Changchun is a very compact city planned by the Japanese with a layout of open avenues and public squares guÇngchÇng. It is pretty easy to travel from one place to another; however, with the increase in private car ownership, traffic is getting worse by the day.
By road
If you need to get somewhere fast then jump on one of these. They generally hang around in the south of the city and out in the suburbs. They are unlicensed to carry fare paying passengers, so bear in mind that if there is an accident, you might find yourself in trouble. However, they tend to drive in the cycle lanes at quite low speeds and so are safer than you might expect. Expect to pay as little as ¥1 for a short trip.
On foot
From May to October, Changchun is a decent walking city, as the weather is fine and there are no hills. The city does tend to be spread out, so travelers should plan on using other forms of transportation. During the winter months temperatures are too cold to walk longer distances in Changchun, so other forms of transport should be considered.
By Minibus
If you are in need of an adrenaline rush, look no further than one of the minibuses that tear around the city streets. Some places out in the suburbs are only serviced by such buses, and the fare is usually ¥1-2, but the drivers seem to think that they are on a giant racetrack most of the time and you will get thrown around. Expect the front passenger to sit at the side-door, calling out to potential customers, and to be encouraged to hop on the bus while it is moving ever so slowly. If you were old, they would probably stop, or expect you to take a taxi for a little more. Very crowded at times.
By Three-Wheeler
There are brightly coloured three wheel plastic taxis, available from near Changchun University é¿æ¥å¤§å¦, which only operate for short distances in the south of the city. If you are in the Jingyuetan åææ½ part of town, this is the easiest mode of transport as there are few taxis operating there. It is fairly easy to find a taxi anywhere in Jingyuetan. They are cheaper and slower than regular taxis. There is no meter, so expect to negotiate with the driver. A typical ride should not exceed Â¥3.
By taxi
Taxis are by far the best way to get around. They are cheap but you should have a piece of paper with the address in case you do not speak Mandarin.Taxi fares start at ¥5 up to 2.5 km plus a mandatory ¥1 fuel surtax, after that ¥1.30/.5 km. Several taxi companies are serving the city and they will not try to cheat you. It is common for drivers to pick up other passengers who might be going in the same direction if there are unused seats.
However, in case driver is taking you in circles - in this case complain for example at the hotel drop-off point. The staff there normally will support you in such cases. For other cases simply pay not more then shown on the meter. In general: Make sure you know the name of the places you are going to in Mandarin or have a paper with the Chinese address with you. It would not hurt either to travel during the day and have one of Shangri-La's English maps, or even one in Chinese from Xinhua bookstore.
By Light Rail
The light rail 轻轨; qÄ«ngguÇ currently goes from the west side of the train station é¿æ¥ç« to Changying Movie Wonderland é¿å½±ä¸çºªå. It travels past Changchun University é¿æ¥å¤§å¦ approximately half-way along the route, and takes 63 minutes to complete the entire journey. A ticket, purchased at any light rail station, costs Â¥1-4 each way, based on the distance traveled. Operates 6AM-9PM daily.
A new south-north route is under construction, but the completion date is not fixed yet. Currently August 2009 the main construction is in Linhe Street, south sector. It is a good idea to avoid this section, if possible, for the moment.
By Tram
Despite the city once having the most complex tram system in Northern China, there is now only one remaining route still open. The number 54 runs down Hongqi Street 红æè¡ to the far west of the city where there really is not much. Many of the trams still in use today are the original cars from 1940, so it is worth the Â¥1 ride just for the experience of yesteryear.
By bike
Travelers should be cautious of bicycling in Changchun. For half the year it is generally too cold and during the summer months, too dangerous. Unlike other big cities in China, Changchun does not separate cycle lanes from the main traffic, which leads to buses, taxis, cars, and motorcycles sharing the same space as the cyclists. The whole situation is dangerous and this is perhaps the reason why by Chinese standards there are few people who regularly cycle here. The other problem is that because of the city's layout, there are plenty of large roundabouts where 4 or 5 busy roads converge on one another, making it extremely difficult to cycle without having to continually dismount.
If you want to bike around, it is recommended that you follow closely behind one of the local people on cargo-bike, merchant-bike, or donkey. There are off times during the day when biking would be less challenging. Drivers are not overly aggressive towards bikers.