China Train Travel Guide; What is Chinese Train Like

Traveling by train in China is one of the cheapest ways to travel some of the long distances in China and is used widely by the local population. You can reach to any destination by train in China.

Train Types in China

Trains in China are divided into various classes according to their speed.

G Train:
High-Speed Electric Multiple Units Train (EMU), Gaotie in Chinese.
It is the fastest EMU train in China running for long distance in China. Presently, the G-train could finish the 1,068-kilometers Wuhan-Guangzhou High-Speed Railway in 3 hours, the 301-kilometers Shanghai-Nanjing High-Speed Railway in 73 minutes and the 458-kilometers Zhengzhou-Xian High-Speed Railway in 2 hours.

C Train:
Intercity EMU Train, Chengji Lie Che (城际列车) in Chinese
This is also the fastest EMU train in China, but runs for short travel distance between two nearby cities, such as the Beijing-Tianjin Intercity Railway.

D Train:
Electric Multiple Unites (EMU) Train, Dongche (动车) in Chinese
These trains are also called Hexiehao (和谐号, Harmony) or bullet trains in China. The designed top speed is 250km/h. These trains have been widely used for serving fast and frequent transport between main cities, such as Beijing-Shanghai, Shanghai-Suzhou and Shenzhen-Guangzhou.

Z Train:
Direct Express Train, Zhida (直达) in Chinese
The top speed of Z-trains is 160km/h, which is the most efficient transport for long-distance travel except of the EMU trains. Generally, Z-trains have none-stop on the way, but some of them have several stops. On the other hand, some Z-trains are equipped with only soft-sleepers and soft-seats.

T Train:
Express Train, Tekuai (特快) in Chinese
The T-trains have limited stops on the routes, mainly in these major cities. The highest speed is 140km/h. Almost every T-series of train is equipped with soft-sleeper, soft-seat, hard-sleeper and hard-seat.

K Train:
Fast Train, Kuaiche (快车) in Chinese
The top speed of K-trains is 120km/h, having more stops than the T-trains. The K-series of trains is equipped with air-condition and the four classes of train berths.

Why Take a Train Travel in China?

Compared with traveling by flight, taking train is a unique experience to see a different China.

1. Visitors can view much scenery along the railway. Maybe a long train tour is hard to surpass but views and changes of scenery add much fun to your journey.

2. You can know much more culture about China because there are various people in the train and they are friendly to talk with you.

3. Compared with the prices of flight, train fares in China are far lower, and at the same time visitors can obtain special experience in China.

4. In addition, feel free to use your laptop and catch up on your cell phone at random. No need to worry about causing something.

How to Take a Train when you've Got the Train Ticket?

When Arrival in the Railway Station

Firstly: Finding your right station.

In Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Guilin and Wuhan, there are at least two train stations in these cities. Please kindly find out in which train station you are supposed to board your train in advance. Otherwise, you may miss your train.

Seondly: Passing security control.

When you arrive at the station you must first go through security control to departure area. But please notice these objects that are forbidden in the train, as following: animals, the toxic, flammable and explosive goods.

Lastly: Finding your right waiting lounge.

Usually there are several waiting lounges in the station you should find the right one to board the train. And the electronic message board will remind passengers which is the right one for each train. You should pay attention to it. The tickets will be checked when entering the lounges. You should take care of your tickets.

On the Train

1. Show your ticket and the train staff will give you a card

At soft or hard sleeper class carriages, you are asked to change your ticket to a plastic card after boarding the train. Before you arrive at your destination, it will be changed back. You should keep your ticket as you are required to show the ticket when going through the exit of train stations.

2. Dining on the Train

We usually arrange overnight trains for the convenience of our clients. Dinner and breakfast will be done before or after train travel. Once the clients need to have snacks or meals on board, they can go to the dining car of Car 8, except express trains Beijing/shanghai, Beijing/HK and Beijing/Xian, most of trains don't have English menu and many selections of food.

3. Train Staff

The staff working on trains has little knowledge of English. If possible, please prepare a phrase book for the emergency. In fact, more and more Chinese people, especially younger generations can speak English.

4. Bathroom in the train.

The big issue while traveling by train in China is the bathroom on board. At each end of carriages, there is one toilet (one is western style in soft sleeper carriages). Please bring your own toilet paper before you use it since it is not available inside. When the train is approaching one stop the bathroom is always locked. When it runs again the bathroom will be unlocked.

5. More attention to the belongings.

Please take care about your belongings, wherever you are in soft sleep, hard sleep, soft seat or hard seat in the train. Especially, keep the important things with you all the time, such as, passport, visa, wallet and other things like that. If taking hard seat class of some slow trains please be cautious at night, in some parts, there are pickpockets.