Changchun's tram and light rail system is worth riding for its own sake — a rare experience in a Chinese city. The network covers several lines including a modern light rail extension of the older tram routes, and the combination gives the city a ground-level transit character that distinguishes it from the purely metro-and-taxi transport of comparable Chinese cities.
Taking the tram through the city centre is an easy and cheap way to see the neighbourhoods at street level. The old tram line that runs through the Manchukuo-era architectural district passes several of the significant historical buildings from a perspective that walking or taxi does not provide. Buy a day pass and ride the full extent of the network — a couple of hours at most, with the bonus of seeing how a northeastern Chinese city actually moves.