Train Ticket Service
China has one of the biggest and busiest rail networks in the world, and trains link almost every town & city. Chinese trains are a safe, comfortable & cheap way to travel around China, and a Chinese train journey is an experience in itself.
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| Express from Beijing to Harbin | Express from Beijing to Harbin |
China's Train Ticketing System
Train tickets in China are not easy to arrange. Some tickets go on sale 20 days in advance, others 10 or 5 days. Tickets are not in English, very few train staff speak English and you can waste a lot of time queuing up and then being told to come back another day. Tickets sometimes sell out in an hour, and other times are sold out even before they go on sale, as the government can pre-allocate tickets for its own use. Public holidays such as Chinese New Year, October 1 and May 1 holidays are always a problem and the black market for tickets at these times is huge. It's best to fly during Chinese holiday periods.
IMPORTANT: New rules introduced in June 2011 make it essential to show a passport to get a ticket for all high-speed C, D and G category trains. You'll also need your passport to board the train.
Types of Sleepers and Seats
On day trips you can buy 1st or 2nd class seats on a high speed train (e.g Beijing - Harbin). The difference between these is not huge, three seats per row instead of two but both are reasonably good. On night trains (e.g. Beijing - Xi'an, Beijing - Shanghai) there are Soft-Sleepers, closed locking compartments of 4 berths (non-smoking, no private toilet). There is some space for luggage overhead and below the bunks. The more luxurious Deluxe-Soft-Sleeper is a two berth locking compartment with a private toilet. A step down are the Hard-Sleepers, which are six berths (top, mid and bottom) with open compartments. These tend to be noisier, with people smoking. While hard sleeper is still safe, it is not as nice.
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| Soft-Sleeper | Deluxe Soft-Sleeper with private toilet |
Useful Links
Useful information to help you understand & plan train travel in China
I am able to assist you in planning your rail journey, and purchase train tickets for you to anywhere in China. Please contact me with your questions or requests.
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