International Trains from/to China

At present, China has international trains to/from Ulaanbaatar (Ulan Bator) in Mongolia, Moscow and Vladivostok in Russia, Pyongyang in North Korea, Hanoi in Vietnam, Vientiane in Laos, and Almaty (Alam-Ata) and Astana in Kazakhstan. Most tickets can only be bought at the departure stations. TravelChinaGuide offers China international train ticket booking service for the trains from Beijing to Ulaanbaatar, Moscow and Pyongyang, and those from Nanning to Hanoi as well as Kunming to Vientiane.

The international railways from China to Thailand, Myanmar, Pakistan and Nepal are under construction or planning. When completed, more international trains will be available to these countries.

K3/ 4: Beijing-Ulaanbaatar-Moscow

T8701/ 8702: Nanning-Hanoi

K3/K4: Beijing - Ulaanbaatar - Moscow	K19/K20: Beijing - Manzhouli - Moscow	K23/K24: Beijing - Ulaanbaatar
K27/K28: Beijing - Pyongyang	T8701/T8702: Nanning - Hanoi	4652/4653: Hohhot → Ulaanbaatar 4654/4651: Ulaanbaatar → Hohhot
Z5/Z6: Beijing - Hanoi	K9795/K9796: Urumqi - Almaty K9797/K9798: Urumqi - Astana	Erlian - Ulaanbaatar
D87/D88: Kunming - Vientiane

 International railways under construction/planning from China to: 

International Ticket Sample (Click to enlarge)

Passengers could purchase tickets at the railway station directly. However, it is always difficult for passengers to purchase on the spot since they are needed urgently. Therefore, it is advisable to book through travel agencies which are commissioned to sell international rail tickets. The travel agencies may require relevant service charge.

Booking: International rail tickets can be booked by travelers themselves at designated ticket counters 30 days in advance; it is available 60 days in advance for group passengers (over six). A deposit of CNY100 per ticket is required but this will be returned to you when you actually pay for your bookings. After booking, individual passengers should pay in full 7 days ahead of the departure date; group passengers should pay for it 14 days in advance. Otherwise, the booking will be canceled automatically and the deposit will not be returned.

Purchase: Tickets are released 7 days ahead of departure date (14 days in advance for group passengers). Passenger’s valid passport is required for ticket purchasing. You should obtain the visa to your destination (if require) before boarding, and a transit visa may also be required if the train travels through more than two countries. 

 Note: For individual passengers, we suggest that you skip booking at designated counters at railway stations in person mentioned above, as the process may be a little difficult, especially when some staff do not speak English.  Instead, we suggest that you book your tickets at least seven days in advance with travel agencies like TCG. For those who like to make early travel plans, agencies are best choices as they accept early booking. However, it is advisable for group passengers to make a reservation 60 days in advance.
 

The refund or change of tickets can be handled by yourself at the railway stations.
1. 72 hours ahead of the scheduled departure: 80% of the fare will be refund. No service charge is refunded.
2. Less than 72 hours ahead of the scheduled departure time: 80% of the seat fare or 20% of the sleeper fare will be refund. No service charge is refunded.
3. Less than 3 hours after the departure: 80% of a seat fare will be refund but no fare will be refund for a sleeper one. No service charge is refunded.
 Please note the return may not be allowed if you book through an agency. You'd better confirm the regulations of the specific agency before booking.

Beijing - Ulaanbaatar Train

K23/ 24: Beijing-Ulaanbaatar

1. An adult is allowed to take at most 35kg of carry-on baggage for free while a child under 12 years old is allowed to take 15kg of baggage for free. The total of the length, width and height of each baggage can not exceed 200cm.The overweighted part has to be consigned, or a fine of CNY 100 per kilogram will be imposed.
2. The baggage consignment should be handled in the morning before the departure date in the Beijing Railway Station International Train Baggage Consignment Counter (west wing of the station building). The custom office is closed on weekends, so passengers leaving on Monday should check their baggage in advance on Friday.
3. The consignment procedure needs  the passenger’s passport and ticket. To consign a bicycle, leave it unlocked and unpacked.
4. The consignment charge is CNY 7.5 / kg for the Beijing-Ulaanbaatar train. Each bicycle costs CNY 150. The charge on Beijing-Moscow is CNY 16.8 / kg and a bicycle costs CNY 200. The price is adjusted to the changes of international exchange rate.


 Further Reading:
Trans-Siberian Railway