Core answer: highway toll = distance × provincial base rate (~0.4-0.5 CNY/km for passenger cars) × vehicle coefficient, with ETC taking 5% off; cabin bags must total ≤115cm across three sides (checked ≤158cm); a 1-inch ID photo is 25×35mm, i.e. 295×413 pixels at 300dpi; couriers charge the larger of volumetric weight (L×W×H÷divisor 6000-12000) and actual weight.
Tolls and ETC discount
Formula: toll = km × provincial base × vehicle coefficient × 0.95 (ETC).
| Vehicle | Coefficient | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 (≤9 seats) | 1.0 | sedans/SUVs |
| Class 2 (10-19 seats) | 1.5-2.0 | minibuses |
| Trucks | by axles | weight+axle |
Bridge/tunnel-dense routes add surcharges; four national holidays (Spring Festival, Qingming, May Day, National Day) are free for ≤7-seat cars.
Airline baggage table
| Item | Mainstream rule |
|---|---|
| Cabin bag | sum of sides ≤115cm (~20in) |
| Checked bag | sum ≤158cm (~28in) |
| Free checked | 20kg domestic; 23-32kg international |
| Power bank | ≤100Wh cabin only |
| Liquids | ≤100ml per bottle in a 1L bag |
Budget carriers (Spring, AirAsia) often include zero checked allowance — read the baggage policy before the fare.
ID photo specs
| Spec | mm | Pixels @300dpi |
|---|---|---|
| 1-inch | 25×35 | 295×413 |
| 2-inch | 35×49 | 413×579 |
| Passport (CN) | 33×48 | 390×567 |
| US visa | 51×51 | 602×602 |
A 6×4in sheet fits 8 one-inch photos.
Volumetric weight rules
Volumetric kg = L×W×H cm ÷ divisor, billed against actual weight, taking the larger:
| Courier | Divisor |
|---|---|
| SF Express (air) | 12000 (ground 6000-8000) |
| ZTO/YTO | 8000 |
| Deppon (bulky) | 6000 |
First kg is priced separately; every additional kg stacks — bulky items must be checked volumetrically first.
Example: 800km road-trip tolls
Beijing→Qingdao ≈ 800km at 0.45 CNY/km: cash 360, ETC 342. A sea-bridge route adds ~50. Round trip, ETC saves 36 — at 10k km of highway a year that is 200+ saved, plus no queuing.
Example: why a 3kg quilt bills as 10kg
A compressed quilt weighs 3kg but ships in a 60×50×40cm box: volumetric = 60×50×40÷8000 = 15kg billed! Fixes: ① vacuum-compress smaller; ② pick a bigger divisor (SF air 12000 → 10kg); ③ send as freight (priced by cubic meter).
Common pitfalls
- “Any 20-inch case boards”: it is the side-sum that counts — some padded 20-inch cases total 118cm and get gate-checked; budget carriers can demand ≤16-inch.
- “Any photo works for visas”: passports/visas hard-spec background color, head ratio and expression — US visa wants white background, ears visible, no smile, taken within 6 months.
- “One national toll rate”: provinces vary 0.35-0.6 CNY/km with bridge/tunnel extras — the toll calculator prices by province.
- “1kg over is fine”: tolerance varies; budget carriers charge for 0.5kg over, and airport-bought allowance costs 2-3× online prices.