Airlines The main CAAC reservations and ticketing office is at 52 Ruijin Lu (daily 8am-noon & 1.30-5.30pm; tel 4408583) in the southeast of town. China Eastern Airlines' head office is at the corner of Changbai Jie and Zhongshan Dong Lu (daily 8.30-6pm; tel 4400102). Smaller offices of both airlines are dotted all over town. The 24-hour CAAC hotline is tel 4499378.

Banks and exchange The Bank of China head office (Mon-Fri 8am-4.30pm, Sat 8am-12.30pm) is a few hundred metres due south of Xinjiekou on Zhongshan Nan Lu. You can change travellers' cheques in any of the smaller branches, as well as at upmarket hotels if you are a guest.

Bike rental A fast diminishing option in Nanjing, unfortunately. There are two very small central places (both 8am-6.30pm; ¥2 per hour, ¥200 deposit), one on Zhongshan Lu (west side), just north of the intersection with Changjiang Lu, and the other, also on Zhongshan Lu, immediately south of the Gulou intersection.

Boats Buy ferry tickets to Shanghai, Wuhan, Chongqing or points in between in the large, yellow terminal directly across from the Number 4 Dock on Jiangbian Lu next to the river. Alternately, CITS or CYTS will buy your tickets for you, for a small commission.

Bookshops The best selection of English-language books is in the Foreign Language Bookstore on the south side of Zhongshan Dong Lu, about one block east of Xinjiekou. There's also a very large foreign language bookstore near Xuanwu Hu Park, on Hunan Lu just south of Zhongyang Lu.

Buses The most convenient station to use when departing from Nanjing to points north and east (including Shanghai and Yangzhou) is the Zhongyang Men station north of Gulou. The Hanfu Jie station east of Xinjiekou handles buses heading for Yixing and Dingshan. Nearby destinations that cannot be reached by train include Yixing, Huai'an and Yangzhou. You can only buy tickets for same or next-day departures.

Hospitals The most central hospital is the Gulou Hospital, on Zhongshan Lu just south of the Gulou intersection.

Internet A multitude of Internet places serving the needs of local and foreign students have sprung up along Shanghai Lu near Nanjing University and the Normal University. The most popular place is Laiba, inside the Nanjing University Foreign Students' Residence on Jinying Lu near Shanghai Lu.

Post office Nanjing's main post office (daily 8am-6.30pm) is at 2 Zhongyang Lu, immediately north of Gulou. There's also a post office at 19 Zhongshan Lu, just north of Xinjiekou.

Telecommunications IDD calls and fax services are available at the main post office, though it's usually more convenient to buy phone cards in the upmarket hotels and use their telephones. The telephone code for Nanjing is 025.

Trains Buying train tickets out of Nanjing is a very time-consuming business. You can either join the long queues at the station itself or at the ticket office on the west side of Zhongshan Lu (west side) just south of Gulou (daily 8am-noon & 1.30-4.30pm); there are no special foreigners' windows, and a small commission is charged. Otherwise use a travel agent.

Travel agents Nearly all hotels have their own travel agencies. In addition, CITS is at 202 Zhongshan Bei Lu (daily 9am-4.30pm; tel 3421125, fax 3421960), a couple of kilometres northwest of Gulou. CTS, whose staff speak good English, is nearby at 309 Zhongshan Bei Lu (daily 8am-noon & 1.30-5.30pm; tel 8801502, fax 8801533). CYTS is at 160 Hanzhong Lu (daily 8.30am-5pm; tel 6523344) and next to the Nanjing University Foreign Students' Residence at 20 Jinying Jie (daily 8.30am-4.30pm; tel 3594902, fax 3594904). All services can supply train, boat and plane tickets, and also organize local tours.