Making the most of Tianjin
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
South of the Dongjiang port area of Tianjin or Xingang, the new cruise terminal covers some 1.2 million square meters. Its first development stage comprises 700,000 square meters and accommodates 6 large cruise ships simultaneously. The terminal building itself spans 59,000 square meters, handling up to 4,000 cruisers and 500,000 passengers a year..
A taxi from the cruise terminal to Tianjin city centre takes about 50 minutes and costs 240 yuan. The terminal is NOT in Tianjin but at Tangku [next to Tianjin], and no bus/train connects it to Beijing airport.
Tianjin itself has a very good subway. Taxi’s are extremely cheap; show drivers the destination on a map or its name in chinese characters.
Use taxis or transportation provided by the ship. Beijing, about 90 km away, costs roughly 700 yuan to reach, and a hotel can also book the journey.
The 137km taxi trip from Tianjin city centre to Beijing International airport costs 800 yuan and must be ordered from an hotel in advance.
Note: allow lot's of time if embarking or disembarking here and travelling to or from Beijing airport! Traffic jams, foggy weather etc. are all possible.
A printable map to take with you.
Tianjin’s variety of tourist attractions makes it rewarding to explore. Its leading sights, collectively known as Jinmen Shijing, comprise Gu Wenhua Jie, Dagu Emplacement, Huangyaguan Great Wall, Dule Temple, Haihe River, Water Park, Panshan Mountain, Hotel Street and Food Street, Tianjin TV & Radio Tower and Zhonghuan Cailian. Many naturally beautiful scenes and great historical events also feature.
Getting around
Tanggu Railway Station is a 30-40 minute taxi ride from port, and offers a 320km/hour bullet train to Beijing! An ATM-like kiosk at the station sells tickets, with an english option and credit-card payment.
The train journey costs about $5 per person and takes roughly 90 minutes. From Tianjin train station, a taxi to the pier is about $10.
A schedule for trains.
Carry instructions written in chinese on paper, such as: I want 2 tickets for 2 adults to Tanjing city; REQUEST WIDE SEATS, because we westeners need the wider seats and regular ones are narrow and uncomfortable; what is the platform number; what time is the train; etc.
The station also has a VIP waiting room costing something like 8 yuans per person. It is much better than the main station, where there may be no sitting room; moreover, this HUGE station is very crowded and noisy.
Taxis are the best way to get around the cities because they are plentiful and cheap.
Taxi drivers fall into roughly three groups:
Touts: avoid them, or you will pay several times what you should; walk half a block to find a honest cabbies. The mechanics: these drivers have built their own taximeter, with all the consequences. The honest cabbie: this group forms the far majority( >90%) as the Chinese government clamps down on tourist mistreatment; in fact, people become more honest farther south in China. Ensure the meter is switched on, or get out!
Important: when buying a guide book for your destination town, choose the latest edition. Construction moves enormously quickly, so what exists today may disappear tomorrow! Its maps should show both "english" and "chinese" characters, allowing you and a cabdriver to communicate by pointing. Cabdrivers speak only chinese.
Nearby places
Rather than Tianjin, 95% visit Beijing!
Beijing draws domestic and foreign visitors to marvel at its century-old history and unique cultural relics. These include Tian'anmen Square, the world’s biggest central square; the Forbidden City, its largest and best-preserved imperial palace complex; a superbly preserved Great Wall section; and the Temple of Heaven, the world’s largest sacrificial complex.
If taking the train by yourself seems too much of an adventure, by all means book the ship's excursion to Beijing instead.
Because Beijing offers so much, we suggest purchasing a guide book!
Food and shopping
Large tourist towns have one or more shopping malls for westerners, often the only source of larger clothing sizes. The malls are fun, but almost everything is fake and bargaining is difficult. One quick approach is to display the bills you will pay, then walk on; if they gesture you back, finalise the deal. Remain courteous throughout.
Colourfully decorated restaurants often cluster in particular city districts to attract customers. Walk past and choose places patronized by chinese families themselves. Most menu's picture the served items, while seafood is generally kept alive in large tanks. Eating out in China is a feast: noisy overall and with little etiquette. Enjoy it! Drink bottled water only, including when brushing your teeth, and follow common eating-out precautions.
Money
China’s currency is the Yuan, or Renminbi RMB.
You may occasionally receive a counterfeit bill, usually in a small denomination. Nothing can be done, so keep it as a souvenir.
Staying connected
Complimentary high speed Wifi is available at the cruise terminal.
China's emergency number is 110; for Hong Kong and Macao, use 999.
Opening Hours and
Stores appear to have no set opening hours, remaining open for as long as customers are present.
Transportation becomes very hectic during Chinese New Year, which lasts about two weeks and is when all the Chinese are traveling.