Most tourist hotels provide postal services; however, if you want to send important items such as antiques or cultural relics that are under customs control, you must consult the local branch of the International Post Office.

In addition to regular postal services, the International Post and Telecommunications Office handles remittances, money orders, telegraphic money transfers, international and domestic telephone and telegram services and local telephone service, in the same building there is a customs office for those who need customs clearance. Additionally, packages can be collected from this office.

You can send postcards, letters, parcels and express mail to any place in the world via China Post (with the green logo), FedEx or China Air Express. Visitors should not wrap parcels before they are taken to the post office since the contents must be examined before the parcel may be mailed. Also, some forms of publications such as books, magazines and newspapers must be examined by an authorized post office.

According to the Road Traffic Safety Law, foreigners must hold a PRC vehicle drivers' license if they drive vehicles in Chinese territory. To obtain a Chinese driver's license, the applicant must conform to related age and health requirements then attend training on related laws and regulations and pass the exam. The next step is attend vehicle driving training at a prescribed time and pass a test given by the Beijing Public Security Bureau Traffic Management Authority.Foreigners who have a valid foreign driver's license can go directly to the Traffic Management Section of the Foreign Affairs Department of the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau to lodge an application with the following forms:

(1) Motor vehicle driver's license application form.

(2) Originals and copies of applicants' passport and residence certificates.

(3) Health certificate issued by an approved hospital.

(4) A notarized Chinese translation of the valid foreign driver's license.

(5) Four one-inch color photographs with background.

Tourists can make domestic long distance calls or international calls from their hotel room and the call charge will be added into the hotel expense. Domestic long distance calls and international calls can be made from post offices and public phone booths near the scenic spots, shops, and entertainment venues. The charge is to be paid after the call.

When making domestic long distance calls, you shall first dial the area code, then the local number. Here are area codes of some major cities: Beijing (010), Shanghai (021), Tianjin (022), Hangzhou (0571), Guangzhou (020), Guilin (0773), Kunming (0871), and Xi'an (029).

When making international calls, you shall first dial "00" (international prefix number), then the country code and the area code and finally the local number.

When making international calls with a landline or cell phone, first you must dial "00" (international prefix), then dial the country code, then the area code and local number.

When making domestic long distance calls with a landline or cell phone (to landline) in China, you should first dial the area code starting with 0, then the local number.

When making domestic long distance calls with a landline or cell phone (to cell phone) in China, you first should dial 0, then the cell phone number.

When calling a Chinese landline out China, you must first dial the international prefix number, for example in the United States you dial 011, then dial 86 the country code for China, then the area code and local number.

When calling a Chinese mobile number, you first need to dial the international prefix number and then dial 86, then the mobile number.

Useful phone numbers in China

Phone Number Service

110 Police

114 Local telephone number inquiry and area code inquiry

119 Fire

120 Ambulance

11185 Postal code inquiry

10000 China Telecom customer service

10086 China Mobile customer service

10010 China Unicom customer service

95566 Bank of China customer service

In towns and cities, IDD service is provided at all hotels and post offices. Phone cards are available in post offices inside hotels or in the streets. Even more conveniently, most news stands in major cities also carry phone cards. Telephone booths in the streets are mostly for local calls.