[travel_happy_to]

...Australian's to travel right around china using public transport?? we do not speak chinese.

[Vincent D]

It is economical, but if you don't speak Chinese, it'll bring you some trouble since most Chinese can't understand English. You could try seeking help from some Chinese organizations, such as http://ask.jongo.com

[boy_jam_arch]

Yes, but you can bring your car or bike

[Claim The Earth]

Like everything else, the first time would be more difficult, but subsequently it would be easier. It's quite safe to take buses or train for certain routes with many competing carriers. For instance, buses from Shanghai or Beijing to their surounding big cities are quite comfortable and easy to arrange too. It is more difficult to travel by public transit to smaller and off-the-beaten path places since there would be less service providers, less choices and less people understanding English. But overall, if you have decided where to go and can find local friends to provide you with pieces of advice first, that would be most preferrable. Traveling conditions are quite diverse in different parts of China and should be analyzed on case-by-case basis.

[schatz101]

it's economical, but i don't know about it being easy... there's still a lot of chinese people who don't speak english, so if you get lost and their writings are different, it may be hard. if you really want to do it this way, though, always, always ask for directions first from your hotel and always get a hotel card with the hotel's address and map in both english and chinese so if in case you get lost,you can just always hail a cab. enjoy china!

[arunnmooorthy BHZ]

Tamil also can

[penguin]

Travelling by yourself is tough in China, even when you speak Chinese. If you can't speak Chinese it's almost impossible. I did it for a while... but to be honest the stress involved in trying to map out the travel plans seriously detracts from the enjoyment of the experience. (I'm not the most flexible person, and I enjoy the finer things like hygeine too much).However, if you have a good guide book, map things out in advance, and carry a phrase book with Chinese (characters) and English, it really can be a great experience. The most important thing is to have the right attitude. If you are flexible and adventurous it can be fun. China doesn't have a sense of the service industry, or even the tourism industry... so you have to really lower your expectations.That said, China has a massive system of public transportation. You can go from any place to any other place in China by bus or train (not always directly, but you can get there). Flights are also pretty cheap. Here's a suggestion: for any bus trip over 10 hours, take the train instead. For any train trip over 36 hours, take a plane instead.Everyone under the age of 25 has taken about 8 years of English in school (it's mandatory). That doesn't mean they can speak it though. Many people can read basic English but can't speak a word. Use your phrase book, point to Chinese characters, point to English sentences. Ask yes/no questions. You will be surprised at how many people are helpful and friendly. In some places you may even be swarmed by people hoping to meet a foreigner and/or practice their English. Warning: Don't follow people to tea houses or art shows.... It's a scam.So, back to your questions: is it easy = no. But if you have a guide book and the right attitude it can be fun. There is public transportation from any place to any other place. Is it economical = yes, but the long trips and the poor sanitation may encourage you to switch to a slightly more expensive mode of transportation.A note about organized tours: there are many companies in China that give more "western" tours. They are ok, but not great. A thousand times better than the Chinese tours for Chinese, though. It's a cultural thing: what Chinese people want to see and do aren't generally the same things that westerners want to see and do. Some companies in your country give tours in China, but of course, those are usually quite expensive.One suggestion I've heard from many travellers is to find other western travellers along your route and get suggestions on sites/hotels/transportation from them.