Communication Tips
Get a card from your hotel with the name and address in Chinese characters if you are lost and no one understands your Mandarin or Cantonese
Get your hotel staff to write down the destination names for you on paper. You may also learn some phrases from the Chinese phrasebook. Keep in mind that although English is more widely understood than in most other places in China, outside of establishments which specifically cater to Westerners, few people know English.
As a migrant city Mandarin has become the lingua franca of daily communication and is more widely spoken than the Cantonese common elsewhere in the region. Taxi drivers are much more likely to speak Mandarin than Cantonese.
Shenzhen is a linguistic melting pot. In addition to various accents in Mandarin or Cantonese, the other Guangdong languages — Teochew, and Hakka — are fairly common, and you may hear languages from other parts of China.
By Metro
The Shenzhen Metro æ·±å³å°é (http://www.szmc.net/index.jsp) is the most convenient and easy to understand method of transport around the Shenzhen city area. Fares are Â¥2-9. Trains come every 3 minutes or so and the metro runs until 11PM. Note that there is a relatively high standard of public courtesy on the Shenzhen Metro. Some customs are unusual to foreigners. For example people will often give their seats up to young children. The system is being rapidly expanded and the numbering system for the lines has been replaced by names. The Shenzhen Metro currently has 5 lines, 137 stations, and 178.44 km 110.87 miles of total trackage in operation
Luobao Line - East-west line from Luohu HK Border/Shenzhen Station to Shenzhen Airport. Most convenient line for many tourist sites
Longhua Line - North-south line from Futian Checkpoint HK Border to Qinghu
Shekou Line - East-west line from Chiwan to Xinxiu, best for ferry connections and Shekou Seaworld
Longgang Line - From Yitian running north east to Shuanglong
Huanzhong Line - East-west Line through Shenzhen's northern surburbs from Qianhaiwan to Huangbeiling
Buy your ticket at the ticket machines on the concourse. The machine will dispense a round green plastic token. Touch it on the reader on entering the station and deposit it in the slot on the turnstile on leaving. The machines often reject old or worn notes. The most convenient way to travel is to buy a Shenzhen Tong æ·±å³é card at the ticket window. This is a stored value ticket. Touch it on the turnstile reader on entering and leaving the station. It can also be used for purchases in convenience stores.
Note that unlike most subways, the exit-guide signs in the station are only written in Chinese except for a handful of major attractions. There are also a limited number of maps of the local area often in Chinese in the station so finding the right exit can be a problem. But this has since been changed in most places in reponse to hosting the 2011 Universiade Games.
Metro pdf map: (http://shenzhenshopper.co...)
By taxi
Taxi meters start at ¥10.00 for the first 2 kilometers, then ¥0.60 for each 250 meters. Late night costs slightly higher. There is a ¥4.00 fuel surcharge added to all fares.Taxis are unusually for China well regulated and managed in Shenzhen. It is very rare to have a driver give you problems or take you the long way to your destination. However, be sure that the cab has a licence prominently displayed in the plastic stand provided for this purpose on the right hand dashboard of every cab. If there is no licence, get the next cab. Unlike in neighbouring Hong Kong, it is rare to find any drivers who speak English, so be sure to have the names and addresses of your destinations written in Chinese to show your taxi driver.
Driving is notably incompetent and terrifying. If you think your life is in danger, do not be afraid to get out and get the next cab. Sadly there is little assurance that the next driver will be any better. If you have a major problem, threaten to complain. use the word "tousu" (toe-soo meaning "complaint"). We don't know what happens when you complain but it is expected to be BAD usually a 200RMB penalty per complaint - 5 complaints and their license will be revoked!. On the receipt you should get when the driver prints out the ticket is a phone number and his taxi license. Use this if you want to file any type of complaint.
Unless you are extremely familiar with local conditions in which case you will not be reading this or an expert Chinese negotiator, avoid like the plague illegal unlicensed taxis of the type which proliferate in places such as border crossings. You are just calling down trouble in infinite variety on your head. If you ask for a driver from a hotel it is likely they will get a private driver. Negotiate the price before you leave.
There are still a few gold colored cabs which can only operate inside the SEZ. Green colored cabs can only operate outside the SEZ. They cannot enter the SEZ. Red cabs can operate anywhere.Tipping is not expected at all. Round up to the next Yuan