Banks and exchange Bank of China, near the train station on Wuyi Dong Lu (Mon-Sat 8am-noon & 2.30-5.30pm). Upmarket hotels such as the Lotus, Dolton and Cygnet also change travellers' cheques, and might not mind whether you're staying or not.

Bookshops The bookstore on Wuyi Zhong Lu, just past the junction with Shaoshan Lu, has a good art section including books on painting techniques, but slim pickings in English.

Buses Train is probably a better option than bus for long-distance travel out of Changsha, especially to Zhangjiajie. Buses leave to all over the province from each bus station, but it's most obvious to try the east bus station for eastern destinations, the west for western ones, and the south for southern.

Hospital Changsha Number 2 Medical College, Renmin Lu (tel 5550400 or 5550511).

Internet Internet has yet to make a big impression in Changsha; the Dolton hotel has a very expensive service, or there's a hard-to-find, subterranean Internet cafA© at the southeastern intersection of Wuyi Zhong Lu and Cai'e Lu where you can log on for A?10 an hour.

Left luggage Aside from offices at the train and bus stations, both CAAC and CITS might be persuaded to look after your bags for a short while.

Post and telecommunications There are two major post offices open daily 8am-8pm: one on Wuyi Zhong Lu near the junction with Cai'e Lu; and the more convenient office - with parcel post and international phones - in the train station square.

PSB The Foreign Affairs Department is on Huangxing Lu (Mon-Fri 8.30am-5pm; tel 4413851).

Shopping As you'll appreciate after visiting the Provincial Museum, Changsha has long had a reputation for silk embroidery, which you can buy at various stores around town, but the best selection - along with a host of old wood carvings, porcelain, inkstones and tourist souvenirs - is at the Hunan Antique Store on Wuyi Lu. Expect to pay from A?50 for a token handkerchief, to A?900 or more for a top-notch, towel-sized animal design. The Apolo Plaza, on eastern Bayi Lu, is a mid-range department store which, along with others around the junction of Chezhan Lu and Wuyi Dong Lu, can supply all you'll need for daily living.

Telephone The telephone code for Changsha is 0731.

Trains Trains head north from Changsha to Yueyang and Hubei province; west to Guizhou and Zhangjiajie; east to Nanchang in Jiangxi; and south via Hengyang to Guangdong and Guangxi. There's also a special tourist train daily to Shaoshan. Station staff are pretty helpful; ticket offices are open roughly 8.15am-noon & 2.30-5.45pm or later.

Travel agents The main CITS office is across from the Xinxing hotel at 46 Wuyi Dong Lu (tel 2280184, fax 2280455), with a branch farther west in the grounds of the Lotus Hotel (tel 4465196 or 4465927). Staff are polite, but bear in mind these are tour and transport booking offices rather than sources of general information.