Public transport

I've used the public buses and the subway here in Suzhou. Very clean, fast and generally good availability and frequency. Some thoughts in no particular order:

Buses:

1. Bus routes are in an LED display in the front of the bus.
2. A lot of bus stops also have upcoming bus numbers displayed on an LED screen on the bus stop too. Very convenient to figure out how long you need to wait.
3. Bus stops are typically within a few hundred meters of each other, so in most cases you don't need to walk too far to get to one. There isn't one too close to where I am right now, but it's still walkable.
4. Google maps does have mostly reliable data on the routes, but may not have the current data on schedules.
5. Bus rates are mostly fixed - 1 yuan for non-A/C buses and 2 for when A/C is on. A/C is on in winters and summers.
6. There is nobody other than the driver in the bus, i.e. no conductor or ticket checker. You enter the bus from the front door, make the payment at a console/box next to the driver and go to your seat. Exit from the other door.
7. Payment can be in coins, which need to be dropped into the slot of the metal box in front of you as soon as you enter the bus.
8. Payment can also be made by the Suzhou Citizens' Card, by touching it to the payment surface near the coin slot. There is a 40% discount for paying by such a card.
9. You need to be aware of where to get off, or keep checking your maps app. The bus will stop at each and every stop on the route, regardless of whether someone wants to get on or off (in fact, the driver doesn't really know where you want to get off except if he looks in the mirror to see you waiting).

Subway:

1. There aren't as many subway stations as bus stops (obviously), but it's certainly faster via subway to some points in the city since it skips road congestion and travels faster.
2. You can always take a bus to the nearest subway station.
3. Subway stations have multiple entrances/exits, typically one on each street near the station. You can check your map to figure out which exit is closer to where you need to go.
4. Getting a citizens' card makes it very easy to pay for the subway ride - no need to go to the kiosk or counters to buy tickets.
5. Enter the station and find the entry/exit points - typically will have a security guard and an x-ray machine for passengers' luggage.
6. Touch your card at one of the card readers at the entry point - that will open the gate and record your point of embarkation.
7. Figure out which direction you need to go, and wait for the train on that side of the platform.
8. The train has indicators inside it to show which station it is at and which are still to come. There are also announcements and LED displays that show the upcoming station.
9. Once you get off the train, find your way to the exit and again touch the card to the reader - this opens the gate for you to leave and records where you got off, and presumably deducts the appropriate charge from your card. Apparently there is a 5% discount for using the card.

Overall it has been a good experience with public transport in Suzhou even with my lack of language skills.