By Light Rail
This not a means of transport around the downtown area as there are only two downtown stations, but effective transportation for those travelers with transportation needs to Ganjing District or even further out to Jinzhou District construction is underway to extend even further north to Pulandian. The light rail qÄ«ng guÇ can be quicker than a taxi to get to or from areas north of downtown if traffic is bad on the Shenda Expressway, this mode will easily be the quickest. The Economic Development Zone stop serves as a transfer station, with no line transfer necessary to continue north to Jinshitan but a transfer required if wanting to hop on the Jiuli line which goes to downtown Jinzhou and beyond. Fare is based upon the distance with the furthest distances having a Â¥8 fare. Light-rail cars are air conditioned and the waiting stations are sheltered from precipitation but the journey can be extremely crowded during peak hours. At night, once the light-rail has stopped operating for the day, it's possible to return downtown by taxi or a shared taxi for a decent fare.
By taxi
Taxis are plentiful in Dalian and flagging one down is rarely a problem except in the more remote parts of the city where high car ownership exists or large numbers of those who would have trouble paying a taxi fare--or in rush hour. Rates start at ¥8 ¥10.40 after 22:00 for the first 3 km and ¥2 for each additional kilometer. For idle time, tack on ¥0.3/minute. Usage of taxis also incurs a mandatory ¥1 fuel tax, no matter the distance. The additional ¥1 will not show on the meter, as the meter tracks distance and time and not the tax. Round all taxi fares to the nearest whole number as drivers do not accept any coinage less than ¥1 e.g., ¥11.60 would round up to ¥12 and the total amount would be ¥13 including the fuel tax. Drivers range in mood, some acting quite gruff and excessively aggressive while some are keenly interested in where you originate from or other small talk. On the good side, they are less likely to take needlessly long routes compared to other tourist cities in China as Dalian is a relatively small city with a limited number of major highways/thoroughfares. Drivers don't understand basic English, however, so be prepared ahead of time to ensure accurate drop-off. If a driver is looking to pick up additional passengers along your route, encourage him or her to keep on driving unless you're comfortable with what might ensue. Especially during rush hour, when taxis are heavily sought after, it's quite common for drivers to pick up additional passengers if heading in the same direction as those in the cab.
A thing to note on taxis is however, same as anywhere in China is that during bad weather eg: heavy rain, snow, etc, some drivers may decide to go off the meter illegal but not enforced or only accept far-away destinations. Plan your trip beforehand if there's bad weather.
The city does suffer from a large number of illegal taxis, both drivers and vehicles even vehicles that are painted and have meters may be operating illegally. These drivers may be hesitant to go on routes which might be more heavily patrolled. The driver may use the meter, thus charging you an accurate fare, but they will often times avoid giving a receipt. The best way to avoid running into any issues is to aim for the taxis which have a blue or white light on top of the car. These is the highest color ratings afforded to a Dalian taxi driver. Conversely, yellow is the lowest rating while all other colored-lights are somewhere in between.
Many taxi drivers smoke and play their radios. Some may also hesitate to start the meter so be sure you let them know to start it if you think they've forgotten or up to their tricks. Few use the A/C during the summer except for maybe during the hottest parts of day. The nicest thing about the taxis and size of Dalian is that ¥20 can go a long ways in getting around.
By Motor Bike
Motor bikes are rarely seen in most parts of downtown and typically only used for transporting food stuffs at that, but they are more common appearance in those areas outside downtown or areas where passengers would struggle paying for taxi fare Kaifaqu and Jinzhou, for example. A price is negotiated based upon distance and bartering skills. Helmets are not provided, as some drivers might think their passenger would then be unable to hear the late-90s techno pumping from their boombox.
By Tram
Dalian has a few trams and trolleybuses, a legacy from the years of Japanese occupation, and which add character to the city in addition to being a practical means of transportation. The occasional hilly street with a tram scooting along past colonial buildings combine to give Dalian a look unique in China. There are two main tram routes: #201 runs largely west-east from Xinggong Street near the Shahekou Railway Station to the Haizhiyun Rhythm of the Sea Park on the coast. #202 runs from the High Tech Zone near Xiaoping Island to the Jinhui shopping area where the #201 starts. The #203 line was merged into the #201 route. As a result, travelers should note the destination sign on the tram before boarding, as the express and other special trams will skip some stops. Fare is ¥1, although an additional ¥1 may be asked for once passing certain stops for example, boarding the #201 west of the train station requires ¥1 and then another ¥1 to continue riding east of the train station.
By bus
Buses (http://www.dalianbus.com) are the main form of public transport in Dalian and most services run very frequently. Roadside signs at the queues are available in Chinese and English often translated, which is nice for knowing what some of the words mean but impractical when needing to reference a spot. The typical wait between buses is about five minutes. Seats are generally hard and, even with very frequent services, buses on major routes can still get crowded at peak times. Although fitted to do so, most operate with air conditioning or heating systems off, although in extreme heat or cold the driver may decide to turn them on. Services start early in the morning anywhere from 04:30-08:00 and usually finish around 10PM, although some services finish earlier/later depending on the popularity of the line. Fare is ¥1-2.
Bus routes that may be of use to visitors include #2 from Qiniwa station to Tiger Beach, #4 from Olympic Square to Tiger Beach, #5 from Zhongshan Lu near Qingniwa to Jingsha beach via Fujiazhuang, #13 from the west side of Victory Square to the ferry terminal, #16 from Zhongshan Lu near Qingniwa to the Xinghai conference centre and #22 from the railway station to Xinghai Square. Ticket prices for all these routes, as with most buses in Dalian, are ¥1 regardless of distance and exact change must be given.
In addition to the regular public buses there are also three air-conditioned tourist buses. #801 runs a circular route from the railway station and takes in People's Square, Xinghai Square, Fujiazhaung Beach, Tiger Beach, Labour Park and Zhongshan Square along the way. The entire journey takes about an hour and costs ¥20, though earlier stops cost less the minimum being ¥5. #801B runs from the ferry terminal to Heishijiao via Zhongshan Square, the railway station, People's Square and Xinghai Square while #K901 runs from the Foreign Languages University to the south-western edge of Dalian via Zhongshan Square, the Railway station, Xinghai Square and Heishijiao. Tickets for both buses are ¥2.
Of particular interest to tourists is a bus traveling Binhai Lu for ¥10 08:00-16:00. It starts from near the railway station and covers the Conference & Exhibition Center, Dalian Seashell Museum, Forest Zoo, FuJiazhuang beach, Yan Woling, Birdsong Forest, Tiger Beach Paradise, Harbour Square and Zhongshan Square. There is a bus every 40 mins and through out the day you can travel in this bus, or just stay aboard for a 90-min ride.