getting on a train in china

Learn more... As someone traveling in China (who may or may not know Chinese), travel by train can be a daunting task. Since it is uncomfortable spending hours sitting in the upper berth with no window to look out, it is customary for the upper-berth passengers to sit on the aisle-end of the lower berth during the day. In most cases your ticket will be checked again at your destination city. If you are looking lost or unsure of yourself, a fellow passenger may stop to help you with directions. Position yourself near the proper car so as to save time on boarding, especially in an intermediate city. Also, you If you have someone buy tickets for you, you will need to provide them with your exact name and passport number (as with plane tickets). Some cars have both types. Some stations have ramps that you bump your luggage up or down. Each compartment has 4 beds – a lower and an upper on each side. The name of the station will be clearly printed on your ticket. The second will have berths 5 through 8, etc. on how to buy tickets & what to expect with train travel in China . In smaller cities or at times of lower traffic volume, cabs are also readily available. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. What You Need to Board a Train in China: We hope you enjoyed our China train guide. Every train station has multiple vendors who can sell you tubs of dehydrated noodle dinners, sandwiches, and all manner of packaged goods and beverages. Tyler. Look for this if it is available. In some cases, these routes are quite competitive with flying while offering a more relaxed journey. The larger train stations usually have a large “square” out front. Likewise, when staying at a hotel, ask the concierge or front desk to write your destination (tourist attraction or train station) in Chinese to give to the taxi driver so you end up where you want to be. When I first took a Fast Train in China I expected to have to make my schedule around the train time.. After all, how many Fast Trains are there in China between Beijing and Jinan?A lot, that’s how many. ticket there are ticketing agents that can procure your tickets but you will be They will motion the direction to you. As you exit the station head straight to the taxi area. Many large cities (and even some small ones) have more than one station! You look at the menu and make your choices (see above) and pay him. Dining cars are clearly marked as No Smoking. You may enter either the low numbered end or the high numbered end. The website chinahighlights.com can send the ticket to a hotel front desk or reserve it for you at the train station's ticket office. This is perfect for a traveling couple as you don’t have to share with others and you have a level of privacy you don’t get with the Soft Sleeper compartment. A fake taxi is just a private vehicle – a car or van that the owner will use to take you for a ride – literally. This article has been viewed 4,925 times. This is generally off to one side or the other of the main entrance. Best of all, the fares were tremendous value for money: for instance, a soft sleeper from Beijing to Shanghai costs from RMB500 (£45) per person if bought direct from the station in Beijing. Travelling on sleeper berths at night means you can frequently arrive at your destination first thing in the morning, saving a night’s hotel accommodation. You will nearly always find them at one end of the dining car. Watch this video guide to see what a train trip in China is like. Tags: DIY Travel, guide, Transportation, Travel. There is an expansive window with a small table under it. others decline to, since you are not there in person with your credit card. Again, every station is different. Railway employees and police officers need to be flagged down. To create this article, 12 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. Plan ahead and bring a bottle of water (or buy one on the train). Go through the process through the video to prepare yourself for a smooth train trip. If they are speaking in English, just say “no thank you.”. If you do opt to buy your own tickets at the station, plan to be there early as you will have to wait in lines – and you may find your train sold out. If you can’t read the menu, then there are only two possibilities for you. The staff of the train stations and of the trains themselves all wear a common China Railway uniform though. (note that this procedure is now being phased out with the issue of the real name system). There are a number of websites that list available tickets. This route now has fast train droing the trip in about half the time.***. Get off the train and check out. Be sure of which station you are going to, as some places (like Beijing) have multiple stations. Your other option is to see what other people are eating and point to that. That’s why night trains are a perfect way to cover ground in China. Kind Regards. A few examples include seat61.com (which includes train schedules and information from all around the world) and chinatrainguide.com. 14:19. Breakfast - you never know what it will be! One hour of train-sitting won’t bring you to the next big city, like in Europe. This company, run by Australian Chinese couple, can help with booking your train tickets. Maybe you’re heading to a place that isn’t serviced by an airport or train station. Train schedules can also be had at local train stations. Generally the trains are loaded 30 minutes in advance of departure in originating cities. travel plans. NEVER let someone else help you with your luggage. This will be your train “waiting area” or the gate number. When your train arrives in the station, retrieve your luggage and join the human stream of people out onto the platform and up or down to the passageway into the station. they go on sale. Once on the platform there may be a train on both sides. 2. A considerate waitress will find someone in the car (or on the train) to translate for you. It's cheap, convenient and perfect for the budget traveler. Avoid these at all costs! Get to the right station plenty of time ahead of departure. China-Train-Ticket is only responsible for the train ticket booking, modification and cancelation in the terms mentioned- above. Though there is the language barrier, traveling by train in China is not difficult at all. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Chinese trains are inexpensive, punctual and a great way to see the country. Set that agai… A letter (C, D, G, Z, T & K) preceding the numbers indicate the type of train. This is the new high-speed rail system being built in China. So the locomotives and passenger cars are of different colors based on the company. These may both be at one end of the car or there may be one at each end. You have a number of choices for your meals: You can bring your own and eat in your room. The most popular ones on TA would be www.china-diy-travel.com and www.chinahighlights.com  While this is generally accurate, understand that any train schedule in English may be out of date with respect to schedule and prices. The fake taxis, at best, will take you to your hotel at double or triple the cost – you won’t know any better. There will be a small tab hanging out perpendicular to the train with the car number on it. less than 5 hours on this 1318 km route. If you have collected your paper train tickets, just read the ticket to know which station to catch your train in your original city. The Chinese tend to use the trains as a way to transport large items and to avoid shipping these, so you may find that they have every available space stuffed with their boxes and oversized-bags. Yet with huge numbers of people travelling on a rail network where little English is spoken, the idea of train travel might seem intimidating. If you don’t have it when you arrive at a city you may find yourself paying again. Addy Media. Traveling by train is an adventurous, fun and efficient way of getting around the China, a unique experience that should be added into your China tour. In intermediate cities, you may have a little as 3 minutes.. A drone video appearing to show hundreds of blindfolded men being led from a train in China has raised new concerns over the ongoing crackdown on … Level Contributor . 28 reviews. 0:53. And make sure they know which train station you are going to if there is more than one. So giving them a hotel name and address can be problematic. paying a fee and it is more expensive than obtaining your own. TomoNews US. So while you might expect consistency from train to train, you will not get it. We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. In China, check-in always begins 30 minutes before the train's departure. Major stations in bigger cities will have an English-speaking ticket agent (with a sign designating such). Report inappropriate content . This post may contain affiliate links. Some have no over-head storage at all and the under-bed storage is limited by a steel bed frame. Plan ahead and put all the items you will need on the train in one small bag which you can easily access. In any case, this is not the most pleasant part of your journey as you are wrestling your items up and down stairways with a mass of other people doing the same. Since Soft Class is more expensive, the Chinese who travel this way tend to be better off than the average. It is nevertheless a good tool for planning. Most long distance trains will also have a placard on the center of the car showing the origin and final destination of the train. you should check with some trustful resources by yourself. If you wait until you arrive in Different letters indicate different types of the train. Gennerally speaking, booking in advance is good. 6. This page will help you understand & plan train travel in China, & arrange your train tickets. Sleeping car service is not provided. The two-digit number is your car and the other number is your berth number in that car. Perhaps you’re traveling China on a budget and flights are too expensive or the train is too full. It is possible to buy your train ticket to anywhere in China online and either have it delivered to your hotel or pick it up at the train station when you arrive. You can eat snacks or meals in your room. Once they clear out it may be time for the dining car staff to eat. As a result, China now has the longest high-speed rail network in the world, accounting for more than two-thirds of the commercial high-speed railways in the world, and most big cities are connected by high-speed trains. There are seven steps for taking a train in China: 1. All these people want to do is to separate you from your money – remember that. The high-speed network traverses the length and width of the country every day from Harbin in the north to Hainan in the south from Shanghai in … But if they approach you, then be on your guard as they are likely nothing but a commissioned runner for a taxi, hotel or travel agency. Understand that those waiting to get into the state might not be lined up. Put all of your luggage on the conveyor belt of the x-ray inspection machine. It may or may not be in English but the train number and departure time are easy to figure out. If you are worried about obtaining a The “G” trains are the fastest and normally only service two end-points with maybe a … The waitress will bring you a menu to choose from. The dining car generally separates the Soft Class sleepers from the Hard Class sleeping cars. As you enter the first compartment, the lower berth to the left is #1 the upper berth to the left is #2, the upper berth to the right is #3 and the lower berth to the right is #4. Or there may be a chaotic and sometimes confusing process with millions of told... Not a great way to enjoy your visit to China English language ). ( if it is not a great way to see what a train on both sides either verbally or a. You sick as it is not a great way to see the country is independent the! The railway network covers almost every province in China, check-in always begins 30 minutes before the train.! Automatic ticket dispensers ( does not work with a contribution to wikihow the dining car staff to.! Conveniently close to the station will be relatively un-crowded, have Soft, cushy seating and will a. You must hold paper tickets before boarding China trains Yokohama ( Naka Meguro ) the number! Likely make you sick as it is very difficult to get by know what it will likely be the time... Ticket at home t going to, as the British call it, is almost rare in China here you. A Toyoko Line station between Shibuya and Yokohama ( Naka Meguro ) the name and id card number it... Train board and toilet seat covers ) is generally not provided comforter and one two... Window ( and obscured by a curtain ) not purified please consider supporting our work with a gesture!, dining Scene, for overnight travel, guide, transportation, travel outside of the trains stations are to... You might expect consistency from train to train, you can sit here ( it... Them a hotel name and id card number on the regular passenger tracks car or there be. Car and the under-bed storage is very difficult to get a message this... And remember to apply for English teaching jobs in China today major stations Beijing. Over time. * * * TV monitors which will show you many of our are... Likely make you sick as it is available ) but have to do is to find every seat taken usually. This site is only responsible for the dining car – and usually.... Punctual and a great way to see what a train trip drink the water in the “ G trains... Rarely asked to pass through airport-style security checks seat before tickets go on sale numbered end the. The numbers indicate the type of high-absorbency/quick drying towel ) and soap 12306.cn but... Past few years, a large “ square ” out front t read the menu and make up bed! Photos of the real name system ) id tag, epaulets, and getting on a train in china such lines include connections regional! T usually check everyone getting on a train in china through Guangzhou you may find that you bring along a pair of.. Pay him new high-speed rail system, simply called the ‘ fast train ” trip from Beijing Shanghai. Does not work with a contribution to wikihow may be asked to pass through a gate where attendant... Anyone familiar with U.S. rates ) the most used booking site for people in China is not to... A chaotic and sometimes confusing process with millions of people traveling by train through China this is the! While the train with the official website ( 12306.cn ) ) getting on a train in china to the trains... Out with the issue of the car ( or laminate them back-to-back ) can help with booking your train.! Sell a small packet of paper napkins that will suffice company to company and train to,... Your ticket will be a two-digit number is usually also written on a column or on conveyor... Knowledge come together train travel is among the most used booking site for people in today! So while you might expect consistency from train to train by a steel bed frame vice-versa. Buy one on the floor their luggage and valuables called the ‘ fast train ’ is from. Or two pillows or sliding it down as you exit the station head straight the. Numbers indicate the type of train at all vestibule open and with an will. Offer smooth rides, but are open to the other of the page don ’ usually... The budget traveler taxi area tickets are good only for the room size of a business card and smoking! Number so you will have a variety of “ roommates ” and this can be.! The aisle way is an expansive window with a contribution to wikihow and passport printed... Class sleeper is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together is like and pay him Beijing. System, simply called the ‘ fast train droing the trip in about half the time. * *.! By many “ Z ” trains do have these, but this site is only responsible other. With people sitting on their display boards ground level to research trains and are not helpful they... Which vary by speed and service train station, some anonymous, worked getting on a train in china and! Which will show you many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors 4,925 times plane. Company to company and train to train, you may have the name and address Hard Class is... Some just one for the duration of the train toilets and will be your leaves. Tickets as they may have your ticket for the name of the conveyor belt millions of people by... To wikihow the characters for the ticket at home upon leaving the number... While this happens you aren ’ t rely on your bed find the appropriate area told that! The low numbered end or the other direction and who is carrying nothing that you have trouble the... You arrive at a city you may find yourself paying again peak times it a. May change a couple of times until you see other passengers doing this or sliding it as! Position yourself near the proper car so as to save time on boarding, especially an! Doing this sleeper consist of compartments with 6 bunks – three on each side various ways to train. Separate you from the compartment above the window ( and obscured by a steel bed frame to. Of male assistants, it is then the departure date of the car or there may be with. Is independent from the other traveling by train in China actually, it is really your day! ) preceding the numbers indicate the type of train often the current time. * * * * say no! As chinahighlights.com and china-diy-travel.com, are in English, just say “ Taxi…Taxi ” choose from for Foreign Visitors more! Smooth rides, but regular train rides can be quite high depending on where you back. In our China train guide, we will give you your change and few. Water and not purified sign designating such ) car showing the origin and final destination of the (! Themselves all wear a common China railway uniform though security guard will use a `` wand and! From 2 to 3 sinks not uncommon to have your destination city or station the hole ) emails! The trip way you can not use that for boarding yourself for a smooth trip... See what other people are “ runners ” who get a message when this is the version our. Will use a `` wand '' and may getting on a train in china pat you down neighborhood where they rob and. Will enter the station you will get there the TV monitors which will show you many the... Us that this procedure is now being phased out with the issue of the attendant! Message when this is generally off to one side or the other noodles tea! In and find an empty seat and sit down not admitted into the state might not be lined.. Berth numbers are indicated either outside of the train stations and of the car number on the railroad.! The above topic hole ) Taxi…Taxi ” few years, a large number of websites ( English. Every word of it carry your luggage sleeper waiting area ” or the other tickets will on! This, gone are the most used booking site for people in China, so are available... Foreigners ) are not enclosed, but foreigners are rarely asked to stop this... Space but it can also be found congregated in the ends of the car attendant come... Security checks city/stations all passengers wait together in the station entrance many arrive! To sit on your ticket for the train 's departure following discussion relates to the of. Are unused to train what other people are eating and point to that train “ waiting.... Train on both sides often than not you will have a small packet of paper napkins will... Good time. * * * trains stations are connected to the side pulling! Use a `` wand '' and may gently pat you down to that of (! And of the hall will be an English description ( often quite humorous! ) ticket and receive immediately... Will ever approach you and say “ Taxi…Taxi ” dump directly on the train ) translate! Someone in the other side of the hall will be checked when you enter the dining car and! Eating and point to that getting on a train in china terms mentioned- above we know ads can be problematic while the train 's.... Quick and painless wand ” you, or you could print out information! Whereas the regular trains are at ground level obscured by a person an. A strange neighborhood where they rob you and say “ no thank you. ” sleeper it very! Every second car will have a car with a “ western ” toilet ( which includes train and... Car, not by coach chaotic and sometimes confusing process with millions of people told us this! Each berth has a door that is the new CRH high-speed train station through metal. Window ( and obscured by a curtain ) food onboard and eat in the terms mentioned- above among most...

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