Like Tree63Likes

Flew to Xi'an, rented a car

Closed Thread
Page 1 of 4 1 2 3 4 LastLast
  1. #1

    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Posts
    894

    Flew to Xi'an, rented a car

    So I used expedia.com.hk to rent a car in mainland China. Note that this is only do-able if you have a mainland Chinese license (search other posts about obtaining this in HK).

    Arrived in Xi'an international airport at around 5pm, took me about 30 minutes before finding the place. The arrivals hall is in Terminal 3 but the car rental parking lot is in Terminal 1. The booking has clear info stating this, but it was a bit of a walk from T3 to T1. When I returned the car, the staff used the car to drive me over to T3 for departures. I suspect there's shuttles from T3 to T1 but I didn't bother and just walked.

    Took the scenic route to my business destination. Took me 4 hours instead of 2 via mountain passes. Quite beautiful and there was no traffic (but suspect summer vacation months to be gridlocked with tour buses) and the roads were great without a single pot hole.

    Be sure to download Baidu maps, it beats Google Maps hands down in finding places. Though I didn't look into finding their English version though (they must) as I downloaded the Chinese one.

    On the way back chatting with the rental car company staff, he says there are tons of HK people doing self drive vacation now including "foreigners" who managed to get their hands on a mainland driver's license. The whole process was painless with no cash used in the transactions only my HSBC visa card. Paying for gasoline though locally you should bring some cash.

    Stayed at a local hotel on the outskirts of town, can't complain.

    Can't wait to try it farther up north when it snows and bring my wife and kids to show them the massive countryside that can be explored. It's a mindset one can't get if you grow up entirely in a city unto itself Hong Kong.

    Name:  41637567_10161067067950045_4087044295658307584_n.jpg
Views: 417
Size:  39.7 KB

    Name:  41597452_10161067121300045_1798569232246505472_n.jpg
Views: 409
Size:  63.4 KB

    Name:  41658121_10161067140805045_3449053120317882368_n.jpg
Views: 409
Size:  62.5 KB

    Name:  41755265_10161067332785045_6209910307809132544_n.jpg
Views: 410
Size:  44.2 KB

    Name:  41542285_10161067333220045_8448683906592407552_n.jpg
Views: 408
Size:  23.3 KB

    Name:  41673221_10161067333610045_8804758917591597056_n.jpg
Views: 409
Size:  42.3 KB

    Name:  41672830_10161067490380045_4011844254438522880_n.jpg
Views: 409
Size:  97.2 KB

    Name:  41752362_10161069543300045_2981642974934335488_o.jpg
Views: 408
Size:  87.1 KB


  2. #2

    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Posts
    894
    Name:  41679382_10161070372905045_7641328323796140032_o.jpg
Views: 351
Size:  296.0 KB

    Name:  41698815_10161070385380045_8133188575534514176_n.jpg
Views: 352
Size:  41.7 KB

    Name:  41691080_10161070385590045_7422218711764828160_n.jpg
Views: 355
Size:  45.4 KB

    Name:  41691077_10161070385685045_8731885000594554880_n.jpg
Views: 352
Size:  52.7 KB

    Name:  41733884_10161070385770045_6778417549479510016_n.jpg
Views: 352
Size:  86.8 KB

    Name:  41658927_10161070385825045_1751558452959772672_n.jpg
Views: 352
Size:  85.4 KB

    Name:  41796205_10161070385880045_5571479795969032192_n.jpg
Views: 352
Size:  32.3 KB

  3. #3

    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Posts
    894
    Name:  41784495_10161070386155045_7216444646770081792_n.jpg
Views: 348
Size:  55.3 KB

    Name:  41692599_10161070386380045_3857508474422296576_n.jpg
Views: 351
Size:  66.0 KB

    Name:  41769927_10161070386445045_7507136700607365120_n.jpg
Views: 349
Size:  104.3 KB

    Name:  41671509_10161070386505045_3634529230001274880_n.jpg
Views: 350
Size:  103.2 KB

    Name:  41679385_10161070386555045_2520531338960830464_n.jpg
Views: 350
Size:  58.3 KB

    Name:  41692598_10161070386700045_4836768589937639424_n.jpg
Views: 349
Size:  60.5 KB

    Name:  41705166_10161070386785045_8606621768305606656_n.jpg
Views: 350
Size:  35.6 KB

    Name:  41708905_10161070434650045_1245536796398321664_o.jpg
Views: 351
Size:  208.3 KB
    shri, tf19, jgl and 7 others like this.

  4. #4

    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Posts
    6,531

    Thanks for sharing. It's always helpful to get some tips from people on how they did trips. A few questions:
    1. Do you speak Mandarin? I can imagine not speaking Mandarin may make the whole process (like getting petrol) a lot more difficult.).
    2. Do you read Chinese?
    3. Sorry, but can you answer briefly: can a non-permanent HK resident get a Mainland license?

    Just want to comment on something: it's a bit of a pity that China is developing a car culture. It's one of America's greatest mistakes, and from my little experience with China, it seems like China is following in a similar way, although building some massive public transportation networks along side. The downside of creating such a car culture is not just that it is not very healthy for people, creates ugly cities with a list of problems, but it really is quite bad for the environment. It's been rather heart breaking to me with my time in Asia to see how terribly roads and road networks destroy natural environments for wildlife, such that wildlife across the world is being wiped out. So while I enjoy driving and driving would make getting to a handful of remote places in China easier, I am hesitant to support this. With China there is still actually good public transportation links, and when there isn't, there are still private drivers and taxis that can get you to almost any place.

    markranson likes this.

  5. #5

    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Wanchai
    Posts
    5,063

    Ha expected reply from Elegiaque.

    Skyhook likes this.

  6. #6

    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Posts
    894
    Quote Originally Posted by Elegiaque:
    Thanks for sharing. It's always helpful to get some tips from people on how they did trips. A few questions:
    1. Do you speak Mandarin? I can imagine not speaking Mandarin may make the whole process (like getting petrol) a lot more difficult.).
    2. Do you read Chinese?
    3. Sorry, but can you answer briefly: can a non-permanent HK resident get a Mainland license?

    Just want to comment on something: it's a bit of a pity that China is developing a car culture. It's one of America's greatest mistakes, and from my little experience with China, it seems like China is following in a similar way, although building some massive public transportation networks along side. The downside of creating such a car culture is not just that it is not very healthy for people, creates ugly cities with a list of problems, but it really is quite bad for the environment. It's been rather heart breaking to me with my time in Asia to see how terribly roads and road networks destroy natural environments for wildlife, such that wildlife across the world is being wiped out. So while I enjoy driving and driving would make getting to a handful of remote places in China easier, I am hesitant to support this. With China there is still actually good public transportation links, and when there isn't, there are still private drivers and taxis that can get you to almost any place.
    1 and 2, yes I can read and speak Mandarin. However, the way people get around in Africa or the Middle East, you can show them the Maos and point to the pump for regular unleaded and they'll understand. For hotels if you pre book your whole trip, just print out the stuff and show front desk. If they're listed on Expedia or Trip.com they should be competent enough to read the print outs or hand them your ID and they can look it up. Yes if you don't speak Chinese then it might be more difficult but not un-doable. Just be prepared and do a Google translate print out of common questions. While I was there I paid 68 HKD a day for unlimited roaming data from Smartone, I can access Facebook or Google translate on the fly.

    Regarding car culture yes I agree to an extent they have followed exactly the same path of North America. Their high-speed rail network is an attempt to bypass the pollution downfall. In fact once the Kowloon station stabilizes in a few months I want to try to take my kids to see the ice carving festival in Harbin via the high-speed train rather than flying. However even with cars you can notice there are tons of electric cars now and as they scrap more coal and switch over to nuclear and renewables, things should improve. Remember how bad smog was in LA in the 70s and 80s, China is trying its best to clean up with manufacturers emissions quotas like the EPA (that Trump is neutering). Don't expect any of the rental cars to have a big V6 lol yes in cities like Shanghai you can expect to never to have to own a car like Hong Kong. But if you lived in middle America or most parts of Canada, you'll understand the need for a personal vehicle. The destination I was going to was literally in middle of nowhere and no city taxi or Uber/Didi available. Sorta like sales calls for heavy equipment guys in the states for oil and gas, can't exactly call a cab.

    I agree it's a shame its just the way things go with humans when places become more easily accessible. Littering follows. But in China, at least the mountain pass I was on, there's lots of paid sanitation workers. Didn't want to take a photo of them like I was a gawking tourist but like someone was trimming hedges and picking up leaves like in HK every 10km or so.
    shri, Elegiaque and irisboards like this.

  7. #7

    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Posts
    894
    Quote Originally Posted by Trebor:
    Ha expected reply from Elegiaque.
    LOL I'm missing something?

  8. #8

    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Posts
    6,745

    big yawn

    as to Elle's point 3, your visa must be valid for more than 180 days, then you can get a mainland license

    Titus likes this.

  9. #9

    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Posts
    894
    Quote Originally Posted by Morrison:
    big yawn

    as to Elle's point 3, your visa must be valid for more than 180 days, then you can get a mainland license
    Search the board its been posted, can get Leekin to do all the paper and leg work or ask someone else for suggestion as that's the only way I know.
    irisboards likes this.

  10. #10

    Join Date
    Oct 2012
    Posts
    6,531

    @Titus thanks. There have been times where we've lamented at how frustrating it is to get to some places and how if we just could rent a car we could easily go there (instead of having to deal with a language barrier and finding a driver/taxi, especially since we're not "allowed" to use Didi). These are particularly places north of the coast from Hong Kong, where we can't find much information about how to get there with public transportation (or even find out what's there). I didn't realize it might be kind of easy for a foreigner to do this. We once drove in Taiwan, well before I learned any Chinese, so I guess that aspect is doable, but somehow China seems as if it would be far more challenging (less civilized?). In terms of chaos, the driving in China never lived up the terrible expectations set, but still a trip to China has never gone by without seeing a few traffic accidents.

    Any idea about insurance and what would happen if you got into an accident there? See this is where the language would probably be essential. I've heard if you hit someone it's best to just run over them and make sure they're dead so you don't have to pay for their recovery expenses -- true?

    I do think China is doing a good job at pushing more advanced vehicles ahead regarding emissions and cleaning up, but my reference had more to do with city design and planning and how it leads to rather nasty sprawl. Ask anyone and they will say how lovely European cities are, that were built well before cars, compared to American cities... I have this impression that China just likes things to look "grand" and makes a lot of useless built-up spaces and roads as a way of flaunting power and development. Then again, bicycle usage is pretty prevalent still, too, but I can imagine everyone is aspiring to owning a car (like in the recent documentary Plastic China). It's a shame, because it's pretty ugly and will only get uglier with time. It does no good either for preserving nature and wild areas.

    (@Trebor glad I'm keeping up with your expectations!)

    Titus and civil_servant like this.

Closed Thread
Page 1 of 4 1 2 3 4 LastLast