Hard Seats & Soft Seats

A hard seat on China trains only appears on K, T, Z, L and other old type trains.

Inside China hard seat train carriage, two rows sit face to face with a small table in between. Each row has 5 seats, a three-seat bench and a two-seat bench on either side of the aisle. The seat back is almost vertical and cannot be adjusted; the seat is only 16 inches (40cm) wide, the smallest among all China train seats, and without any armrest.

It is not recommended for a long-distance overnight trip or to foreign passengers, even though China train hard seat ticket price is the cheapest among all.
 

Luggage racks are above the seats at both sides of the carriage, measuring 20-24 inches (50-60cm) wide and 24-28 inches (60-70cm) high, large enough for big suitcases and backpacks. Passengers can also put their baggage under their seats.

A hard seat carriage on a China train has 108 or 118 seats, and 180 seats in the double-decker trains. The seats are numbered and you can find the number on the signs between two rows. On the three-seat side, seats No. 5, 10, 15, 20… are by the window, seats No. 6, 11, 16, 21… are in the middle, and seat No2, 7, 12, 17…are by the aisle; on the two-seat side, No.4, 9, 14, 19… are by the window, and No.3, 8, 13, 18…are by the aisle.

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Seat Numers Shown on the Wall above

According to the above rule, in the first row, seats No.1, 2 and 3 should have been on the three-seat bench, and seats No.4 and 5 should have been on the two-seat bench. However, as this row is close to the door of the carriage, there are only four seats, two on either side of the aisle. So, the seats come as No.1 window, No.2 aisle, No.3 aisle, and No.4 window.

Sitting in the innermost seat allows you to rest by the window, while the outermost seat is easy to take and leave, but you may be bumped into by passing passengers.
 A hot water heater for drinking water is available at one end of the carriage. It is working when the red light is on, and the water is boiled when the green light is on. Passengers should be careful not to be scalded when using the heater. The toilet is also at the end of each carriage, which are of course squat type and have no toilet paper. Washbasins are both inside and outside of toilet. A dustbin is near to the washing basins outside of the toilet. The connecting area between two carriages is smoking area, where an ashtray is on the wall. Fire extinguishers are also at one end of the carriage.

A hard seat carriage is usually crowded and noisy. People holding standing room tickets will stand along aisles; even toilets and washing basins are taken by people and their luggage in peak times. During holidays and festivals, it is nearly impossible for you to walk through the aisle to the toilet. Passengers in hard seat carriages are mostly students, farmers, and migrant workers. Foreign passengers are seldom seen here. 

Washbasins inside the Hard Seat Carriage

Signs at the End of the Carriage

A long journey in hard seat carriage is definitely uncomfortable and even unbearable, and is not suggested to foreign visitors, unless you really want to experience a difficult journey in China. An old saying is that 'he who does not reach the Great Wall is not a true man’, but a new one among some foreign visitors is that 'he who does not take a hard seat train trip during the Spring Festival Rush is not a true man’. For the adventurous or maybe just a short daytime journey this is acceptable as it is a wonderful way to experience something of the timelessness of the real China and its people.

 Tips:
1. Take care of your luggage in case of loss.
2. Bring some essential medicines with you such as those for motion sickness.
3. Take a bottle for collecting water.
4. Wear a pair of loose shoes or bring a pair of slippers. Sitting for a long period of time and wearing a pair of tight shoes will lead to poor blood circulation, which may cause blood clots in your legs.
5. A U-shaped pillow can help to release neck fatigue from prolonged sitting.
6. Carry enough food and snacks you like.
7. Carry a power bank because hard seat carriages have fewer sockets and may malfunction.
8. When the carriage is filled with people and you are wondering how to walk through the aisle to answer the nature’s call, you can follow the food trolley that goes up and down the carriage. People will always make way for the trolley.

  Soft seats are only available on a few non-high speed trains in China, including K, T, Y, and S trains. Two rows sit face to face with a table in between. Four soft seats make a row with two at either side of the aisle. Measuring 18 inches (45 cm) wide and with cushion, the seats are roomier and softer. Some seats have armrests and the backs are adjustable.

The soft seat carriages are quiet and clean, and will not be overloaded - only passengers holding a soft seat ticket are allowed to enter. Therefore, soft seats can give passengers a more comfortable experience than hard seats, so its ticket price is higher, about 1.5 times of that of a hard seat.

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Measurement of Soft Seats

Comparatively, soft seats are suitable for long-distance travel and business trips, and are advised for the elderly and children, while hard seats are more recommended for passengers with limited budgets and short-distance travelers.