The Adventures of Tai'an

Trains
We caught the fast train from Taishan to Sifang at the cost of Y142 ($23 AUD). The train is clean, comfortable and non smoking. Train tickets can be purchased ten days in advance from the departure city and five days on any stops in between.
We could have taken the all stops train which costs Y34 ($5 AUD) but this train takes 5 hours and is not as clean and comfortable as the fast train.

Taxis
Are very convenient and we used them to go anywhere we couldn't walk to. The Flag fall is a little more expensive than Tai'an at Y7 for the first 3KM and then Y1.50 per kilometer after that. You also need to add an extra Y1 to the meter at your destination. Luxury taxis charge a minimum of y10 within 3 Km and Y1.7/km after that. An extra Y0.4 /km is charged after 10 pm until 5 am.
Taxis are easy to get. Just walk out on to a main street and flag one down. They are impossible to catch during peak hour or on a public holiday. If they don't want to take you to your destination they will just tell you to get out.
The day of my birthday we flagged down a taxi to take us to the spa. At the same time a bus was stopping. The taxi driver was female and had attitude. She's upped the bus driver. I figure the bus is bigger it can go first. We get into the taxi and I show her were we want to go. She puts the metal to the floor and takes off. She squeezes the taxi between two buses. At this stage I decide it is much safer for me to look out the window instead of the windscreen.

Bus
Bus travel is also convenient and most needs can be catered for by the bus 6 Route, however expect to stand and the buses are crowded. Over crowded in fact. Y1 is charged for non-air conditioned bused and Y2 for air conditioned ones.
On May 1 we couldn't get a taxi, Barbara & I were happy to walk, however we had Kwin and Lupy with us and they don't like walking. In fact Chinese find westerners decadent with catching taxi's but are not prepared to walk anywhere! Anyway we caught a bus. Talk about overcrowded. Kwin asked me what buses were like in Australia. I advised buses around the world are all the same but there is no way we would jam this many people on the bus. There was nothing to hold on to. You were packed upright and that was the only thing that stopped you from falling. I think I would rather be in the scary taxi then on the bus.