8 Facts on China Train Travel

As a beginner to experience train travel in China, you will marvel at the fact of how large China high speed railway network is- it probably covers all of the destinations on your travel list; how fast the train is- it can reach 350 km/h (217 mph); how stable the carriage is- you can balance a coin on its edge; how comfortable the seats are- it is equipped like an airplane. It will be a life-long memory to travel by high speed train in China.
 China High Speed Train
 How to Choose China Train Ticket Types

Have a Wonderful High Speed Train Travel in China

 

The fact is very a few railway staff speak English even at the larger stations. Although the official railway website has an English version, it may be not easy to finish complex registration, time-consuming identity verification and perplexing ticket booking. 

Fortunately, there are agencies like TravelChinaGuide who provide China train ticket booking service in English. You just need to make an order and they will handle the rest for you.

Once at the railway station, most signs are in both English and Chinese and announcements are also in both languages, making the actual travel easy.
 Useful Chinese phrases for train travel
 How to buy China train ticket
 How to buy ticket online

 

As China Railway adopts real-name policy, please double check if you have brought your passport used for booking tickets before leaving for the station. Comfortingly, there is no need to collect paper tickets for train travel. You only need to show your passport to get into the railway station, check onboard and exit by using the passport through the manual lane. With identity verification done in advance on the official website or at the ticketing window, you will also be able to use the self-service gate.

Check for Boarding with Passport

 

There may be multiple stations in one city, usually distinguished by orientation, like Beijing West Railway Station, Beijing South Railway Station, Shanghai Railway Station, and Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station. Remember to check which station your train will depart from and arrive at, so as to enjoy a smooth trip.  

Some of the stations can be very large with many entrances and connected with subway and bus lines. Walking into the station, you may wonder: is this a train station, not an airport? They are clean, modern and well equipped with clear bilingual direction signs, inquiry center, washing rooms, restaurants, etc.  
 China Train Stations
 How to take trains in China

Modern Waiting Hall with Lots of Boarding Gates

 

For passengers who used to have a train trip in China, especially for those “big buys”, it may be a nightmare to use squat style toilet, a “hole in the floor”. Nowadays, almost all high speed trains are equipped with western style toilets where toilet paper is also available; the squat style ones are more often seen on traditional style trains. 
 Facilities onboard
 Toilets on China Trains

Western Style Toilet on High Speed Trains

Squat Style Toilet on Normal Trains

 Smoking is strictly prohibited at any position in bullet carriages. Those who do will be fined or even arrested. Smokers can only seize the time when the train stops at an intermediate station. If you want to smoke, you are advised to figure out which stations have the longest stops and even then you’d better not walk far away from the carriage door.

On regular trains, smoking is allowed between the connections of two carriages. Unfortunately, the smoke “blossoms” out there and seeps into other parts of the carriage, even in the soft sleeper or deluxe soft sleeper cabins that have a separate door. If you don’t like the smell of smoke, try to avoid the seat or sleeper close to the coach connections. 
 Can I Smoke on Chinese Trains?
 

Increasing overnight high speed trains are operated between major cities in China such as Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Xi’an, Nanjing, and Hangzhou, which often depart in the evening and arrive in the next morning. Most of them run on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays, when people travel massively.

Although these trains run a bit slower than the daytime bullet trains, sleepers with nice facilities and support services are available. You do not need to worry about missing your stop during the night as the train staff will remind you promptly. For budget travelers, overnight bullet trains are a good choice to save one-night hotel fees.

Go to Take Overnight Trains

Sleepers on Bullet Trains

 

During the Chinese New Year and National Day Holiday, people pour out from their work places to go home or on vacation.The tickets can be sold out in minutes. The railway stations and carriages can be unimaginably crowded, especially the seat class carriages. Try to avoid traveling during these holidays. They are quite challenging for frequent travelers, let alone beginners.
 Spring Festival Travel Rush
 Train Travel in China during Holidays 

Crowds during Travel Peak Seasons