Dalian, China

Getting around Dalian

How to travel around Dalian — 5 options, what they cost, and which booking apps fix the fare before you go.

Last updated 2026-08-09

1. Tram

One of the oldest tram systems in China, running since 1909, with heritage cars on Route 201.

Cost: CNY 1–2

2. Metro

Lines linking the railway station, the airport and Jinshitan.

3. Coastal buses

Routes along Binhai Road for the cliffs and beaches.

4. Ferries to Yantai

Overnight and fast ferries across the Bohai Strait to Shandong.

5. DiDi

Standard, and avoids the station touts.

Booking apps in China

Agreeing the fare in an app before you travel removes the argument at the end of the journey, which is where most transport scams happen. Links go to each app's official page — lookalike apps are themselves a scam.

DiDi

The dominant Chinese ride-hailing platform, with an English interface in the international app.

Coverage: Nationwide.
Why it helps: Removes the unlicensed cars that tout at stations and airports, and records the route.

Alipay

Handles metro and bus fares, taxi payment and most everyday transactions; supports foreign cards.

Coverage: Nationwide.
Why it helps: Paying digitally sidesteps the counterfeit-banknote problem entirely, which is the most common change scam in China.

Trip.com

Books high-speed rail and domestic flights with an English interface and passport support.

Coverage: Nationwide.
Why it helps: Avoids station touts reselling rail tickets at markups.