Business Class in Chinese and Key Phrases for Business Trips in China ✈️

Q: How do I ask for a non-smoking room in Chinese?

You can ask, [speak 房间是无烟的吗？] (fáng jiān shì wú yān de ma?). Is the room non-smoking?

Q: What is the most frequent transportation to go between cities in China?

You’ll often need to take [speak 高铁] (gāo tiě), which is the high-speed railway that’s much more convenient than flights in China. To book a ticket, you can say, [speak 我想预订一张高铁票] (Wǒ xiǎng yù dìng yī zhāng gāo tiě piào) - I want to book a high-speed railway ticket.

Q: How do I ask where the nearest subway station is in Chinese?

You can say, [speak 最近的地铁站在哪里？] (Zuì jìn de dì tiě zhàn zài nǎ lǐ?) . - Where is the nearest subway?

Q: How do I confirm the departure time of a flight in Chinese?

You can say with [speak 这个航班几点出发？] (Zhè ge háng bān jǐ diǎn chū fā?) - when does this flight depart?

Q: How do I ensure that a hotel accepts foreign guests in Chinese?

You could use this sentence. [speak 人可以入住吗？] (wài guó rén kě yǐ rù zhù ma?) - Can foreigners check in?

By Lea Pham
Business Chinese
October 19, 2026

Want a Stress-Free Business Trip? Learn Key Phrases for Booking Flights, Hotels, and Transportation in Chinese

Business class in Chinese is 商务舱 (shāng wù cāng) on a flight and 商务座 (shāng wù zuò) on a high-speed train. Both start with 商务 (shāng wù), meaning “business”: 舱 means cabin and 座 means seat. This guide also covers the key phrases for booking flights, hotels, taxis, subways and trains on a business trip in China, including 升舱 (shēng cāng) for asking about an upgrade.

Travelling for business in China can be both exciting and challenging. If you want to go beyond travel logistics and pick up common business terms and phrases, that’s a great companion read to this one.

Even though it’s becoming more common for staff to speak English in the tourism industry, you never know when you’ll need to sprinkle in some Chinese to keep things running smoothly.

Booking flights, hotels, and transportation is where the exact words really matter, right down to asking for 商务舱 (shāng wù cāng, business class) on a flight or 商务座 (shāng wù zuò, business class seat) on a high-speed train. Otherwise, you might end up on a flight to Chongqing when your business meeting is in Chengdu!

In this blog post, we’ll introduce you to all the necessary phrases and tips to handle travel logistics in China like a local 🙌

Key Vocabulary for Booking Flights
Essential Phrases for Booking Hotels
Transportation Tips and Useful Phrases
How do you say business class in Chinese? 💺
What is business class like on Chinese airlines?
FAQs

Chinese Business Trips || Key Vocabulary for Booking Flights

Booking a flight in China can be a hassle if you’re just learning the language. Pay special attention to these terms and remember them precisely. If you’re new to reading pinyin or Mandarin characters, our guide to tones, characters, and grammar will help you get started.

To say you want to book a ticket, always refer to this word:

预订
yù dìng
Book

Or you can just simply use this single character in a casual conversation.

订
dìng
Book

机票
jī piào
Flight ticket

For example:

^{Wǒ xiǎng dìng yī zhāng cóng Běijīng dào Shànghǎi de jī piào.}

我想订一张从北京到上海的机票。

_{I want to book a flight ticket from Beijing to Shanghai.}

Now here are some vocabularies to specify the details of the flight.

航班 háng bān	Flight number
出发 chū fā	Departure
到达 dào dá	Arrival
单程票 dān chéng piào	One-way ticket
往返票 wǎng fǎn piào	Round-trip ticket

For example, to ask about the departing time of the flight, you can say:

这个航班几点出发？
Zhè ge háng bān jǐ diǎn chū fā?
What time does this flight depart?

If you want to book a round-trip ticket, you can say:

我想预订一张往返票。
Wǒ xiǎng yù dìng yī zhāng wǎng fǎn piào.
I want to book a round-trip ticket.

As you know, being a frequent traveler, flight companies have different policies on luggage and carry-ons. You will need to pay attention to these words.

行李
xíng lǐ
Luggage

行李限额
xíng lǐ xiàn é
Luggage limit

随身行李
suí shēn xíng lǐ
Carry-on

To ask about the limits of luggage when booking, you can say:

这个航班有行李限额吗？
Zhè ge háng bān yǒu xíng lǐ xiàn é ma?
Is there a luggage limit on this flight?

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Chinese Business Trips || Essential Phrases for Booking Hotels

Like booking flights, there are also some important to pay attention to when booking hotels in China.

Not all hotels in China accept foreign guests: some budget and locally-oriented properties are registered only for domestic ID holders. When booking, it’s worth confirming with a quick question (see below) or choosing a hotel listed as accepting foreign passports on international booking platforms.

Here are some basic phrases you should remember first.

酒店
jiǔ diàn
Hotel

房间
fáng jiān
Room

入住
rù zhù
Check-in

退房
tuì fáng
Check-out

For example, to ensure that you can stay in the hotel as a foreigner, you can ask:

^{wài guó rén kě yǐ rù zhù ma?}

外国人可以入住吗？

_{Can foreigners check in?}

And this phrase is always helpful to ensure the check-in time so you can put off your leavy luggage.

^{Shén me shí hòu kě yǐ rù zhù?}

什么时候可以入住？

_{When can I check in?}

If you also want to extend your check-out time, you can ask：

^{Wǒ kě yǐ yán chí tuì fáng ma?}

我可以延迟退房吗？

_{Can I check out later?}

In most cases, you will have the option to choose between a double standard room or a suite for your trip. Here are the vocabularies for room types and anything that come with it.

双人房
shuāng rén fáng
Double room

套房
tào fáng
Suite

有没有空房？
Yǒu méi yǒu kōng fáng?
Do you have any available rooms?

If you are sensitive to the surrounding environment of your rooms, you can always request a specific quieter room or non-smoking room.

^{Wǒ yào yī jiān ān jìng de fáng jiān.}

我要一间安静的房间。

_{I want a quiet room.}

无烟
wú yān
non-smoking

^{fáng jiān shì wú yān de ma?}

房间是无烟的吗？

_{Is the room non-smoking?}

早餐
zǎo cān
Breakfast

无线上网
wú xiàn shàng wǎng
Wi-Fi

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It’s always helpful to ask if breakfast and Wi-Fi are included in your room. You can say:

^{Jiǔ diàn tí gōng zǎo cān ma?}

酒店提供早餐吗？

_{Does the hotel provide breakfast?}

It’s pretty common for Chinese to refer to Wi-Fi just in English. So you can just ask:

^{Qǐng wèn, fáng jiān lǐ yǒu Wi-Fi ma?}

请问，房间里有Wifi吗？

_{Excuse me, is there Wi-Fi in the room?}

Chinese Business Trips || Transportation Tips and Useful Phrases

Moving around and getting to different places are the most frequent scenarios in which you will need to speak Chinese.

Unlike hotels and flights where staff are better trained to speak English, you’d often need to ask around in Chinese when navigating local transportation.

First, some basic phrases to help you get around.

出租车
chū zū chē
Taxi

Or now, in most cases, you will call an Uber, which is called Didi in China.

滴滴
dī dī
Didi, Uber in China

^{wǒ yào qù…}

我要去…

_{I want to go to…}

When you get on a Didi, you will often confirm with the driver of your destination.

^{Wǒ yào qù zhè ge dì zhǐ.)}

我要去这个地址

_{I want to go to this address.}

地铁 dì tiě	Subway
公交 gōng jiāo chē	Bus
车站 chē zhàn	Station

^{zěn me zǒu?}

怎么走？

_{How do I get there?}

So to ask about the nearest subway station, you can say:

^{Zuì jìn de dì tiě zhàn zài nǎ lǐ?}

最近的地铁站在哪里？

_{Where is the nearest subway station?}

When you’re in China, a high-speed railway can be much more convenient than flights to travel between cities.

Most major stations have a dedicated 贵宾候车室 (guì bīn hòu chē shì), a VIP waiting lounge, for 商务座 (shāng wù zuò) passengers. It’s a quieter space away from the main hall, often with complimentary water and charging points. Well worth knowing about if you have a long wait before departure.

高铁 gāo tiě	High-speed railway
火车站 huǒ chē zhàn	Train station
票 piào	Ticket

^{duō shǎo qián?}

多少钱？

_{How much?}

To book a high-speed railway ticket, you can say:

我想预订一张去上海的高铁票。
Wǒ xiǎng yù dìng yī zhāng qù Shànghǎi de gāo tiě piào.
I want to book a high-speed railway ticket to Shanghai.

Usually, you’ll need to choose the tier of your seat. Here’s how they break down on Chinese high-speed trains:

一等座 yī děng zuò	First-class seat
二等座 èr děng zuò	Second-class seat
商务座 shāng wù zuò	Business-class seat

商务座 (shāng wù zuò), business class, is the premium option: a wide 180-degree reclining leather seat, complimentary meals and beverages, porter service at the station, and a free travel bag on many routes. Think of it as the business-class cabin of the rails.

一等座 (yī děng zuò), first class, gives you comfortable wider seats, quieter carriages, and a noticeable step up from standard.

二等座 (èr děng zuò), second class, is the most common and affordable choice, and it’s still clean, reliable, and fast.

A flagship route to know: the Beijing to Shanghai corridor (北京-上海高速铁路, Běijīng-Shànghǎi Gāosù Tiělù) is one of the busiest high-speed rail routes in the world. The journey takes roughly four to five hours, and 商务座 on this line gives you the full 180-degree reclining leather seat, complimentary meals, and access to the station’s 贵宾候车室. It’s a popular choice for business travelers who want to arrive in Shanghai refreshed and ready to work, especially after an early-morning departure.

Upgrading to 商务座 (shāng wù zuò) adds a seat that reclines a full 180 degrees and a full meal service, which is worth it for a long or early-morning departure when you need to arrive fresh.

To ask for a business class seat when booking, you can say:

我想预订一张商务座。
Wǒ xiǎng yù dìng yī zhāng shāng wù zuò.
I’d like to book a business class seat.

If you’re flying instead, the airline word for an upgrade is 升舱, so after booking a flight you can ask:

我可以升舱吗？
Wǒ kě yǐ shēng cāng ma?
Can I upgrade my class?

升舱 (shēng cāng) literally means “to raise cabin,” and it’s an airline word. At a train station, staff will expect you to ask to change your seat class instead, for example 我想升到商务座 (Wǒ xiǎng shēng dào shāng wù zuò), “I’d like to upgrade to business class,” or to 改签 (gǎi qiān), change your ticket.

Last but not least, always remember to find the ticket gate for your train.

检票口
Jiǎn piào kǒu
Ticket gate

You can ask with this sentence:

^{Jiǎn piào kǒu zài nǎ lǐ?}

检票口在哪里？

_{Where is the ticket gate?}

Now you’ve got a lot to digest. Take your time to practice in daily scenes as you travel and get around. They seem complex, but once you master them, you’ll travel around China smoothly like a local.

If you’re interested in language immersion beyond Mandarin, short summer programs abroad can also help you build cultural awareness before future business travel.

For younger learners, options like Summer Camp in Japan and Summer Camp in Korea provide a gentle introduction to navigating new environments and communication styles.

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Chinese Business Trips || How do you say business class in Chinese? 💺

The Chinese word for business class depends on whether you’re flying or taking the train.

On a flight, business class is 商务舱 (shāng wù cāng), business class (airline). Chinese airlines often print it as 公务舱 (gōng wù cāng) on tickets and cabin signs, so keep an eye out for both.

On a high-speed train, it’s called 商务座 (shāng wù zuò), business class seat (train).

The difference is just the last character: 舱 (cāng) means cabin or compartment (used for aircraft), while 座 (zuò) means seat (used for trains). Both use 商务 (shāng wù), which simply means “business” or “commercial.”

Here’s the full seat-class vocabulary you’ll see when booking:

Chinese	Pinyin	English
商务舱	shāng wù cāng	Business class (flight)
商务座	shāng wù zuò	Business class seat (train)
头等舱	tóu děng cāng	First class (flight)
一等座	yī děng zuò	First class seat (train)
二等座	èr děng zuò	Second class seat (train)
经济舱	jīng jì cāng	Economy class (flight)

How do you say “business” in Chinese?

The most common word for “business” in a professional or commercial context is 商务 (shāng wù). You’ll see it everywhere: business centers (商务中心, shāng wù zhōng xīn), business trips (商务旅行, shāng wù lǚ xíng), and of course business class (商务舱, shāng wù cāng). In a more general sense, “business” as in a company or trade can also be 生意 (shēng yì).

How do you say “class” in Chinese?

It depends on context. For seat or travel class, the key word is 舱 (cāng) on planes (literally “cabin”) and 座 (zuò) on trains (literally “seat”). So business class becomes 商务舱 (shāng wù cāng) or 商务座 (shāng wù zuò) depending on how you’re traveling. In an academic or social class sense, the word is 班 (bān) or 课 (kè).

How do you say business casual in Chinese?

Business casual in Chinese is 商务休闲 (shāng wù xiū xián). You might also hear 正装 (zhèng zhuāng) for formal business attire and 休闲装 (xiū xián zhuāng) for casual wear. If a meeting invite or hotel dress code says 商务休闲, think smart trousers and a collared shirt rather than a full suit.

Chinese Business Trips || What is business class like on Chinese airlines?

In everyday speech, business class on Chinese carriers is called 商务舱 (shāng wù cāng), but on tickets and signs you’ll usually see the official term 公务舱 (gōng wù cāng). Major carriers including Air China (中国国际航空, Zhōngguó Guójì Hángkōng), China Eastern (中国东方航空, Zhōngguó Dōngfāng Hángkōng), and China Southern (中国南方航空, Zhōngguó Nánfāng Hángkōng) all offer international 商务舱 products on long-haul routes, typically with lie-flat seats, multi-course dining, and dedicated lounge access.

On domestic routes, the front cabin (sold as 头等舱 or 公务舱 depending on the airline) usually means wider reclining seats, priority boarding, and a separate cabin, comparable to domestic business class on most international carriers.

Useful vocabulary for the airport:

Chinese	Pinyin	English
贵宾休息室	guì bīn xiū xi shì	VIP lounge
优先登机	yōu xiān dēng jī	Priority boarding
升舱	shēng cāng	Upgrade
头等舱	tóu děng cāng	First class

To ask whether a lounge is included with your ticket:

这张票包含贵宾休息室吗？
Zhè zhāng piào bāo hán guì bīn xiū xi shì ma?
Does this ticket include lounge access?

Chinese Business Trips || FAQs

What is business trip in Chinese?

“Business trip” in Chinese is 出差 (chūchāi).

How do I ask for a non-smoking room in Chinese?

You can ask, 房间是无烟的吗？ (fáng jiān shì wú yān de ma?). Is the room non-smoking?

What is the most frequent transportation to go between cities in China?

You’ll often need to take 高铁 (gāo tiě), which is the high-speed railway that’s much more convenient than flights in China. To book a ticket, you can say, 我想预订一张高铁票 (Wǒ xiǎng yù dìng yī zhāng gāo tiě piào) – I want to book a high-speed railway ticket.

How do I ask where the nearest subway station is in Chinese?

You can say, 最近的地铁站在哪里？ (Zuì jìn de dì tiě zhàn zài nǎ lǐ?). – Where is the nearest subway?

How do I confirm the departure time of a flight in Chinese?

You can say with 这个航班几点出发？ (Zhè ge háng bān jǐ diǎn chū fā?) – when does this flight depart?

How do I ensure that a hotel accepts foreign guests in Chinese?

You could use this sentence. 人可以入住吗？ (wài guó rén kě yǐ rù zhù ma?) – Can foreigners check in?

What is business class on China airlines?

On Chinese airlines, business class is commonly called 商务舱 (shāng wù cāng), though Air China, China Eastern and China Southern officially use 公务舱 (gōng wù cāng) on tickets and signs. It typically includes a wider or lie-flat seat, priority check-in and boarding, lounge access, and upgraded meals. On domestic routes within China the seat configuration is similar to domestic business class worldwide: a wider reclining seat with extra legroom in a separate forward cabin.

Is it worth booking business class on a Chinese high-speed train?

For trips of three hours or more, 商务座 (shāng wù zuò) on a Chinese high-speed train is genuinely impressive. You get a 180-degree reclining leather seat, complimentary food and drinks, porter service, and access to a special waiting area at the station. If you have an important meeting at the other end, arriving relaxed and fed is hard to argue with.

How do I ask to upgrade to business class in Chinese?

Say 我可以升舱吗？(Wǒ kě yǐ shēng cāng ma?) which means ‘Can I upgrade?’ 升舱 (shēng cāng) is an airline word, so use it for flights. At a train station ticket counter, say 我想升到商务座 (Wǒ xiǎng shēng dào shāng wù zuò), ‘I’d like to upgrade to business class.’

What is the difference between 商务舱 and 头等舱?

商务舱 (shāng wù cāng) is business class and 头等舱 (tóu děng cāng) is first class. Many Chinese domestic flights have just two cabins: a premium front cabin, sold as 头等舱 or 公务舱 depending on the airline, and 经济舱 (jīng jì cāng, economy). Separate first and business cabins are more common on international long-haul routes operated by the major Chinese carriers.

Do you know any other useful phrases for business travel in China? Share with us here!

Ready to take your business Mandarin further? Flexi Classes runs live sessions with native teachers where you can practise exactly these kinds of real-world scenarios: booking, upgrading, and finding your way around stations. You can start with a free trial and see how quickly the phrases start to stick.

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