with their own bathroom. For an example of a room on the terraces, see the video below.
• IN Fenhuane we stayed one night in a last minute hotel booked through the Trip.com app. We will not advise him. We chose this option out of despair. Paid for the night 2.700 rbl.
• Next to Avatar Park in Zhangjiajie, or rather in its suburbs Wulinyuan, we lived in a great room with a private bathroom. For just 3 nights paid 4.500 rubles.
• We spent one night on the train from Zhangjiajie to Guangzhou and this cost was taken into account in transport
• In Guangzhou on the way back we stayed in a budget but great hotel near the center. It was the only place in China where breakfast was included. Paid for 2 nights 4.300 rbl.

Food prices in China

8.000 - 15.000 rubles. per person when traveling together

One of our breakfasts in China

We ate quite cheaply at the local food service chufalny. To a greater extent, locals eat there and the staff speaks only Chinese. Katya is studying Chinese, so we managed to understand each other. We eat a little, sometimes it so happened that only 2 times a day.

• Breakfast is not served in China, so we usually asked to fry eggs, ordered rice and a popular dish - eggs with tomatoes. Such breakfast for two was worth about 350 rubles.
• For lunch and dinner, they ordered what we could understand from the menu. Often these were fried or boiled dumplings, fried rice, or noodles. From the appetizers they ordered eggplant, cucumber salad, spinach salad, cabbage salad. Average cost of lunch or dinner 350-500 rub. for two.
• European food is much more expensive. We went to Pizza Hut in Guangzhou... Ordered average pizza, coffee and dessert. It worked out in 1300 rubles... Ordering European food in small towns is often impossible or difficult to find.
• Often bought fruits - mango and bananas... Bananas about 15-20 rubles. per piece, mango about 100 rubles. per piece of medium size.
• In stores, the choice of familiar products for Europeans is sharply limited. There are practically no dairy products. Drinkable yoghurt we bought only one item and they cost 90-150 rub. per packing. But I liked it ice cream for 50-100 rub. per packing.

Transport prices in China

12,000 - 20,000 rubles. per person

Domestic transport in China is quite expensive and the distances are long. On the way back from Avatar Park to Guangzhou (980 km), we were choosing between train and plane. The plane cost 8.000 rub., reserved bed night car RUB 3.500, compartment car about 6.000 rbl... As a result, we decided to go in a reserved seat carriage for 14 hours.

Electric scooter can be rented in Yangshuo

Our other transportation costs... Costs per person:

• High speed train (2.5 hours) from Guangzhou to Yangshuo 1.500 RUB.
• Near RUB 500 on trips to Guangzhou and Shenzhen metro
• Bus (3 hours) from Yangshuo to Longsheng Rice Terraces RUB 900
• 400 rbl.
• Bicycle rental in Yangshuo (2 times) RUB 300
• Bus from Longsheng to Fenghuang (4 hours) 1.500 RUB
• Bus from Fenghuang to Zhandjazde (3 hours) 800 RUB
• Train from Zhandjiaze to Guangzhou (14 hours) 3.500 rbl.
• High speed train from Guangzhou to Shenzhen (40 minutes) and back 1.500 RUB

There were still many crossings on small buses, a couple of times we took a taxi. As a result, the total cost of transport has resulted in a significant part of the cost of the trip.

Prices for entrance tickets, entertainment

5.000 - 10.000 rubles. per person

China itself is one big entertainment, so we have not been to museums or excursions. We paid only to enter national park Chandzyadze and to the rice terraces Longsheng.
Our admission costs per person:

• 800 RUB entrance fees to the territory of rice terraces Longsheng
• 2250 RUB entrance tickets for 4 days to enter the national park Chandzyadze
• 650 RUB Bailun elevator lift Chandzyadze one way
• 1440 RUB Tyandza cable car in two directions Chandzyadze

Communication prices in China

1.000 - 2.000 rubles. per person

In China, you can buy a local SIM card with internet. This is what Katya did. Upon arrival in Guangzhou, she bought a SIM card for 1.800 rbl... The price included 3Gb the Internet. This was enough for the entire trip. The card is valid for 3 months.

I used a travel SIM card. The SIM card worked fine, but the card is charged for each Mband I didn't use it unnecessarily. As a result, I spent about 10€ from the balance sheet. Communication rates in China:

Now, when connected to, you can get 7€ to the account when replenishing from 25€. To do this, you need to order a card according to our link , activate and top up your account.

I also had to spend money on a VPN service... In China, many sites do not work well and Google, Facebook, Instagram and many others do not work at all. I installed the application on my work computer Express VPN and it all worked. The downside is that you had to connect the connection every time. The monthly rate is more expensive than six months and a year and cost 830 rubles.

Other expenses in China

3.000 - 5.000 rubles. per person

There are always some additional costs. I would like to buy souvenirs, something to eat. Sometimes there are unforeseen expenses. During the trip to Chandzyadze it rained for two days in a row and we twice bought sets of raincoats and comfortable shoe covers for walking.

How much do tours to China cost

In some countries, we compare the cost of a package tour and an independent travel. Package tours to China are sold mainly in Hainan. This is island China and does not require a visa. If you find it difficult to organize an independent trip, then you can start with a package tour to Hainan.

The cost of a package tour can be more expensive and cheaper than an independent trip. It depends on the hotel and your travel expenses.

Estimate the cost of a package tour to China:

Total cost of independent travel

So, let's calculate how much money may be required for a trip to China per person when traveling alone.

1. Visa from 3.400 to 4.800 rub.
2. Flights from 20.000 rub. up to 35,000 rubles
3. Insurance RUB 900
4. Housing RUB 10,000 - RUB 20,000
5. Food 8.000 - 15.000 rubles.
6. Transport 12,000 - 20,000 rubles.
7. Entertainment and excursions 5.000 - 10.000 rubles.
8. Communication 1.000-2.000 rubles.
9. other expenses 3.000-5.000 rubles.

How much does a trip to China cost on your own in the end: from 63.300 rubles. up to 112.700 rubles. per person when purchasing more expensive tickets, hotels, domestic flights and enhanced meals.

The prices shown are indicative and may change for your trip, but you can use them for budgeting.

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