The hard part is not safety. It is distance, queues and heat.
Plan around distance, queues and heat, and check children by the transport system you are actually using. The national rail child-ticket basis was rechecked on 1 November 2026: national rail uses age, while the city metro rules covered here use height.
- What was checked
- The dated official and publisher references named in this guide's source section. Each reference explains the specific rule or instruction it supports.
- Known limits
- Prices, opening hours, availability and individual account or document eligibility are not live guarantees. Provider conditions and your actual route, passport, device and circumstances can change the answer.
| System | Basis | Rule | Document |
|---|---|---|---|
| National rail | Age | Six and under fourteen buys a discounted child ticket; fourteen and over buys a full ticket. One child under six travels free per adult without a separate seat. | The child's own passport, because the ticket is real-name. |
| City metro | Height | Beijing's published rule frees children at 1.3 m and under with an adult. Other cities publish their own height line and their own accompanying-adult allowance. | Nothing at the gate in most cities; staff may measure at the wide gate. |
| Attractions | Each venue's own rule | Free entry is commonly set at under 1.2 m or under six years, with a half-price band for older children. The venue notice is the only authority. | A passport for a foreign child, because there is no Chinese ID to read. |
A child's passport is not optional paperwork.
A foreign child has no Chinese ID to scan, so the passport becomes the only proof of age at a ticket window, a hotel desk and a venue gate. Keep it with the adult's documents, not in a child's backpack.
A child needs a document, not just an adult's ticket
Child tickets are real-name. Enter the child's passport details when booking, and carry the passport on the day.
Free does not mean a seat
One child under six per adult travels free without a separate seat. If you want the child to have a seat, buy a child ticket.
Under-fourteens travel with an adult
The railway's rule expects an adult companion. A thirteen-year-old cannot simply be sent to the next city alone.
Book seats together, not across the aisle
Seat selection at booking is worth the effort on a long leg. Standing in a crowded carriage with a child is the alternative.
Hot water exists; the cup does not
Each carriage has a water dispenser for tea and instant noodles. Bring your own flask and a sealed cup for a child.
Allow a station buffer
Security, ticket checks and long platforms add twenty to forty minutes with a stroller. Book the earlier train rather than the tightest one.
Ask for the accessible lift at the entrance
A station can have several entrances and only one step-free route. Staff know which; the map on the wall often does not say.
Use the wide gate
Wide gates are at the end of the row. A stroller does not fit the standard gate, and forcing it damages the gate and delays the queue.
Two tools, not one
A light folding stroller for flat ground and a carrier for stairs, temples and water towns. Old towns with stone bridges are not stroller terrain.
Check the venue, not the city
A palace courtyard may be flat while its main halls are reached by steps. Ask at the rental desk whether a route avoids them.
Wheelchair rental is first-come
Most large sights lend wheelchairs, often free with a deposit, and the supply is small. Rent at the gate before walking to the far end.
A taxi boot may not take a folded chair
Order a larger vehicle class, and say 'lún yǐ' when you book so the driver knows before arriving.
An accessible lift at one entrance is not an accessible station.
The barrier-free law requires accessible facilities and retained human assistance, and staffed help is the part that matters most on the day. Ask a staff member to point at the route rather than following signs to a lift that turns out to be behind a locked door.
Four dishes that almost always work
Tomato and egg, plain stir-fried greens, steamed egg, and a clear noodle soup. Ask for each without chilli, oil and MSG-heavy seasoning.
Rice, not just dishes
Plain rice is the reliable filler when a child rejects everything else. Order it by the bowl at the start.
Ask for a small bowl and a spoon
Cutlery for children is not automatic. 'Xiǎo wǎn' and 'xiǎo sháo' are worth learning.
Avoid the shared chilli oil
A condiment pot on the table is a trap for a child's chopsticks. Move it out of reach before the food arrives.
Breakfast is the easiest meal
Hotel buffets and bakery chains give a child recognisable food. Use breakfast to reset after a difficult dinner.
Cold drinks and ice
A child's stomach reacts to a sudden change of water, oil and temperature. Order room-temperature water and skip ice for the first days.
Carry more paper than you think
Public toilets frequently run out, and a child needs more than an adult. Two packs per bag is not excessive.
Know which buildings have a baby room
Malls, airports and newer rail stations usually do. Parks, temples and small restaurants usually do not.
Squat toilets need a plan
Hold a small child over the squat facing you, or use the accessible cubicle where one exists. Carry wet wipes either way.
Schedule the break before it is urgent
Ask at every exit and every meal. A toilet stop that is chosen is calm; one that is discovered is not.
Nappy disposal is not universal
Carry small bags and take the nappy with you if there is no bin. This is normal practice, not a failure of the venue.
Hot water for bottles
Restaurants and stations usually give free hot water. Carry a flask rather than relying on a kettle in the room.
One main sight per day
A palace or a wall section is several hours of walking before lunch. Adding a second sight usually means carrying a child by mid-afternoon.
Book the hotel near the metro
Three hundred metres of flat walk at the end of the day is worth more than a larger room further out.
Keep the afternoon free
Nap or pool time is not lost sightseeing; it is what makes the evening possible.
Choose the indoor backup in advance
One museum, one mall with a play area, one hotel pool per city. Rain should not require a new plan at breakfast.
Avoid holiday weeks
Crowds turn a stroller into an obstacle and a queue into an hour. If the dates are fixed, plan around the peak hours instead of through them.
Two cities, not four
A fourteen-day family route with three bases is calmer than four. Every move costs half a day of packing, stations and settling.
CHINESE HELP CARDS · WRITTEN FOR THESE SITUATIONS
State the child's age and height at a gate
Both facts matter: rail uses age, city metros use height. Give both and let staff apply the rule.
您好，这是我的孩子，6岁，身高1.2米。请问需要买票吗？如果需要，在哪里买？我们有三个人，两个大人一个孩子。谢谢。Ask for the lift instead of the stairs
Say it at the entrance, not at the bottom of the stairs with a stroller in both hands.
您好，我推婴儿车，请问无障碍电梯在哪里？哪一个出口是没有台阶的？如果这部电梯不能用，请告诉我另一条路线，谢谢。Order plain food for a child
Name the dish and the instruction together. A general 'not spicy' may be applied to the whole table.
您好，孩子不能吃辣。这道西红柿炒鸡蛋和这碗清汤面，请都不要放辣椒、不要放红油。米饭要两碗。有没有不辣的青菜？谢谢。Ask for a high chair and a small bowl
Mid-range and upscale restaurants usually have one; small noodle shops usually do not.
请问有宝宝椅吗？还需要一个小碗和一把小勺。孩子不能吃辣，菜请单独做一份不放辣椒的，谢谢。Finding a baby-changing room
Malls and newer stations have them; parks and old streets usually do not.
请问母婴室在哪里？我需要给孩子换尿布。如果没有母婴室，请问最近的洗手间在哪里？有没有可以放孩子的台面？谢谢。A child with a fever
Give the temperature and the age first. Bring the child's passport.
孩子发烧了，体温38.5度，今年6岁。请问最近的儿科急诊在哪里？我们是外国游客，孩子的护照在这里。需要先挂号还是先缴费？谢谢。Use these cards alongside the rail rules above. Fill in the child's real age and height before showing a card.
Do I need a car seat?
Ride-hailing vehicles rarely carry one and drivers are not required to supply it. If a seat is essential, arrange a private transfer in advance and confirm the seat in writing.
Can we get connecting rooms?
Some international chains have them; most Chinese domestic hotels do not. Ask for adjacent rooms on the same floor as the realistic alternative.
Is milk easy to find?
Supermarkets and convenience stores sell fresh and long-life milk. Infant formula is widely available, but the brand you use at home may not be.
Are pharmacies helpful with children's medicine?
Pharmacists will sell common children's remedies, but the packaging and dosing are in Chinese. Bring your own supply for anything you rely on, and see a paediatrician for a fever that persists.
Do children need their own passport?
Yes, for entry and for any real-name ticket or hotel registration. A child on a parent's passport is not the norm for Chinese entry.
Is it worth bringing a stroller?
For cities with flat riversides and malls, yes. For old towns, temple stairs and wall walks, a carrier does the work instead.
What about swimming pools?
Hotel pools are the reliable option, and many require a swimming cap. Public pools can ask for a health check that a visitor cannot produce.
Official and publisher references used in this guide
These are external references. They are not live availability, price, approval or service guarantees, and each date marks the point after which a rule may have changed.
Children on Chinese railways: age-based child tickets
A child aged six and under fourteen travelling with an adult buys a discounted child ticket; fourteen and over buys a full ticket. Each adult may bring one child under six free without a separate seat. Children under fourteen are expected to travel with an adult.
Rail child tickets move from height to age
The national announcement that ended height-based rail child fares. A passport proves a child's age at the gate; the old 1.2-metre line belongs to city metros and attractions, not to national rail.
12306 help: ticketing, documents and station procedures
The operator's own answer page for common ticketing questions. It is the place to confirm a document or collection rule the day you travel, because platform copy changes faster than any guide.
Beijing rail passenger rules: luggage, children, prohibited items
Luggage caps, the 1.3-metre child line and the ban on personal electric transport, with a stated exception for wheelchairs used for access needs. Useful when a family or a wheelchair user is planning a route with interchanges.
Guangzhou municipal portal: visitor and transport information
Guangzhou's own portal for the child-accompanying rules and metro notices cited in the family guide. Metro child policies differ by city, so this is deliberately not merged into one national number.
Common emergency numbers: 110, 119, 120, 122
Police 110, fire 119, ambulance 120, traffic accident 122. These are the numbers to keep on a phone lock screen; they are not a translation service and do not replace the local emergency instructions at a site.
Updates and corrections
The dates above apply only to the checks described here. Recheck current prices, opening hours, availability and account or document eligibility with the responsible provider before you rely on them. When an official rule changes, the affected guidance and its review date should be updated. To report a specific change, email support@slowchinaguide.com with the place, date and current source.
Send a correctionWhat this guide does and does not do
This guide turns practical questions and dated references into steps you can follow. It is not a booking service, a live price list or a substitute for a clinician, a lawyer or the staff responsible for your actual situation.
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