Train travel in China is sooo underrated. It’s so convenient to take short train journeys because they’re faster than buses, and overnight trains are the best because you wake up where you need to be! That being said, train travel in China can be a little intimidating. That’s where I step in. Here’s a guide to train travel in China.
There are so many words that come to mind when thinking about train travel in China. Intimidating, confusing, exciting. I spent about 2 and a half months in China this year, and I fell in love. China’s a wild place.
That being said, outside Beijing, Shanghai, and other big cities, it’s hard to get around without some Chinese.
That’s where I step in!
The best way to travel in China is by train. It’s an experience in itself! Taking a train to get from destination to destination is one of my best China travel tips. For the super long, 3-nights-on-a-train kind of journeys, you might want to look into flights. But overall, train travel in China is fabulous and convenient. I’ve taken trains to Lijiang, Dali, Shanghai, and a bunch of other places! They’ve all been 8 hours or longer, but I really enjoyed them!
Booking Train Journeys
Book ahead of time, as popular train journeys can sell out quickly!
Online:
Ctrip is a great resource. You book your journeys online and pick up the ticket at a railway station or office.
Travel China Guide is another good resource, however their booking fees are a little pricey. They can deliver tickets to you, though.
In Person:
Personally, I think going to a railway station is the best option if you have time to buy your ticket in advance. Though many big city train stations will have a till that speaks English, it’s still helpful to try to speak Chinese.
Here are some useful phrases to know.
你会说英文吗？ Ní huì shuō yīng wén ma? Do you speak English?
我想去。。。 Wǒ xiǎng qù … I want to go …
我要买一张火车票。 Wǒ yào mǎi yī zhāng huó chē piào… I need to buy a train ticket.
The Train Journey: Berths
First, train classes.
There are typically three classes… Seats, hard sleepers, and soft sleepers.
Seats are “third class,” where it’s just a seat. I wouldn’t do this for an overnight journey.
Hard sleepers are “second class,” where there are three tiers of beds and six people per cabin. Ask for yìng wò when booking.
Soft sleepers are “first class,” with two tiers of beds and four people per cabin. Ask for ruǎn wò when booking.
Now onto the actual beds!
All beds will come with a blanket and pillow. They’re pretty comfortable, but a bit short for Western standards.
A bottom bunk is the most popular and comfortable bed. Ask for a xiàpù if you want this. People with upper berths might try to sit on your bed. I suggest spreading out your stuff to cover the bed if you want your space.
A middle bunk is a zhōngpù. It’s more comfortable than the top bunk, and fine if the bottom berths are sold out!
The top bunk is the least desired bunk. I would avoid it if you have a train journey longer than one night. The light is right in your face and it’s impossible to do anything other than lie down. It’s very cramped. If you’re keen to try it out, it’s called a shàngpù.
The Train Journey: Food & Drink
Food:
For quick train rides (one night or less), just bring snacks! Eat before boarding and grab something to eat when you arrive, and you’ll be fine!
For longer journeys, pack snacks and instant noodles! There are hot water dispensers on the train. Some people come by in carts and have snacks and instant noodles, but I’d still buy everything beforehand.
Also, the hot water runs out on longer train rides, so really, I mean it when I say STOCK UP ON SNACKS.
Drinks:
Stock up on water, as there’s no potable water on the train (except for hot water). You can also buy sodas or water from the people who bring the carts by.
The Train Journey: The Toilet Situation
99% of the time, toilets in China are going to be squat toilets. Honestly, on a bumpy moving train, this can get tricky. My only tip for you is to bring toilet paper/tissues and hand sanitizer.
Surprisingly, the toilets aren’t too gross!
Train travel in China is a great experience! Remember that sometimes flying turns out to be cheaper. I personally love travelling by train; it’s a peek into REAL China, away from big touristy spots. Enjoy your train journey!
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You can also buy tickets in person at the little 火车票 offices (blue signs, cash only), or thru Wechat, which is how most Chinese do it!
That’s so helpful! The little offices didn’t work for me or any of my friends, and WeChat only works if you have a Chinese bank account! This article is targeted towards tourists, but I should definitely add that for the readers in China! Thanks for the info!
Travelling by train in China sounds like a great experience. Thanks for sharing!
It’s great!
This is a great post for someone travelling to China! The little helpful phrases you added in would be so handy to know!
Thanks so much!
I love this! I love train travel, and I always think of it for Europe. But I hadn’t thought about it for China! Husband is there for work quite a bit, and I keep saying I’m going to go along one of these days. Have to keep this tucked away for when that happens. 🙂
Definitely go! I feel like China is often painted in a bad light, but it’s such a beautiful country!
I’m always impressed by the train systems in other countries – one of my favorite ways to travel between cities
I love train travel too!!!
Short, sweet and informative post! I have never been to China but my sister has. She stayed overnight in a hard sleeper. This type of traveling is an experience in of itself. I hope to share that experience soon 🙂
It’s such an experience! I highly recommend it!
What a great way to get around such a large country though. I have one thing though, I’m not a fan of the squat toilet. :/ In Morocco and parts of Japan I was well acquainted with them and they aren’t for me.
Haha they definitely take a while to get used to!
It’s good to know about all the information mentioned above. Very helpful for those who would love to travel by trains.
Thanks so much!
I’m glad you talked about the toilet. Sometimes people forgot to write a review about it. After reading that the toilet is a squat one, I will skip overnight train ride whenever I get a chance to visit China. Done it before, and it’s not comfortable at all. Haha…
Hahaha it’s difficult! I can’t blame you!
This was a very helpful read. And looks like a nice experience. Thanks for sharing
Thanks for reading!
The trains in China looks great and clean too. I am always fond of travelling by trains. They are more comfortable, I think. And those were some useful Chinese phrases!
I agree! Trains are a blast! I love that you can see everything you’re passing!
Definitely bookmarking this one! Useful information for a trip to China,now need to start practising some of those keywords and phrases :-0
China is amazing! I hope you have an amazing time!
I need to take a train, I don’t have the foggiest idea where, anyplace better than here. Anyway, thank you so much for sharing your wonderful page. Keep it up!