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China has one of the biggest and busiest rail networks in the world, and trains link almost every town & city.  Chinese trains are a safe, comfortable, punctual & cheap way to travel around China, and a Chinese train journey is an experience in itself, in contrast with less reliable and environmentally-unfriendly internal flights.  This page will help you understand & plan train travel in China, & arrange your train tickets.

UPDATE 2024 :  Travel to China is open again post-pandemic.  China-Vietnam and China-Russia trains are still suspended, a limited China-Mongolia and a new China-Laos train service are operating.

Train times & fares for popular routes

International trains & ferries.

Beijing to Ulan Bator & Moscow by Trans-Siberian railway & onwards to Paris & London

Beijing, Xian & Ürümqi to Almaty & Astana (Kazakhstan)

Beijing to Hanoi (Vietnam) by train , onwards to Saigon , on to Phnom Penh & Bangkok

Beijing to Japan by ferry

Beijing to South Korea by ferry

Beijing to North Korea by train

Beijing to Taiwan by ferry

Hong Kong to Hanoi (Vietnam)

Kunming to Hanoi (Vietnam) by train

Lhasa to Kathmandu by bus & onwards to Delhi

Other information

Tours of China by train - organised for you

Recommended guidebooks for China

Travel insurance

Hotels in Beijing   Hotels in Shanghai   Hotels in Xian

Hotel suggestions in Beijing & Shanghai

Get a VPN to access Twitter, Facebook, Google and so on whilst in China

Useful country information

How to check train times & fares.

For online train timetables in English between any two major Chinese cities, use the journey planner at one of these sites:

- www.chinahighlights.com (also gives fares, in US$)

- www.trip.com

Be aware that some online journey planners aren't connected directly to the Chinese Railways system, they take periodic downloads.  One site may therefore be more up to date than others.

The official Chinese Railways website is www.12306.cn , previously Chinese-only, it now has an English version.

Beijing Metro:    For a map, see www.johomaps.com/as/china/beijing/beijingmetro , showing Beijing Main (Zhan), Beijing West (Xi) & Beijing South (Nan) mainline stations.  Metro website www.bjsubway.com .  Another simpler metro map is at  www.explorebj.com/subway .

Shanghai metro:   service.shmetro.com/en/ .

Maps of the Chinese train network

cnrail.geogv.org/enus - interactive map, you can search for a station or enter a train number to see the route taken by that train.  High-speed lines shown in red, classic lines in green.

www.chinahighlights.com/image/map/china-railway-map-big.jpg

www.cnvol.com/images/chinarailwaymap.gif ,

www.johomaps.com/as/china/chinarail.html

A neat little site that will map the calling points of any train number you enter:  cn.freepublicinfo.org .

Map of Beijing:  Click for street map of Beijing showing stations & main sights .

How to buy tickets

When do reservations open .

Reservations usually open 30 days before departure for online bookings and 28 days before departure for sale at stations, for most long-distance trains.  You cannot buy tickets before reservations open.

Some D-category sleeper trains only open 20 days ahead.  Some C-category trains only 10 days ahead.

The booking horizon used to be 12 days (10 days at stations), but was increased to 20 days in January 2013, then to 60 days in December 2014.  However, a temporary shortening to 30 days in early 2017 has become permanent.

Do tickets sell out?

Yes they do.   Most long-distance trains get fully-booked days ahead.  So book as many days ahead as you can or pre-arrange tickets online as explained below .  Although as China's new G-category high-speed trains are expensive by Chinese standards you'll sometimes find Beijing-Shanghai or Beijing-Xian high-speed train tickets available on the day of travel or the day before, assuming you are flexible as to the class or exact departure time.  But in all other cases, long-distance train tickets often sell out days before departure.  Train tickets are best booked at least 3-4 days in advance, preferably more, apart from peak holiday periods when they should be booked as soon as reservations open or secured through a train ticketing agency who knows the ropes, as trains get very fully-booked weeks ahead.

Peak holiday periods means on and around the Spring Festival, May Day on 1st May and National Day on 1st October.  It's also busy throughout the summer, and the beginning or end of university terms.  At other times, trains can still sell out but it's usually possible to secure seats or sleepers a few days ahead.

But why not see for yourself?   If you run an enquiry on www.chinahighlights.com/china-trains or www.trip.com for today, tomorrow or a few days time, you'll see which trains are sold out, which are still available, an d which have only a few seats left.  As I write this, most Beijing-Shanghai trains are sold out for the day after tomorrow, but a few trains still have seats left the day after that.  It's a similar story between Beijing and Xian.

How to buy tickets online

Chinese Railways launched online booking in 2011 at www.12306.cn , but until 2020 it was only in Chinese.  It now has an English version, but unless that has changed too, it only accepts Chinese bank cards.  So visitors to China should buy tickets through one of the following reliable recommended agencies, who charge a small fee.

Option 1, b uy at Chinahighlights.com

www.chinahighlights.com/china-trains is a reliable and helpful train ticketing agency which has been around since 1998.  They have developed a clear & easy-to-use English-language train booking website linked to the Chinese Railways ticketing system to show train times, fares & availability for any train journey within China.  They can book Chinese domestic trains and now also international trains to or from Hong Kong and from China to Hanoi, Ulan Bator & Moscow. 

Prices are shown in US Dollars, they add a service fee of around $6 per ticket.

You can book months ahead if you like , they will take your booking request before reservations open and will make the actual booking with Chinese Railways the maximum 30 days before departure, as soon as reservations open.  Booking with them more than 30 days ahead therefore gives you a 99% chance of getting the exact date, train & class you want, at least outside peak periods when half of China is trying to do the same thing!

After making a booking at www.chinahighlights.com/china-trains you'll be sent a payment link, and staff will contact you when the booking has been confirmed with Chinese Railways.  A s with all Chinese train ticket agencies, the actual booking is made by staff behind the scenes (not 'live' online) so is only confirmed when you get their confirmation email.

Travel is now ticketless, you scan your passport at the automatic gates at the entrance to the platform, the system recognises your passport number, knows you have a reservation and lets you through, see the section below about finding & boarding your train .

Tip:  If you find a self service ticket machine of the latest type which recognises passports as well as Chinese ID cards, you can use it to print out a reminder of your itinerary with car & seat numbers, and/or after your journey use one to print an old-style ticket (now merely a reimbursement slip) as a souvenir, see the self-service ticket machine section below .

If you have feedback from using www.chinahighlights.com/china-trains , do please e-mail me .  So far they have been reported as providing a prompt and efficient service.

Option 2, buy at Trip.com

www.trip.com (formerly Ctrip.com) also offers live online train times, fares & tickets, it's a well-known long-established site with a great reputation which is also useful for hotels & flights.

Trip.com can book any Chinese domestic train, also high-speed trains to/from Hong Kong, but not other international trains or the sleeper trains to/from Hong Kong.

You can select a range of currencies including RMB, $, €, $ & Au$. 

You need names & passport numbers for each passenger.  You can order online before Chinese Railways opens bookings, www.trip.com will book tickets for you as soon as booking opens.

Trip.com charges the official Chinese Railways price plus an RMB 30 ($5) fee per ticket, which they call a Hotel Promotion Code.

Tip:   If you find a self service ticket machine of the latest type which recognises passports as well as Chinese ID cards, you can use it to print out a reminder of your itinerary with car & seat numbers, and/or after your journey use one to print an old-style ticket (now merely a reimbursement slip) as a souvenir, see the self-service ticket machine section below .

If you have feedback from using www.trip.com , do please e-mail me .

Option 3, buying tickets for departures from Hong Kong

You can easily look up train times and buy tickets between Hong Kong and Beijing, Shanghai or Guangzhou in either direction at www.chinahighlights.com/china-trains .  Tickets can be sent to a hotel or private address anywhere in mainland China, Hong Kong or Macau.  They get good feedback for their service and charge in US$ and add a service fee of around $20.  On www.chinahighlights.com , Hong Kong's Hung Hom station is listed as 'HongKong'.

Alternatively, if you're willing to make a bit more effort to save on the booking fee, you can book departures from Hong Kong to Beijing and Shanghai by email at the official ticket office price through KCRC (Kowloon Canton Railway Corporation) Customer Services.  Visit their website at www.mtr.com.hk (click 'customer site' then 'intercity passenger services' then 'more information'.  Note that the online booking system on their intercity trains home page is only for the HK to Guangzhou intercity trains, for the Beijing & Shanghai through trains you'll need to email their customer services department.  When looking up times and fares on their website, remember that Hong Kong is shown as 'Hung Hom').  You will be given a reference number and can then pick up and pay for tickets at Hong Kong's 'Hung Hom' station in Kowloon.  Note that Hong Kong ticket office does not accept credit cards, only cash.  However, there is an ATM just round the corner from the station.

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How to buy tickets at the station

It's fairly easy to buy tickets yourself at the station even if you don't speak Chinese, although trains are busy so book as many days ahead as you can and be prepared to take a second choice of train, class or date.  Expect an X-ray bag check to enter the ticket office.

Take your passport!

Remember to take your own passport and the passports of all other passengers.  Rules introduced in 2011 make it essential for foreigners to show a passport to buy tickets for any long-distance train.  You'll also need your passport to board the train.  A Chinese citizen's ID card, foreigner's temporary residence permit, exit-entry permit or diplomatic certificate can be used to buy tickets instead of a passport.

Check the train availability board!

At major stations you'll see a colourful LED display showing how many seats are left in each class on each main train departure today and for the next week or so.  Don't waste time queuing to ask for a ticket today if the board above your head is clearly showing zero seats left on that train!  See what these look like and how to read them below .

Which ticket window for which trains?

Ticket windows are only signed in Chinese, apart from a few labelled as for cancellations & refunds.  However, don't worry, in a major station ticket hall, all ticket windows can generally sell tickets for all trains and routes.  Chinese Railways have a central computer reservation system so you can buy tickets for any route at any station.  But when picking a train, remember that it's usually easier to get tickets for a train which starts at the station you're at, rather than one starting somewhere else and picking up passengers at your station en route.

English-speaking ticket windows

There is a special English-speaking ticket window for foreigners at Beijing main station, usually window 16 in the separate ticket office to the right of the main building accessed off the forecourt, see the photos below .  You may also find English-speaking windows at Xian and Shanghai.

Language problems?  Use these useful booking forms!

You won't always find an English-speaking window.  Use these handy forms designed by Chinese rail expert Duncan Peattie and updated by Eliot Zhang, which not only help you ask for what you want, they will help you understand the booking clerk's reply if your first choice isn't available.  Your hotel can help you write down the place names.

Download booking form for C, D, G  category high-speed trains

Download booking form for Z, T, K category trains, including sleepers .

Travel is now ticketless

You won't be given a ticket as travel is now ticketless and all you need is your passport to board the train, see the section below about finding & boarding your train .  However, when you book travel in person at a ticket office, you'll be given a printout confirming your journey details.  This is not a ticket!

At Beijing station (= Beijing or Beijing Railway station)

T he ticket office is a separate block to the right of the main building as you stand on the forecourt, clearly marked 'Ticket Office'.  Expect a baggage X-ray check at the door.  Only domestic Chinese tickets are sold, not international tickets.  One or two of the many ticket windows are designated for foreigners, a red LED display may tell you which one.  It's often window 16, but not necessarily.  Allow plenty of time to buy your ticket, as you may have to queue.

At Beijing West station (= Beijing Xi or Xizhan)

There are various ticket offices including offices on both the north and south sides of the station, directly accessed from outside the station.  At Beijing West you need a ticket to enter the departures area.  As Beijing West is a mile or two outside central Beijing, you may find it easier to buy tickets at Beijing station.

At Beijing South station (= Beijing Nan or Beijingnan)

There are various ticket offices inside the main departures hall.  Go through the X-ray and metal detector security checks into the main departure hall and look for one of the offices around the sides.  As Beijing Nan is a few miles outside central Beijing, you may find it easier to buy tickets at Beijing station.

To buy Trans-Siberian tickets in Beijing from Beijing to Ulan Bator or Moscow, see the Trans-Siberian page .  To buy tickets from Beijing to Hanoi , see the Vietnam page .

At Shanghai station

The English speaking ticket window at the main station was window 43 though this has now been reported as changed to window 10 on the ground floor of the main ticket office to the southeast of the main station.

At Shanghai Hongqiao

There are several ticket offices inside the main departure hall.  Go through the X-ray and metal detector security checks into the main departure hall and look for one of the offices around the sides.

Alternatively, buy from a local train ticket agency

In major cities, it can be more convenient to buy tickets at one of the numerous 'hole in the wall' ticketing agencies located all over the city.  These local offices charge an RMB 5 (50p or $1) extra fee, just ask your hotel if there is one nearby or use the 'Train Ticket Office Search' at www.cnvol.com .  Don't expect these local agencies to speak English, so ask your hotel to write down your destination, date, time and class in Chinese to show the staff.

Train availability displays in ticket offices

You'll find these train availability boards at all main station ticket offices and they're not hard to read, even though they're in Chinese.  The photo below was taken at Beijing West on 1 August, and as you can see, there's zero availability in any class for today's train G625 leaving at 18:56, so don't waste time asking.  But there's plenty of availability in all classes tomorrow (2nd August) including 13 seats in business class and 36 seats in 1st class and 617 in 2nd class.

At Beijing Railway Station & Beijing West the class columns run left to right as soft sleeper, hard sleeper, soft seat, hard seat then standing places.   The soft seat & hard seat columns are used for 1st class & 2nd class on C, D & G-trains and the soft sleeper column is used for premium or business class on those trains. 

At Beijing South the sequence from left to right is Business class, 1st class, 2nd class .

Self-service ticket machines

Most stations have self-service ticket machines.  Until recently, these were of no use to foreign visitors as they only recognised Chinese ID cards.  The latest type now recognises foreign passports, although they don't normally have an English language facility (although an English version may be in the pipeline).  That means most visitors will find using them for tickets too difficult, but you can easily use them to print your itinerary, or print a reimbursement slip as a souvenir or to claim expenses.

How to print your itinerary, or a reimbursement slip as a souvenir

If you have already booked online, you can print out a Trip information reminder with your train times, car & seat/berth numbers.  You can do this any time before you travel.  After your journey you can print out an old-school blue ticket, although this is now only a Reimbursement slip good if you want to claim the journey on expenses or just want a souvenir, it's not valid for travel.  You can do this immediately after you travel, or for up to 30 days afterwards.  Follow the steps shown below.  Photos below courtesy of David Feng.

Finding & boarding your train

Allow time for security checks at the station.

Arrive at the station in plenty of time before the departure of your train, perhaps 30-40 minutes before departure.

At stations where the ticket office is separate, for example Beijing Railway Station or Beijing West, there are queues at the entrance to the station for a ticket & ID check, as only ticket-holders are allowed into the departures hall.  Join any queue at any kiosk, have your ticket and 1'wand'.

At stations where the ticket office is inside the main hall, for example Beijing South or Shanghai Hongqiao, there will be short queues just inside the entrance to the station hall for a security check.  You put your bags through an X-ray scanner then security staff check you over with an electronic 'wand'.

Scan your passport to access the platform

Once inside the station, look for the departure indicators.  At major stations such as Beijing South or Shanghai Hongqiao, the departure boards alternate between Chinese & English.  At smaller stations they are only in Chinese, but you can easily make out your train number and departure time, and the platform or gate number to go to, as the photos in this section show.  Finding your train is unlikely to be a problem.

There are automatic gates at the entrance to each platform or group of platforms.  The gates can read Chinese ID cards & Chinese Green Cards for expats settled in China.

At some stations, each gate has a passport scanner as well as a Chinese ID card scanner.  This latest type of gate is shown in the photo below.  You place your passport data page face-down on the passport scanner, it reads your passport, knows you have a reservation and lets you through.  Your passport needs to be machine-readable, although it doesn't need to be biometric.

At other stations, the gates only have Chinese ID card scanners.  Foreign passport holders must use a separate passport reader, located at one end of the gateline, after which you are let through a manual gate.  You place your passport data page face-down on the scanner, it reads your passport, knows you have a reservation and lets you through.

A few small stations have no passport readers at all, so you need to ask staff to let you through.  Showing a printout of your journey helps with this, if you buy at a ticket office you'll be given a printout, if you have booked online you can get a printout by showing your reservation number at a ticket office window.  These printouts are labelled Trip information reminder in English.

Tip:  Expenses to claim or you just want a souvenir?   You can still get the traditional blue ticket if you like, but this now a Reimbursement slip and not valid for travel.  You can collect it either immediately after your journey or for up to 30 days afterwards, from a staffed ticket window or from the latest type of self-service machine which can recognise foreign passports.  Watch the video guide .

Boarding a train at Beijing Station

1.  Beijing station is in central Beijing, 3 km from Tiananmen Square.  It has it's own station on the Beijing Subway, called simply Beijing Railway Station - see Beijing subway map .

2.  Beijing main station dates from 1959 and whilst Beijing's South & West stations are modern and airport-like, negotiating Beijing's original station is a more chaotic old-style Asian experience.  So arrive in plenty of time, at least 40 minutes before your train leaves.

3.  Whether you arrive by subway or taxi, you end up on the station forecourt seen in the photo below left.  You then enter the station through any of the 30-odd red-canopied ticket-check kiosks seen in the photo below right in front of the main entrance.  There will be a queue in front of each kiosk.

4.  Immediately after the ticket check, there's a luggage X-ray check as you enter the building itself.

5.  You can then check the departure display to see which waiting room to go to for your train.  Boarding usually starts around 20-30 minutes before departure.

Boarding a train at Beijing South:  See the Beijing to Shanghai page

Boarding a train at beijing west.

7.  You may also find departure boards showing the status of each train.  Most trains will be shown as 'on time' with the most immediate departures shown as 'waiting', which means you can enter that train's specific waiting room.  Once a train is ready for boarding, usually about 30 minutes before departure, it's shown as 'check in', meaning you can proceed through to the platform.  Barriers close 5 minutes before departure, and the train is then shown as 'check out'.  Photos in this section are courtesy of Sunil Mehta .

What are Chinese trains like ?

Chinese trains link virtually all main cities and towns in China, and are a safe, comfortable & civilised way to travel, even for families or women travelling alone.

Classes of seat & sleeper on classic trains

Chinese trains generally have four classes, although you won't find every class on every train:

Soft sleeper = comfortable 4-berth compartments.  Most western travellers travel soft sleeper, a comfortable, civilised & affordable way to travel.  Soft sleepers are spacious 4-berth compartments with two upper & two lower berths by night, converting to two sofas for daytime use.  All necessary bedding is provided.  There's a table with tablecloth, and usually a vacuum flask of hot water for making tea (or drinking chocolate or cuppas soups if you've brought some).  The compartment door locks securely, and a smartly-dressed attendant looks after each car.  The best trains even feature individual TV screens and power sockets for laptops & mobiles.  Passengers share with other passengers, but this is no problem, and a good way to meet people. 

Can you book a 4-berth soft sleeper for sole or dual occupancy?   My advice is to do what the Chinese do, buy one ticket for one berth for one person and share.  It's not a problem, and you meet people this way.

Hard sleeper = open-plan bunks in bays of 6.  If you're on a tight budget or if the soft sleepers are full, there's no reason why you shouldn't go hard sleeper, as many western backpackers do.  Hard sleeper consists of open-plan carriages with a broad aisle on one side of the car, bays of 6 bunks (upper, middle & lower) on the other side.  In spite of the name, hard sleeper bunks are reasonably well padded, and bedding is supplied.  Newer trains even have power sockets for laptops & mobiles.

Soft seat & hard seat:   Equivalent to first & second class seats on a European train.  Short distance daytime trains often only have hard class seats, though some inter-city trains have both soft & hard class.  'Hard' seats are usually padded and reasonable comfortable, in spite of the name.

Deluxe soft sleeper = 2-berth compartment with toilet.  In addition to the normal classes, a handful of trains have deluxe soft sleepers, also known as Superior soft sleepers, include Beijing-Hong Kong, Beijing-Shanghai & Beijing-Xian.  These are 2-berth compartments with private toilet.  There are only limited numbers of these 2-berth compartments are available, often booked by government officials, so by all means ask for one but don't bang your head against a brick wall trying to get one, be prepared to travel in normal 4-berth soft class if necessary.  Sharing a 4-berth really isn't a problem, it's the norm in China, and you might even meet some real Chinese people this way.

Classes of seat on high-speed trains

1st & 2nd class:   Just to confuse you, the new high-speed C, D & G category trains are described as having 1st class & 2nd class seats.  The Chinese officially classify these trains as 1st class soft seat and 2nd class soft seat , as this allows the Ministry of Railways to get around government regulations that limit the price of normal hard & soft class ticket train fares.  2nd class has very compact seats usually arranged 2+3 across the car width.  1st class has much larger seats arranged 2+2 across the car width.

Business class .  G-category high-speed trains have a premium first class called Business class.  This has individual electrically-reclining leather seats arranged 2+1 across the car width.  There is complimentary green tea and juice and a tray meal may be included in the fare, served at your seat.  Business class is spacious, carpeted, and the egg-like business class seats recline to a flat bed at the touch of a button.  Business class is expensive even by western standards, but it's a real treat, very civilised and relaxed.

Premium, premier or superior class.   Now it gets a bit confusing, so listen up!  All the G-category high-speed trains have a small compartment immediately behind the driving cab at each end of the train, originally called 'sightseeing' because you could look through a glass bulkhead through the driving cab to get a view of the line ahead or behind.  However, this glass sightseeing window is now permanently kept electrically frosted up, and on some newer trains it's a solid bulkhead in any case, so the term 'sightseeing' is no longer used.

On some trains , the end compartment is fitted with five business class seats, arranged in one 1+1 row across the car width and one 1+2 row.  They all rotate to face the direction of travel, and are sold as normal business class.

On other trains there are two business class seats immediately behind the cab, arranged 1+1 across the car width, followed by three more red leather seats arranged 2+1 across the car width.  As these three seats are narrower and don't recline or rotate, they are sold as first class.

On a few trains , the end compartment is fitted with 6 seats arranged in two rows 2+1 across the car width.  These seats are the same style of seat found in first class, but they are sold at a higher price than first but less than business.  The Chinese term for this class is usually translated as premium or premier or superior or occasionally deluxe , depending which website you're using.  On a few trains you'll also find these superior class seats in a small 6-seat compartment mid-train.  Although you'll never find superior class on a train which has business class!

Restaurant cars, toilets, smoking...

Toilets:   Chinese trains generally have both western & squat toilets, but it's always a good idea to take your own supply of toilet paper.  The toilets on the modern D & Z category trains are immaculate, so no worries there!

Restaurant cars:   Most long-distance trains have a restaurant car, with waiter service of drinks, snacks & meals.  The best trains on key routes such as Beijing-Shanghai have menus in both Chinese and English.

Smoking:   Smoking is not permitted in the sleeping-car compartments or corridors on any Chinese train, or anywhere at all on board high-speed trains or the pressurised trains to Tibet.  But smoking is allowed (or at least, condoned) in the vestibules between carriages and in some restaurant cars on the regular T & K category long-distance trains.

Categories of train

Chinese train numbers usually start with a letter, which indicates the category of train.  The better the category of train, the faster it is likely to be, and the more modern & comfortable the carriages are likely to be.  Slightly higher fares are charged for the better train categories.

C (Chengji), D (Dongche) & G (Gaotie) trains are China's top-quality high-speed trains with modern air-conditioned coaches and streamlined power-cars at each end.  Most are 200-300km/h daytime electric trains, with 'G' category trains the fastest, 'D' category the next fastest.  A few overnight D-trains are equipped as high-quality 200km/h sleeper trains.  Photos of G-category train .  Photos of D category sleeper train .

Z trains (= Zhida, high-quality express sleeper trains):  The previous top-quality sleeper train, the Z-trains are now the second best, but still with very modern air-conditioned coaches.  Photos of Z category sleeper train

T trains (= Tekuai, extra fast):  Trains with a T in the train number are the next best category, see the photos below.

K trains (= Kuaisu, fast):  Trains with a K in the train number are 'fast'.  Slightly higher fares are charged for better categories of train.

A typical T or K category Chinese train

T & K category trains may not be as glamorous as the front-rank D or Z category trains, but even these T or K trains are usually very comfortable, often modern & air-conditioned.

Luggage on Chinese trains

You take your bags with you onto the train, and put them on the racks in your sleeper compartment.  At major stations, bags may be X-rayed before boarding.

In theory, the luggage limit on Chinese trains is 20 Kg for adults, 10 Kg for children, and the maximum dimension of any item should not exceed 160 cm (this is reduced to 130cm on all C, D & G category high-speed trains). 

However, in reality no-one weighs or measure your bags, so as long as they will fit through the security X-ray machines and as long as you can carry them all onto the train yourself, you'll be fine.  If you really want to transport vast quantities of luggage you can pay for a baggage ticket for bags in excess of the official limits.

Taking a bike

You can't take a bike with you onto Chinese trains as carry-on luggage, bikes have to be sent as cargo on a passenger train with a luggage van, which of course means a classic train, not a high-speed train.  There are two options:

Option 1 , you can take it to the luggage office at your starting station and check it in, then collect it again from the luggage office at your destination station.  This option is described in Matt Glaspole's report below.  Your bike will travel on whatever train has the necessary luggage van with space available, whatever train you choose to use yourself.

Option 2 , you can use a faster door-to-door collect-&-deliver service offered by Chinese Railways between major cities.  You may need an agency to help you arrange this.

Traveller Matt Glaspole reports on taking a bicycle on Chinese trains :  "Not every train has a luggage van, but if you mention in the ticket office that you have a bicycle, the ticket staff can book you onto a train that has one.  If you do have to take a train without a luggage van, the luggage staff will send your bicycle on the next train that does have one.  Once you have your ticket, you need to find the luggage office, which is often hidden around the back of the station somewhere. You might not find any English spoken here, but your train tickets should give the staff all the information they need.  The luggage service is a bit old fashioned, and the charges can involve a few RMB in 'tips' to the officials involved.  The luggage rates are calculated per kilometre like a passenger ticket, but are not as expensive. If you take the pedals or anything else off to prevent joyriding, point this out to the staff so they can make a note of this on the luggage ticket.  This indemnifies them from the potential that you or someone else at the other end will accuse them of having lost or stolen the missing bits. Once, I didn't mention to the staff that the pedals were missing, and they starting combing the town near the station to find me, so they could amend the ticket. Accusations of theft must be very serious!  My bicycle was never damaged in the luggage vans, although other cyclists have found themselves missing a bungee strap or two from time to time."

Luggage storage at stations

There are left luggage offices at most main Chinese stations, often privatised so markings and signage vary.  Look for the suitcase in a square pictogram or the words Left Luggage.

Stations with a left luggage office include Beijing railway station (which has at least two, both accessed from outside in the forecourt), Beijing South (inside the ticket hall), Beijing West (accessed from outside), Xian, Shanghai Hongqiao, Shanghai, Shenzhen.

The left luggage office at Beijing South inside the departures hall is open 06:00-23:00, a medium locker costs RMB 10 (£1, $1.50) for 0 to 7 hours, RMB 15 (£1.50, $2.50) for up to 12 hours, RMB 25 for up to 24 hours.  A large locker costs RMB 15, RMB 25 & RMB 40 respectively for the same time periods.  Other left luggage offices are likely to charge similar prices.

Beijing to Shanghai

The best way to travel this route is by train.  Not only is the train ride an experience in itself, the trains are generally very punctual and reliable than flying, avoiding the many delays affecting flights on this crowded air corridor. 

Beijing to Xian

Beijing to Xian by time-effective sleeper or by high-speed train.  The best way to travel between Beijing & Xian is by train, either on a time-effective overnight sleeper train which also saves a hotel bill, or on one of the new 300km/h (186 mph) high-speed trains.   The high-speed line opened on 26 December 2012 allowing trains to link Beijing West and Xian North in as little as 4h17, with a dozen high-speed departures a day.

Xian North , also known as XianBei , is 10 km north of the city centre on Xian metro line 2.

Xian main station is in the city centre, so significantly more convenient.

G-category high-speed trains have Business class, 1st class, 2nd class and a buffet car.  1st class seats are 2+2 across the car width, 2nd class seats are 2+3 across the car width.  Business class consists of leather power-reclining seats arranged 1+2 across the car width in a carpeted car.

D-category highsleeper trains are high-speed sleeper trains with air-conditioned soft sleepers, hard class sleepers & hard class seats.

T-category sleeper trains are classic sleeper trains with 4-berth soft sleepers, hard sleepers & restaurant car.

Distances:   Beijing to Xian by sleeper train on the classic route is 1,283 km (801 miles), via the new high-speed route it's 1,198km  (749 miles).

The Terracotta warriors are 40-45 minutes from Xian main station by bus 306 or 307, fare about RMB 7.  Minibuses & taxis are also available.  There are luggage storage facilities (left luggage office) at Xian main station, price RMB 5 per person.

All trains shown here run every day.    Finding & boarding your train     Luggage arrangements

Beijing metro map .    Street map of Beijing showing stations .    Hotels in Beijing .    Hotels in Xian .

$1 = approx RMB 7.0, £1 = approx RMB 8.9.

As of 1 January 2023, children under 6 travel free (just one per adult goes free), all other children under 14 travel for half fare. Those 14 & over pay full fare.  Child discounts only apply to the 'base' part of a sleeper fare, so in sleepers it's closer to a 25% reduction on the total fare.

The sleeper fares shown here are for lower berths.  Upper berths (and middle berths in hard sleeper) are a fraction cheaper.

You can easily tickets online at www.chinahighlights.com or www.trip.com once booking has opened .

For full details of how to buy tickets online or at stations, see the How to buy tickets section above .

What are the high-speed G-trains like ?

Second class is fine if you're on a budget, although it's fairly cramped as seats are arranged 2+3 across the car width.  A middle seat in the row of three isn't much fun!  First class seats are arranged 2+2 across the car width, so are far more spacious and well worth the extra cost.  Superior class seats (also known as Deluxe or Premium) are identical to first class seats, but arranged 2+1 across the car width in the sightseeing area immediately behind the cab at each end of the train, 6 seats in each of the two sightseeing areas.  The glass to the cab is often kept frosted, defeating the object of the sightseeing area, so I'd stick with regular first class.  Some trains have Business class instead of Superior class, and although expensive even by western standards, it's carpeted, spacious and relaxed, with electrically-reclining flat-bed seats and complimentary tray meal.  Wonderful if you can afford it.  See the photos of the Beijing-Shanghai high-speed trains here , as the Beijing-Xian G-trains are similar.

Beijing to Badaling & Great Wall

You can visit the Great Wall at Badaling by train from Beijing, no need for a restrictive tour.  See the Great Wall of China page .

Beijing to Tianjin

High-speed 350 km/h C-category trains (sometimes known as Hexie trains) link Beijing South Station & Tianjin every 10-20 minutes, taking just 30 minutes for the 120 km (75 miles) journey.  Simply use www.chinahighlights.com or www.trip.com to find specific train times.  The fare is around RMB 58 (£6 or $9) for a 2nd class seat, RMB 69 (£7 or $10) in a first class seat.  It's easy enough to buy tickets at the station on the day of travel.

Beijing to Guilin & Nanning

As well as the classic T and Z category sleeper trains from Beijing to Guilin and Nanning, since 2014 there are two Beijing-Guilin-Nanning high-speed trains which do the run in a single day.  So you can choose between a high-speed journey done in a single day or a cheaper classic overnight sleeper train ride, both are genuine Chinese experiences.  The choice is yours.

G421/G422/G529/G530 are G-category high-speed trains using the new high-speed lines, with 2nd, 1st & business class plus buffet car, see the photos of similar Beijing to Shanghai high-speed trains here .

The T & Z trains are classic trains using the classic route, with 4-berth soft sleepers, hard sleepers & restaurant car. 

Train T289/T290 has 2-berth deluxe soft sleepers as well as 4-berth soft sleepers, hard sleepers & restaurant car.

You can check times for this & other routes at www.chinahighlights.com or www.trip.com .  Map of Beijing showing stations

Beijing to Guilin is 2,135km (1,334 miles), Beijing to Nanning is 2,566km (1,603 miles) via the classic route.  Beijing metro map .  .

You can easily tickets online at www.chinahighlights.com or www.trip.com once booking has opened .  For full details of how to buy tickets online or at stations, see the How to buy tickets section above .

Beijing to Kunming

Beijing to Kunming by high-speed train or classic sleeper.  You can travel between Beijing & Kunming either on a classic Z-category sleeper train night-day-night, or on one of the G-category 300km/h (186 mph) high-speed trains which do the entire journey in a single day.  Before you go for the new single-day high-speed option as a knee-jerk reaction, bear in mind that the Z53 classic train still only takes one daytime day out of your schedule, a soft sleeper on the Z53 costs less than a cramped 2nd class seat on a G-train, it gives you more room to spread out, make yourself at home and enjoy the journey across China, and it saves two hotel bills!

G-category high-speed trains have 1st & 2nd class seats, business class seats and a buffet car.  1st class seats are 2+2 across the car width, 2nd class seats are 2+3 across the car width.  Business class seats are arranged 2+1 across the car width and go fully flat.  See the photos in the Beijing-Xian section .

Z-category sleeper trains are classic air-conditioned sleeper trains with 4-berth soft class sleepers, hard sleepers, restaurant car with menu in Chinese and English.  See the photos in the Beijing-Xian section , although there's no deluxe soft sleeper on this route.

Distances:  Beijing to Kunming by sleeper train on the classic route is 3,104 km (1,929 miles), via the new high-speed route it's xxxx km  (xxx miles).

Finding & boarding your train     Luggage arrangements

Beijing metro map .    Map of Beijing showing stations .    Hotels in Beijing .

Beijing to Guangzhou & Shenzhen

By new high-speed train, new high-speed sleeper or classic sleeper.  A new high-speed line opened in December 2012, and 300km/h (186mph) trains now link Beijing West and Guangzhou South in as little as 7h38, on the world's longest high-speed line.  Introduced in January 2015, bullet-nosed high-speed sleeper trains run on Friday to Monday nights, taking a single night to do what the classic trains take a day and night to do.

G-category trains run at 300 km/h (186 mph) with business class, 1st class & 2nd class seats and a buffet car.  1st class seats are 2+2 across the car width, 2nd class seats are 2+3 across the car width.  Business class consists of leather power-reclining seats arranged 1+2 across the car width in a carpeted car.  See the photos of the Beijing to Shanghai G-category high-speed trains here as the Beijing-Guangzhou-Shenzhen G-trains are similar.  You'll also find advice on which class to choose on that page.

D-category trains are high-speed sleeper trains , with 4-berth soft sleepers, 2nd class seats & buffet car, see the photos of the Beijing to Shanghai D-category high-speed sleeper trains here as the Beijing-Guangzhou-Shenzhen G-trains are similar.

Z-category trains are classic sleeper trains with 4-berth soft sleepers, hard class sleepers & restaurant car.

How to buy tickets    Finding & boarding your train     Luggage arrangements    Map of Beijing showing stations

Beijing to Guangzhou via the new high-speed line is 2,298km (1,436 miles).  Beijing to Shenzhen is 2,400km (1,500 miles).

Beijing to Hong Kong

Hong kong to shanghai : , hong kong to guangzhou : , macau : , shanghai to xian.

Option 1, Shanghai to Xian by high-speed train

High-speed trains running at up to 300 km/h (186 mph) link Shanghai Honquiao station with Xian North station, fastest journey 5h40, with some trains taking 7-8 hours. Check times at www.chinahighlights.com/china-trains or www.trip.com .  For sample prices see below.

The trains have business class, 1st class & 2nd class seats and a buffet car.  1st class seats are 2+2 across the car width, 2nd class seats are 2+3 across the car width.  Business class consists of leather power-reclining seats arranged 1+2 across the car width in a carpeted car.  See the photos of the Beijing to Shanghai G-category high-speed trains here as these trains are similar.

Xian North, also known as XianBei , is 10 km north of the city centre on Xian metro line 2.  Shanghai Honqiao station 18 km from central Shanghai near the old airport

Option 2, Shanghai to Xian by time-effective sleeper train

Classic Z-category sleeper trains and high-speed D-category sleeper trains also link Shanghai & Xian.  A sleeper is not only more time-effective, it saves a hotel bill and as these trains use the main stations in the city centres, it can be more convenient, saving taxi costs too.

The high-quality Z-category trains have air-conditioned 4-berth soft sleepers, hard sleepers & restaurant car.

The high-speed D-category sleeper trains have 4-berth soft sleepers, 2nd class seats & restaurant car, see the photos here .

You can check times & fares & availability in English at www.chinahighlights.com/china-trains or www.trip.com .

Shanghai to Guangzhou

Choose between a daytime high-speed train taking as little as 6h48 at up to 300 km/h (186 mph) or a time-effective overnight train.  The sleepers have an additional advantage, the use a main station in the city centre at least at one end of their journey.

G-category high-speed trains use the new high-speed lines, with business class, 1st class, 2nd class & buffet car, see photos of similar Beijing-Shanghai trains here .

Z99 & Z100 are high-quality sleeper trains with soft sleepers, hard sleepers, hard class seats & restaurant car.

T169 & T170 have soft & hard sleepers, hard class seats & restaurant car.

You can easily tickets online at www.chinahighlights.com/china-trains or www.trip.com once booking has opened .  For full details of how to buy tickets online or at stations, see the How to buy tickets section above .

Shanghai to Guilin & Nanning

Choose between a daytime high-speed G-train taking around 11 hours, or a sleeper.

All trains run every day all year round.

The T-category trains have 4-berth soft sleepers, hard sleepers, hard class seats & restaurant car. 

The G-category train is a high-speed train using the new high-speed route opened in 2014.  Business class, 1st & 2nd.  See the photos here .

Trains to Lhasa & Tibet

The first regular passenger trains started running over the new railway to Lhasa in Tibet on 1 July 2006.  The Qinghai-Tibet Railway is the highest in the world, climbing from 2,829m above sea level at Golmud (Geermu) to 3,641m at Lhasa, much of it built on permafrost.  Its highest point is in the Tanggula Pass, at 16,640 feet (just over 5,000m) above sea level.  Because of the lack of oxygen at that altitude, all passenger coaches have extra oxygen pumped into them, and oxygen is available to passengers through tubes if they have problems.  Before the railway was built into Tibet, travellers had to take a train as far as Golmud (which the railway reached in 1984) followed by a gruelling 48 hour bus journey to Lhasa.  Now there are direct air-conditioned trains from Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou & Xian to Lhasa.

Beijing, Xian, Shanghai, Guangzhou to Lhasa by train

Getting a permit for tibet, the journey to lhasa by train, traveller's report s.

Traveller Brett Ackroyd reports:   "I took the train from Lhasa to Beijing. It departed absolutely on time from Lhasa and arrived at Beijing’s West Station on time two nights later. During the first 36 hours or so the buffet car (where I spent most of time) served only buffet for lunch and dinner and a set breakfast menu. It seemed that once the train cleared Tibet in to China things changed and a food menu was provided.  Smoking rules also appeared to relax once the train entered China, a fact backed up by the Lonely Planet’s entry regarding the train.  As far as I could tell oxygen wasn’t pumped in to the carriages, and although there were ports at all seats and beds for an oxygen mask to be attached I never saw a mask itself. I and all other passengers had to sign a health declaration form that before boarding that confirmed we hadn't any heart conditions and related problems!"

Traveller Frances Partridge reports:    "Just completed the 48 hour Lhasa to Beijing train ride. Lhasa station is awesome; very modern, very beautiful; maybe a bit of a showcase? No one seemed to mind my photographing anywhere. We left dead on time. The attendant came to my compartment and gave me the oxygen tube to attach to the outlet in case of need.  Having been in Tibet for a week already, I was fine, just coughing a lot like most Tibetans were.  There were about eight other Westerners on the train, a handful of Tibetans and lots of Chinese people. To be honest, not the most spectacular scenery, compared to crossing Tibet, but what an engineering achievement! The highest railway in the world, much of it constructed on permafrost.  At night the inside of the carriage doors froze hard but the carriages themselves were very warm and comfortable.  Outside we were above the tree line but under the yak line.  Endless moss, frozen rivulets of old ice, yak herds and what I thought were eagles but a Tibetan told me were 'eagle's nephews'.  I booked soft class (for a nice change) but the hard sleeper was almost as good according to my companions down the train.  I had the cabin of four beds to myself all day until late in the evening when an elegant Chinese lady appeared at my door.  She looked appalled to be sharing with a foreign backpacker, especially one who had spread out all over the adjoining bunk, but soon settled in and was civil (in Chinese).  The car attendants were pleasant; the waitresses in the restaurant car were surly with a habit of whipping away the ashtray after one cigarette.  Trying to make them smile was a good, if fruitless, way to spend time.  One morning we arrived for breakfast at 9.30 am to be told that for us, breakfast was over.  Annoying when the car is full of train personnel eating their heads off.  Travel, eh?  The train stopped at stations twice a day so we could stretch our legs and have an unhindered smoke and buy snacks.  I was tempted to jump off at Xian to go see the terracotta warriors but restrained myself, as there's always next year.  We stopped at one station late at night, where it seemed that half the Chinese Army were saying goodbye to the other half.  From the hugging and sobs and photography I assumed they had finished their posting in the Tibet Autonomous Region and were heading home to Beijing.  They were very young boys and girls. On the second day trees appeared outside and farms and cows.  Suddenly I stopped coughing and could breathe much more easily.  Then into the chaos and noise of Beijing.  I am so very glad I took this train - if you get the chance, go for it!"

Traveller Keith Crane reports:    "We had great trouble finding somebody who could book me a ticket independently (we were in Guangdong province - and tried calling Beijing) as all the agents wanted to offer a fully inclusive tour for between 5,000-7,000 Yuan.  Finally we found an agent in Chengdu, www.dreams-travel.com , who could book the ticket and our Tibet pass very efficiently.  They also run the very good Wen Jun Mansion Hotel, a recommendable, cheap place to stay.  Chengdu is also the home of China's Panda research and breeding base so you can see the cuddly black and white creatures close while you wait for your train!  Chinatripadvisor was pretty slow off the mark, not knowing much more than anyone else before bookings opened.  Anyway our combined ticket (soft sleeper and Tibet pass) came to about 1,700 Yuan each in the end and off we went.  Despite reading stories of altitude sickness we suffered none - and if the train was pressurised, we found the toilet windows open throughout the journey.  The soft class accommodation is comfortable - there are western-style toilets - but the catering facilities are limited - a 44 seat dining car for a 15 carriage train! And not enough refrigeration for cold beer!"

International train, bus & ferries

Beijing ► ulan bator (mongolia) ► moscow (russia) ► western europe.

Two weekly trains link Beijing with Moscow, one via Mongolia, one direct into Russia, see the Trans-Siberian page .  From Moscow, daily trains run to Cologne & Amsterdam, with connections for London, see the London to Russia page .

Beijing ► Japan

Ferries link Shanghai several times a week with Kobe and Osaka in Japan.  For ferry connections between China & Japan, see below .

Beijing ► Taiwan

You can travel between China and Taiwan by ferry.  For details see the Taiwan page .

Beijing ► North Korea

For the direct train between Beijing & Pyongyang in North Korea, see the North Korea page .

Beijing ► South Korea

For ferry connections between Beijing & South Korea, see the South Korea page .

Beijing ► Hanoi, Saigon (Vietnam)

There's a comfortable train service from Beijing to Hanoi taking 2 nights and 1 day.  You can also travel from Kunming or Nanning to Hanoi by train.  For train times & fares, for details see the Train travel in Vietnam page .

Hong Kong ► Hanoi, Saigon (Vietnam)

You can travel overland by train & bus from Hong Kong to Hanoi in Vietnam, quite cheaply and comfortably.  You take an intercity train from HK to Guangzhou, the overnight sleeper train from Guangzhou to Nanning, a connecting train to Pinxiang then a bus to the border and on the Hanoi.  For details of how to do this, see the Train travel in Vietnam page .

Beijing ► Lhasa (Tibet) ► Kathmandu  (Nepal)

There's no railway from Tibet through the Himalayas to Nepal, at least not yet, but the Lhasa to Kathmandu journey can be done using various 7-day organised bus tours. 

Weekly Lhasa-Kathmandu bus service?   The internet is full of reports of a Lhasa to Kathmandu bus service starting, then being withdrawn, then starting again.  However, the most reliable information suggests that there is currently NO such bus, as all attempts to keep it going have so far failed.  So if you want to travel from Lhasa to Kathmandu, you'll need to sign up to one of the organised tours, see below.

Organised tours between Tibet & Nepal:   Currently, the only way foreigners are legally permitted to travel between Lhasa & Kathmandu is with an organised tour.  The cheapest tours take 8 days (7 nights) for the 955 km journey and cost about $400.  Try www.heiantreks.com , who normally run Lhasa-Kathmandu overland tours twice a week, www.trekkingtibet.com (recommended by one seat61 correspondent), www.visitnepal.com/getaway  (weekly, $450) or www.richatours.com or do a Google search for other agencies.  In 2005, there were reports of a new twice-weekly bus service from Kathmandu to Lhasa but apparently this service folded soon after it started.  If you have any feedback or recommendations, please email me ! 

For onward travel from Kathmandu to Delhi or Varanasi in India by a combination of bus & train, see the Nepal page .

Beijing ► India

The direct route from China to India is not particularly practical.  Most if not all border crossings are officially closed to foreigners, and you need some serious permits to be in those border regions.  You can, however, go from Beijing to Lhasa in Tibet by train ( see here ), then take regular organised tours from Lhasa to Kathmandu, see the Nepal page .  You can then get by regular scheduled bus and train to Delhi or Varanasi in India, also see the Nepal page .

Beijing ► Bangkok (Thailand), Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) and Singapore

Start by taking the twice-weekly Beijing to Hanoi train, details on the Vietnam page .  You can then either go to Saigon and across Cambodia to Bangkok, then by train to Malaysia and Singapore, or take a 24 hour bus ride from Hanoi to Vientiane in Laos, then by overnight train to Bangkok.  See this interactive route map and click each part of the route you want for details.

Ferries from China to Japan

There were two ferry companies each sailing weekly year-round from Shanghai to either Kobe or Osaka in Japan.  However, in 2021 the Shanghai Ferry Co. ceased trading and sold its vessel to its competitor, www.shinganjin.com .  Feedback if you use this ferry is appreciated!

Japan-China International Ferry Company

The Japan-China International Ferry Company, www.shinganjin.com , sails weekly from Shanghai to Japan, going alternately to Kobe or Osaka.

Important update 2024 :  This ferry has been suspended since the pandemic, but they hope to resume in June 2024 with a new ship.

* Ship sails to Osaka & Kobe alternately, see www.shinganjin.com for fares & schedules, for English, change JP to EN top right.

Fares start at 20,000 Japanese Yen or RMB 1,300 (£140 or $195) one way for a berth in a shared Japanese-style room accommodating 8-15 passengers or 25,000 Yen / RMB 1,600 for a berth in a western-style 4-berth cabin.  There's a 10% discount for students, children 6-11 half fare.  A range of cabins is available on board, with restaurants, cafe, etc.

You can book via their online application form less than 2 months but no less than 7 days before departure at www.shinganjin.com .

Alternatively, for sailings from China, the telephone number for the Shanghai branch is +86 2165 957 988.  There is someone who can speak English and the only information you need to give is your name, date of birth, class of travel and passport number.  They will then make a reservation and you can buy the ticket at the port.  The telephone number for people travelling from Japan to China is +81 3 5489 4800. This is their Tokyo branch, as unfortunately nobody can speak English at their Osaka office.

The following photos show the former Shanghai Ferry Co vessel, now sold to the Japan-China International Ferry Co.

Traveller's reports

Traveller Mark Cundall used the Japan-China International Ferry Company:   "The ship was first class, clean and absolutely no problem.  If anyone wants to get from China to Japan, I'd recommend this company.  One key point is that when you get dropped in Osaka you need a bus to get to the metro, costing 300 yen, although there are no money exchange facilities at the port.  Also, all vending machines on the ship use Japanese yen, although Chinese RMB are accepted in the gift shop, cafe and so on.  So change some money into yen before you board the ship!"

Train travel within Japan

For information about train travel in Japan, see the Japan page .  To check Japanese train times online, see www.hyperdia.com (English button upper left).

Hotels in China

The Beijing Hotel Nuo Forbidden City is one of the oldest hotels in Beijing, built in 1917.  It's location is perfect, it's just a few minutes walk along the main road to Tiananmen Square and the entrance to the Forbidden City, 3 minutes walk from Wanfujing Metro Station.  Service is excellent and the colonial-style rooms spacious.  An excellent and extensive breakfast buffet is served in the modern extension behind the main building.  The hotel was originally Block B of the Beijing Hotel, Block C next door dating from 1954 is now the Beijing Grand Hotel and Block D dating from 1974 retains the name Beijing Hotel and is a state-run hotel.  There's more on the history of this hotel at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beijing_Hotel .  Tip:  The hotel's rooms are both in the original 1917 block and the modern block behind, ask for a room in the original 1917 building.

A cheaper option , still with good reviews and location, try the Pentahotel Beijing .  It's informal, comfortable, and walking distance from Beijing Railway station - although a taxi is better if you've luggage.  There's a bar and noodle bar downstairs.

In Shanghai

The Fairmont Peace Hotel is the place if you want 5-star comfort as well as history & grandeur, it starts at around €190 for a double.  It's right in the centre of the Bund in a building dating from 1929.  As the Cathay Hotel, pre-1949 it was regarded as Shanghai's most prestigious hotel, see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peace_Hotel .

Tours of China by train

Train travel specialists Railbookers offer several tours of China by train, with hotels, tours, train tickets organised for you as a package.  They can also arrange flights if you need them.  Check out their Beijing to Shanghai and China's History & Panda Trail itineraries .

Flights to China

Overland travel around China by train is an essential part of the experience, so once there, don't cheat and fly, stay on the ground!  But if a long-haul flight is unavoidable to reach China in the first place, try Virgin Atlantic who fly direct from London to Beijing, Shanghai or Hong Kong , a sound choice for both price and service.

1)  Check flight prices at Opodo, www.opodo.com

2)  use skyscanner to compare flight prices & routes worldwide across 600 airlines..

3)  Lounge passes

Make the airport experience a little more bearable with a VIP lounge pass, it's not as expensive as you think, see www.loungepass.com

Buy at Amazon.co.uk or Amazon.com

Alternatively, you can download just the chapters you need in .PDF format from the Lonely Planet Website , from around £2.99 or US$4.95 a chapter.

Travel insurance & other tips

Always take out travel insurance.

Never travel overseas without travel insurance from a reliable insurer, with at least £1m or preferably £5m medical cover.  It should also cover cancellation and loss of cash and belongings, up to a sensible limit.  An annual multi-trip policy is usually cheaper than several single-trip policies even for just 2 or 3 trips a year, I have an annual policy with Staysure.co.uk myself.  Here are some suggested insurers.  Seat61 gets a small commission if you buy through these links.

Get an eSIM with mobile data package

Don't rely on WiFi, download an eSIM with a mobile data package for the country you're visiting and stay connected.  Most newer mobile phones can download a virtual SIM card so you don't need to buy a physical SIM, including iPhone 11 & later, see device compatibility list .  Maya.net is a reliable eSIM data retailer with a 4.5 out of 5 Trustpilot rating and a range of packages including unlimited data .

Get a Curve card for foreign travel

Most banks give you a poor exchange rate, then add a foreign transaction fee on top.  A Curve MasterCard means no foreign transaction fees and gives you the mid-market exchange rate, at least up to a certain limit, £500 per month at time of writing.  The money you spend on your Curve card goes straight onto one of your existing debit or credit cards.

How it works:   1. Download the Curve app for iPhone or Android .  2. Enter your details & they'll send you a Curve MasterCard - they send to the UK and most European addresses.  3. Link your existing credit & debit cards to the app, you can link up to two cards with the free version of Curve, I link my normal debit card and my normal credit card.  4. Now use the Curve MasterCard to buy things online or in person or take cash from ATMs, exactly like a normal MasterCard. Curve does the currency conversion and puts the balance in your own currency onto whichever debit or credit card is currently selected in the Curve app.  You can even change your mind about which card it goes onto, within 14 days of the transaction.

I have a Curve Blue card myself, it means I can buy a coffee on a foreign station on a card without being stung by fees and lousy exchange rates, just by tapping the Curve card on their card reader.  The money goes through Curve to my normal debit card and is taken directly from my account (in fact I have the Curve card set up as payment card on Apple Pay on my iPhone, so can double-click my phone, let it do Face ID then tap the reader with the phone - even easier than digging a card out).  I get a little commission if you sign up to Curve, but I recommend it here because I think it's great.  See details, download the app and get a Curve card , they'll give you £5 cashback through that link.

Get a VPN for safe browsing.  W hy you need a VPN

When you're travelling you often use free WiFi in public places which may not be secure.  A VPN encrypts your connection so it's always secure, even on unsecured WiFi.  It also means you can select the geographic location of the IP address you browse with, to get around geoblocking which a surprising number of websites apply.  See VPNs & why you need one explained .  ExpressVPN is a best buy with a 4.7 out of 5 Trustpilot ranking which I use myself - I've signed up as an ExpressVPN affiliate, and if you go with expressvpn.com using the links on this page, you should see a special deal, 3 months free with an annual subscription.  I get a small commission to help support this site.

Carry an Anker powerbank

Tickets, reservations, vaccination records and Interrail or Eurail passes are often held digitally on your mobile phone, so it's vital to keep it charged.  I always carry an Anker powerbank which can recharge my phone several times over if I can't get to a power outlet.  Buy from Amazon.co.uk or from Buy from Amazon.com .

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China Train Tours 2024/2025: Travel China by High-speed Train

Thanks to the wide-ranging high-speed rail network, improved speed and comfort, high-speed train tours have become increasingly popular for tourists to travel around China. At present, tourists can get to most parts of China by high-speed trains, no matter whether they want to visit the top popular cities/destinations, or are planning to reach some remote areas. Compare to flying, traveling by high-speed train is more on time, the prices are usually better, and most importantly, will offer you a memorable experience with changing scenery through the window. And all the high-speed trains in China are comfortable and fully air-conditioned with dining cars and Western-style and squat toilets.

Most Popular China Train Tours

Below are our best-selling train tours, covering China’s popular tourist destinations like Beijing , Xian , Shanghai , Guilin , Chengdu , Mt. Huangshan , and culture-rich destinations like Pingyao , Silk Road , Lhasa , etc. These are all sample tours for your inspiration, and our travel consultants are always happy to help you customize your own China train tours according to your specific likes, budgets, and requirements.

6 Days Beijing – Xian – Shanghai Private Tour by Bullet Train

11 days essence silk road tour from xian to urumqi, 9 days china cultural tour of beijing-datong-pingyao-xi’an, 6 days china tour of beijing and huangshan by high-speed train, 10 days chengdu – xi’an – xining – lhasa private tour, 13 days beijing-xian-chengdu-yangtze river-shanghai tour, 9 days shanghai-suzhou-hangzhou-huangshan tour, 13 days beijing – xian – hangzhou – huangshan – shanghai tour, china high-speed train tours with stunning culture & scenery.

These are the China train tours to culture-rich destinations, which will reward you with a unique cultural experience and beautiful scenery on the way. Feel free to contact our travel consultants if you have your own ideas for the trip.

8 Days Silk Road Bullet Train Tour

13 days silk road adventure tour from xining to kashgar, 6 days shenzhen- guilin tour by high-speed train, 10 days historic china tour of xi’an-pingyao-datong-beijing, 13 days guangzhou-shenzhen-guilin-chengdu-xian-beijing tour, 6 days shanghai-suzhou-xian group tour, 6 days classic xining and lhasa tour by train, 4 days xian-lanzhou-xiahe tour by train, no suitable tour need advice, recommended china tours & related articles, 7 days china private tour of shanghai-hangzhou-huangshan, 12 days essential silk road group tour from xi’an to urumqi, 5 days beijing & xian classic tour, 4 days xian – shanghai tour by high-speed train, 5 days short silk road tour from dunhuang to urumqi, 11 days marco polo tour from beijing to urumqi, 13 days silk road small group tour beijing, xian, dunhuang, turpan, urumqi, shanghai, 7 days beijing xian shanghai group tour by overnight train, 5 days guangzhou-guilin highlights tour, 17 days itinerary of silk road exploration with zhangjiajie, how to choose a train type & seat class in china, destinations, popular tours, travel blog.

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China Train Travel: A How-To Guide

T rain travel in China is best summed up in three words: comfy, convenient, and at times, confusing . At least, that's compared to the country's budget airlines and buses, both of which offer a rickety, hair-rising adventure in itself. If you're happy to fork out a little extra cash and get the China train experience, here's some tips to make the process a little bit smoother!

Train Types

There are a few classes of trains in China, each ranging in seat type, services offered, speed, and overall cleanliness.  Here's a quick run-down of your options:

High-speed Rail

• Modern & clean
• Cover large distances
• Are fast (up to 300km/hr!)
• Non-smoking in entire train (enforced)
• Assigned seating (enforced)

“Regular” trains

• Cheaper than high-speed (often the older version of current high-speed trains)
• Fairly clean
• Non-smoking except between cars

Overnight/ Sleeper Trains

• Provides a “free” night of accommodation
• Fairly comfortable & affordable

China is well serviced by trains, with connections between major cities and even remote locations including Mongolia. Simply search your Point A to B via sites like C-Trip (more on that below), and you'll very likely find a number of trains servicing that route.

How to Buy China Train Tickets

C-Trip  is another user-friendly option that we mostly used throughout our travels in China. The website's English is decent, it has competitive pricing, plus a rewards program that earned us ~$40 USD back which we used on accommodation. Tickets can be bought with credit or Paypal, then pick up at the train station ticket office

You can buy tickets at the train station ticket counters. Take note, the self-service “English” machines won't accept non-Chinese cards, and often aren't fully English anyway, so just approach any of the ticket counters.  It's helpful to have the name of your destination in Chinese in case of potential language barriers. As always in China,  bring your passport . 

You could also buy train tickets from a travel agency (they are abundant in China), simply ask your hotel or Tourist Information Centre.

Train Classes

Once you look to buy tickets, you'll notice there's several classes to choose from, indicated by letters. Here's what those letters mean:

• C, D & G trains : China's best high-speed trains. They're modern, air-conditioned, and most run at 200-300km/hr. Most overnight D-trains are older versions of the high-speed train.
• Z trains : now second best, these were previously China's greatest quality high-speed sleeper trains. Fairly modern with air conditioning.
• T trains : these are the next best after Z trains. Much older models but still functional.
• K trains : these aren't as quick as high-speed trains but are still “fast”, and as such are higher-priced.

Overnight Sleeper Train Types: A Comparison

Upon booking an overnight train, you'll notice  there are several seat options. Here's a quick breakdown of what each entails.

Hard Sleeper

• Cheapest ticket type (and despite the name, isn't actually hard)
• Has thinner sleeping mattresses than the “soft” ones
• Shared compartment/room without doors
• 6 bunks per compartment

Soft Sleeper

• Cheaper ticket type
• Thicker sleeping mattresses
• Shared  compartment/room without doors
• 4 bunks per compartment

Private Rooms

• Priciest ticket type
• 2 bunk compartment
• Some have a private toilet (which sells out FAST)

We've taken all of China's train types – overnight, regular, and high-speed. We were pleasantly surprised by the overnight train experience in the “hard” sleeper class (see above photo). It was quieter and cleaner than expected, and felt like sleeping in a hostel dorm. Some points worth noting:

• There are no seats  (besides your bed), except for 2 tiny hard seats per aisle for the 6 bunks (see photo at end of article). If you're lucky enough to have the bottom bunk (which is the only one tall enough to sit upright in), it also has its own mini table.
• There isn't anywhere to lock your belongings but there is a shelf where everyone puts their bags. Theft seems to not be a concern, but we did sleep with our valuables (phone etc) in our beds to be safe.
• There are no doors to the compartments,  but there are curtains on the windows.
• Lights are turned off automatically at 10PM & people generally are quiet after this time
• The bottom bunk has the most space (you can actually sit up in it), whereas the top two above it you cannot sit upright

China's trains mostly have squat toilets, but are fairly clean with a washing station outside the bathroom. Be sure to bring toilet paper & soap or sanitizer (as you should everywhere in China!).

Some overnight trains have a restaurant car, it depends on the class. Snack carts regularly go by with overpriced food, snacks and bottled drinks. No coffee though except instant on high-speed trains, at a hefty 40 RMB/cup (~$6 USD!).

Nearly all Chinese trains have free water dispensers  that dispense hot water only . So if instant coffee, tea, or instant noodles are your thing, bring 'em along!

Note : free bottles of mineral water  are offered at train stations for certain train classes. Simply show your ticket and see if you’re eligible (or if you speak Chinese, just ask!).

Reading Your Train Ticket

Seat61  has made this great translation picture to help you decipher your ticket. That being said, even without this you'll still be able to ask staff to help you figure your seat and platform out.

Avoiding Headaches & Mishaps

• Give lots of buffer time for train ticket pick-up/boarding – Chinese train stations are HUGE .
• Always bring your passport.
• Check ticket availability online in advance to avoid disappointment. Tickets can sell out in high season (July/Aug).
• All train stations in China involve a security check . Yep, even public subway stations, too. Give yourself LOTS of buffer time to put your bags through x-ray machines, possibly be patted down and maybe have your bags pried through – much like airport security. If you're carrying bottled drinks, you'll be asked to drink them to prove they don't contain harmful contents.
• Eat before boarding & pack snacks. Food is quite inflated on Chinese trains, so it pays to pack food if you can. Convenience/grocery stores have pre-made sandwiches, noodle boxes, or salads. Most train stations have noodle restaurants inside if you want to eat pre-boarding.
• Pack headphones and/or ear plugs . You'll likely need it to block out the movies people watch without headphones and general noisy conversation (though our overnight experience was surprisingly tranquil).
• Bring layers of clothing . You never know if a train will be overly air-conditioned or stiflingly hot. I always wear loose layers for long rides, with easy options to add on if I’m too cold.

And there you have it, (just about) everything you need to know for train travel in China. Having done China's long-distance buses and budget airlines, I'd definitely say train travel is our preference. If you've got a long trip, have the extra pocket cash, or are low on travel sanity, the trains are absolutely worth it.

Questions, comments or info to add? Don't be shy, ask away!

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Why Travel by Train in China?

Fast & affordable.

China high speed train runs from 200km/hr to 350km/hr at reasonable price. It takes only 4.5 hours by the fastest train from Beijing to Shanghai for the 1318 km journey.

Punctuate and Reliable

Chinese trains are punctuate. They are less affected by weather and environment comparing to internal flights and buses.

Safe & Comfortable

Chinese trains are a safe, comfortable way to travel around China. Each train has its own police. People are traveling under real-name policy.

Cheap Price and Hassle-free Service

We offer the hassle-free service to book china train ticket online. you can search the time table and ticket availability at our website and book online. we accept visa, mastercard and paypal. the e-ticket will be sent to you by email and then you can redeem at railway station's counter., search train.

search time table and ticket availability online

we accept VISA, MasterCard, AMEX and PayPal

Receive E-ticket

Receive E-ticket by email and check in with passport

How to book China Train Ticket Online?

Frequently asked questions.

Yes, of course you can. We accept booking request from all over the world. Thanks to the internet technology, our customers grows rapidly.

We accept online booking at least 24 hours in advance.  The trains in China mainland open for sale 15 days before the earliest. You are advised to pre-book the tickets as early as you can and we will proceed to purchase the tickets as soon as the trains open for sale.

The e-ticket is booked under your full name and passport number. You need to provide your name in full which exactly identical to your passport.

The valid names accepted by the ticketing system is Last Name + First Name + Middle Name as appeared in the MRZ (machine reading zone) at the bottom of your passport identity page.

We accept VISA, MasterCard, AMEX and PayPal online. For customers who do not have credit card or PayPal. we accept bank transfer upon your request.

Once your tickets are issued, the e-tickets will be sent to you by email. You can use your passport to check in at the railway station without any paper ticket. China Railway does not provide paper tickets anymore.

Not really. Once we have received your payment, we will proceed to do real-name verification and purchase the tickets as soon as the train opens for sale. In case the tickets are not available, we will inform you by email and you can change to another train or cancel and get a refund. Based on our statistics, approximately 95% of paid booking have been able to get the tickets successfully.

Besides the ticket fare, we charge the service fee and transaction fee. The service fee varies depending on different ticket price. You can see the fee during the booking process.

The e-ticket will be sent by email and no shipment required.

No, sorry. Tickets are not reserved before payment.

China Railway has adopted the e-ticketing system and do not provide paper tickets at all.

Please request cancellation online at our My Bookings or contact us by email. For urgent cancellation, please call us. Please read Terms and Conditions before initiating a cancellation request.

15 days before the earliest. Sometimes it is 3 to 5 days before in the event of railway timetable adjustment.

The seats are assigned by computer and no human intervene is allowed. Generally the seats are next to each other, but they might be separated if there are not many seats left.

From January 1, 2023, For children boarding with adults, child discount tickets shall be booked for those over 6 years old and under 14 years old; full-price tickets shall be booked for those over 14 years old. Each adult passenger with a paid ticket, may board together with a child under the age of 6 bearing a free child ticket with no reserved seat. Only one child may board with a free child ticket together with each adult passenger, other children shall board with a discount child ticket.

We can try for you but it is not 100% guaranteed as the seats are assigned by computer and based on seat availability.

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Plan Your Travel with China Railway Lines: China Train Map, China Bullet Train Map

April 18, 2024

About China Train Map

Source: Wikipedia

China railway network is extremely extensive and reaches all parts of the country, including remote and mountainous regions. As of 2020, the total operational length of China's railway network is approximately 146,300 kilometers , making it the second-longest railway network in the world, surpassed only by the United States.

China has also developed one of the world's most extensive high-speed rail (HSR) networks. As of 2020, the total length of China's high-speed railway lines is about 37,900 kilometers , accounting for about two-thirds of the world's total high-speed rail tracks. The high-speed rail system has significantly reduced travel times between major cities in China, with trains reaching speeds of up to 350 kilometers per hour.

Moreover, China aims to increase the total length of the high-speed railway to 70,000 kilometers by 2035, covering more than 90% of the population.

Visitors can check the above China train map for more accurate information.

Top China High Speed Train Routes

Popular china railway routes: china train map.

China boasts one of the most extensive and advanced railway networks in the world, with high-speed trains (known as Gāotiě) connecting major cities across the vast country. Here are some of the most popular China railway routes, destinations, and related China train maps:

1. Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed Railway(京沪高速铁路)

Connecting the capital city of Beijing with Shanghai, China's largest city, this high-speed rail line is one of the most frequented routes in the country. The journey covers a distance of about 1,433 kilometers and can be completed in as little as 4.5 hours, reaching speeds of up to 350 km/h. Along the way, passengers can stop at major cities such as Tianjin, Jinan, and Nanjing.

Source: from Wikipedia

2. Beijing-Guangzhou High-Speed Railway(京广高速铁路)

Spanning over 2,230 kilometers, this route links the northern capital of Beijing with the southern city of Guangzhou. It is one of the longest high-speed rail lines in the world and passes through several important cities, including Shijiazhuang, Wuhan, and Changsha. The journey can take around 8 hours, which is a significant reduction from the 20+ hours it would take by conventional train.

3. Shanghai-Kunming High-Speed Railway(沪昆高速铁路)

This route connects Shanghai on the east coast with Kunming in the southwest, traversing a distance of over 2,258 kilometers. The line passes through several provinces and offers access to scenic destinations such as Hangzhou, Nanchang, Changsha, Guiyang, and the beautiful landscapes of Yunnan province. The entire trip takes approximately 11 hours.

4. Beijing-Harbin High-Speed Railway(京哈高速铁路)

Linking Beijing with Harbin, the capital of Heilongjiang province in northeastern China, this high-speed rail line extends for about 1,700 kilometers. Known for its ice festivals, Harbin is a popular winter destination. The train passes through cities like Chengde, famous for its summer resort and imperial gardens, and Shenyang, an important industrial center.

5. Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link(广深港高速铁路)

This relatively short but very important route connects the major cities of Guangzhou and Shenzhen with Hong Kong, facilitating easy cross-border travel. The entire journey from Guangzhou to Hong Kong can be completed in under an hour. This line provides a crucial link for business and tourism between mainland China and Hong Kong.

6. Chengdu-Chongqing High-Speed Railway(成渝高速铁路)

This route serves the economic corridor between Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province, and Chongqing, a major city in Southwest China. The journey covers around 307 kilometers and can be completed in just over an hour, making it an excellent option for business travelers and tourists exploring the region's spicy cuisine and stunning landscapes.

7. Xi'an-Chengdu High-Speed Railway(西成高速铁路)

This line connects Xi'an, home to the famous Terracotta Army, with Chengdu, known for its panda sanctuaries and Sichuan cuisine. The journey covers about 510 kilometers and takes approximately 3 to 4 hours, passing through the Qinling Mountains, which offer a picturesque backdrop for travelers.

8. Hangzhou-Huangshan High-Speed Railway(杭黄高速铁路)

For those interested in natural beauty and ancient villages, the Hangzhou-Huangshan route is a must. It connects the city of Hangzhou, renowned for its historic West Lake, with Huangshan, where the Yellow Mountains (Huangshan) are located. The trip takes about 3 hours and provides access to some of China's most breathtaking landscapes and UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

China Train Lines

Conventional China Train Lines

China high speed train lines.

• Beijing–Shanghai High-Speed Railway (Jinghu High-Speed Railway)
• Beijing–Guangzhou High-Speed Railway (Jingguang High-Speed Railway)
• Shanghai–Kunming High-Speed Railway (Hukun High-Speed Railway)
• Hangzhou–Fuzhou–Shenzhen High-Speed Railway
• Harbin–Dalian High-Speed Railway
• Beijing–Harbin High-Speed Railway (Jingha High-Speed Railway)
• Beijing–Hong Kong (Taipei) High-Speed Railway
• Hefei–Fuzhou High-Speed Railway
• Xiamen–Shenzhen High-Speed Railway
• Guiyang–Guangzhou High-Speed Railway
• Zhengzhou–Xi'an High-Speed Railway
• Xi'an–Chengdu High-Speed Railway
• Nanjing–Hangzhou High-Speed Railway
• Shanghai–Nanjing High-Speed Railway
• Tianjin–Qinhuangdao High-Speed Railway
• Shijiazhuang–Jinan High-Speed Railway
• Changsha–Kunming High-Speed Railway
• Lanzhou–Xinjiang High-Speed Railway

International China Railway Lines

Source: from Wikipedia/China–Pakistan railway map

• China–Nepal railway
• China–Pakistan railway
• China–Laos railway
• China–North Korea railway
• Yiwu–London railway line
• Chongqing–Xinjiang–Europe Railway
• Yiwu–Madrid railway line
• Trans–Mongolian Railway

Plan your China Railway Travel with Trip.com Now!

Faqs about china train map, can i purchase china train tickets online, how can i use the china train map to plan my trip, does the china train map include high-speed rail lines, are all train stations shown on the china train map.

China Train Map Guide

• 1. About China Train Map
• 2. Top China High Speed Train Routes
• 3. Popular China Railway Routes: China Train Map
• 4. China Train Lines
• 5. Plan your China Railway Travel with Trip.com Now!
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China’s Punishment for People With Bad Debts: No Fast Trains or Nice Hotels

F OSHAN, China—Qin Huangsheng once imagined a better life in the city when she left her home village to become a factory worker at age 16.

Now, in her early 40s, she has $40,000 in personal debt and a base salary of $400 a month. Debt collectors are hounding her. She is blocked from buying tickets on China’s high-speed rail, just one of the penalties the government is increasingly imposing on people who don’t pay their bills.

On the aging slow trains she is left to ride, Qin sometimes looks at the other passengers and thinks: “I wonder if they’re all bad debtors like me.”

People across China are being weighed down by their debts and a system that penalizes them for not paying the money back. Beijing is cracking down on delinquent debtors by seizing their salaries or restricting them from getting government jobs, as well as curbing their access to high-speed trains and air travel. Many are forbidden from buying expensive insurance policies and told they aren’t allowed to go on vacation or stay in nice hotels. Authorities can detain them if they don’t comply.

The number of people on a publicly available government delinquency blacklist has jumped by nearly 50% since late 2019 to 8.3 million today. Courts can put people on the blacklist when they don’t fulfill judgments against them to pay money back or are deemed to be not cooperating with legal proceedings.

Unlike in the U.S., China doesn’t allow most people—including those who had a run of bad luck—to declare bankruptcy to write off bad debts and move on with their lives, a policy some Chinese scholars are criticizing as unfair.

Household debt has surged by 50% in the past five years to around $11 trillion today. While that is lower than the $17.5 trillion Americans owe, it is a huge sum in a country where people earn far less.

With home prices falling, deflation risks becoming entrenched and unemployment a persistent challenge, Chinese leaders are eager to get people spending more. But each additional dollar going to pay for debt is taking away one that could be used to splurge on new clothes or pay for a vacation. The threat of punishment for falling behind on debt is making many families more conservative with their money.

Retail sales of consumer goods in China rose 4.7% on year in the first quarter, the government said Tuesday, lagging behind total economic growth of 5.3%. As many in China curtail spending, the government is giving priority to turbocharging manufacturing and exports, a strategy that is exacerbating trade tensions with the West.

With so many Chinese consumers under financial pressure, Western companies including Apple, Estée Lauder and General Motors have reported weaker sales in China.

Chinese officials didn’t respond to questions about the blacklisting system. The government has said previously it only seeks to target those who have the ability to repay their debts but refuse to do so.

Behind China’s personal-debt surge

China’s long housing boom was a significant cause of the rise in personal debts, because many people had to borrow more to afford homes. Some buyers took on extra debt to buy more properties for investment purposes, sometimes letting them sit empty. Now that the boom is over and prices are falling, many are stuck with debts they can’t handle.

The number of foreclosed homes listed for sale rose 43% in 2023 to roughly 400,000 properties, according to real-estate research firm China Index Academy.

The increase in personal debts is also partly a result of more people using credit cards or tapping personal credit lines to handle expenses as the economy stagnates.

Many economists say a U.S.-style financial crisis is unlikely in China soon. State control of the banking system means the government can absorb losses and inject capital in an emergency. Household debts have also largely plateaued over the past two years, as many people give priority to using extra cash to pay down liabilities rather than shopping or investing in stocks.

Still, the prevalence of large personal debts is a problem for China’s leadership.

“Household debt booms tend to lead to bad macroeconomic outcomes, even in the absence of a financial crisis,” said Amir Sufi, a University of Chicago economist. China has no simple fix. “Once the cycle starts, it’s usually one in which it’s painful, long and difficult to predict when it will end,” Sufi said.

A tough system for borrowers

China has tried for years to lift personal spending to ease its economy’s traditional reliance on infrastructure and real-estate growth. Its banks issued tens of millions of new credit cards each year, with outstanding balances jumping 50% between 2018 and 2023 to well over $1 trillion. Private technology apps such as Alipay and WeChat also started helping consumers secure loans as their digital payment systems soared in popularity.

But when debts go unpaid, a person’s income can be seized by the state to cover their liabilities, leaving debtors with a small allowance to scrape by.

A 38-year-old man petitioned courts in the southern city of Guangzhou to raise his monthly allowance to 12,000 yuan, equivalent to around $1,600, from 9,500 yuan to help pay for a newborn child. Judges denied his request late last year, and instead concluded that his allowance should be cut by nearly 40% because he was already getting too much, court records show.

A black market has emerged to serve people on the blacklist. In one case, Shanghai authorities busted a ring of scalpers who were booking high-speed rail tickets on behalf of debtors who were barred from doing so themselves. In early 2021, authorities tracked down a debtor who had been using the service and took him into custody, according to a local court.

The current system gives priority to protecting creditors—often powerful, state-owned institutions—at the expense of helping struggling individuals. Scholars who study the issue say China urgently needs a nationwide personal-bankruptcy system to achieve leader Xi Jinping’s goal of making the country more equitable, by forcing creditors and debtors to share the costs of soured loans.

“A personal-bankruptcy system is a mechanism for the redistribution of wealth,” Li Shuguang, a scholar who has advised the government on bankruptcy policy, wrote in a Chinese magazine commentary online last summer.

Movement on the issue has been stymied in part by opponents who believe such a system would only encourage more people to shirk their debts.

One woman’s saga

For Qin, the former factory worker, easy access to credit backfired badly.

As a 16-year-old in 1999, Qin boarded an overnight bus from her home in rural southern China to the grimy manufacturing hub of Dongguan, north of Hong Kong.

Her parents, who are farmers, couldn’t afford a payment of less than $15 needed for her to take a high-school entrance exam. She vowed to make it on her own, and found work in factories producing slippers and golden jewelry.

A few years later, Qin secured her first credit card. With it, she bought a computer to teach herself to type so she could land a better job.

When the bill was paid, Qin said she tried to cancel the card. “Keep it for an emergency,” the bank clerk told her.

Qin’s career flourished and she eventually moved to the metropolis of Guangzhou. By 2010, she said, she was managing bidding for a company that supplied fire-safety equipment to real-estate projects. Her nest egg steadily grew from the lucrative commissions she earned in the property boom.

When the property sector slowed, she jumped industries. An acquaintance had been involved in a startup that was developing software to help small-business owners collect WeChat data to generate more foot traffic and aid marketing efforts.

Qin said she invested the equivalent of around $150,000 of her savings into the venture.

The startup burned through her initial investment as it tried to get the software up and running. Qin said she then agreed to start putting some of its expenses, including office supplies, rent and employee salaries, on her credit cards, and to tap personal credit lines she had obtained via WeChat and Alipay.

A roadshow by the company was warmly received, she said. But its prospects dimmed after the Covid pandemic hit.

The company’s struggles left Qin with the equivalent of tens of thousands of dollars of debt. Phone calls from debt collectors have become a daily occurrence.

With no option of bankruptcy, Qin concluded that a new job was her only way out of trouble.

“As long as I’m still living and have a life, I can work hard to earn the money back,” she said.

That path has faced unexpected difficulties. In 2021, while preparing for a business trip to Shanghai, more than 700 miles northeast of Guangzhou, Qin realized that she had lost her access to high-speed rail, where a government I.D. is required to buy a ticket. She took the slow train—and later quit that job in part because the travel restrictions were making it impossible.

Local officials didn’t respond to questions about Qin’s case and The Wall Street Journal wasn’t able to verify some details of her account.

Today, Qin is working in a shop in Foshan, south of Guangzhou, selling traditional Chinese medicines. With a base salary of about $400 a month, she has found it tough to put a dent in her debts, but said she has managed to pay back two of her credit cards so far, with about $40,000 still to go.

Qin is trying to stay optimistic, hoping that medicine will be in high demand as China’s population ages, opening the door to bonuses and potentially even running her own shop. Still, she has had to get creative to earn the cash to pay her debts.

Her current role requires Qin to collect payments from customers using a digital wallet on WeChat. But she said that function on her account has been frozen several times since 2022, leaving Qin to seek help from her family.

She decided not to tell her parents about the full scale of her troubles, however.

If they knew the truth, Qin said, they “wouldn’t be able to sleep.”

Grace Zhu and Zhao Yueling contributed to this article.

Write to Brian Spegele at [email protected]

• Travel Updates

China brutally mocked over new train station design

The design of a proposed train station in China has gone global for all the wrong reasons.

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The design of a proposed train station in China is supposed to take inspiration from a flower but people on social media can’t see anything but a sanitary pad.

And for that reason, a rendered image of the proposed North Nanjing station has gone global.

Authorities have reportedly claimed the inspiration for the design was the plum blossom, which is a beloved flower.

Nanjing hosted a festival in February and March dedicated to them.

On Chinese social media platforms, the topic has generated millions of views, according to British public service broadcaster BBC.

“This is a giant sanitary pad. It’s embarrassing to say it looks like a plum blossom,” one person was quoted to say on Weibo.

“Why can we all tell it is a sanitary pad immediately, but the architects can’t?” another user wrote.

Foreign social media users have been left just as shocked.

“It’s another ‘were there any women in the room when this was being designed?’ things,” wrote one woman, attracting thousands of likes on Instagram.

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Another popular comment agreed: “This is what happens when there are no women in the room.”

“Did they not notice that plum blossoms have five petals?” one comment asked with almost 2000 likes in support.

The design was approved by the government of Jiangsu province and China State Railway Group, according to state-owned media.

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Elektrostal to Ho Chi Minh City by train

Travel from Elektrostal (Russia) to Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam) by train (7667km): schedule and information to the train connection. Compare fares and buy your ticket.

The train connection Elektrostal (Russia) - Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam) runs via China. Please read the following travel information and blog posts.

Your travel route could be like that.

1 Elektrostal (Russia) - Beijing (China) - Hanoi (Vietnam) - Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam)

The following links could be interesting for you.

train connections : popular connections travelled by other users

The route consist of more than one step. You have to buy several train tickets.

1a Travelling from Elektrostal (Russia) to Beijing (China)

To travel from Russia to China by train, use the direct train connections by the Trans-Siberian Railway. Buy your train ticket via one of the following booking links. There find as well the exact train schedules and ticket prices. You will need additional train tickets in Russia and China to connect to the international train. These are also available via the given booking links. A journey from Moscow to Beijing takes about five days and tickets are available from 500 EUR. The route is served by Russian railways RZD and Chinese railways.

1b Travelling from Beijing (China) to Hanoi (Vietnam)

If you want to travel from China to Vietnam by train, you have daily train connections. There are two main travel routes available. The first travel route is from Beijing, Guilin, Nanning (China) to Hanoi (Vietnam). There are two direct trains per week from Beijing (China) to Hanoi (Vietnam). There are every day connections from Nanning (China) to Hanoi (Vietnam). If you travel on a date were no direct train runs from Beijing to Hanoi, first travel by the daily overnight train from Beijing to Nanning, then by the daily overnight train from Nanning to Hanoi. The second travel route is from Kunming (China) to Hanoi (Vietnam) with change and border crossing at Hekou (China) and Lào Cai (Vietnam). The train in China coming from Kunming ends at the station Hekou North (China). Journey time 5 hours. There you take a bus or taxi to the border (10 minutes). Walk over the border. And again by bus or taxi (10 minutes) to the station of Lào Cai (Vietnam). From there continue to Hanoi by direct train. How to buy tickets: - buy train tickets from China to Vietnam at Chinahighlights. For the city of Hanoi fill in Gia Lam, Hanoi !!! Direct train: Beijing - Gia Lam, Hanoi. Connection with change: Beijing - Nanning and Nanning - Gia Lam, Hanoi. - buy train tickets inside of Vietnam are available via 12goasia. For example: Lào Cai - Hanoi.

Where to buy a ticket from Beijing to Hanoi?

Our recommendation! Buy your train ticket or bus ticket at 12go. Compare ticket prices from different companies on this travel connection.

Buy the train ticket at a railway station. Note: in some countries you have to pay a service fee at the ticket counter. The ticket can be purchased at a station in the country of departure, also sometimes in other countries.

train company: CNR 中国铁路总公司 / VIET Đường Sắt Việt Nam

train connections: popular connections travelled by other users Hanoi - Beijing / Guilin - Hanoi / Nanning - Hanoi / Shanghai - Hanoi / Wuhan - Hanoi / Kunming - Hanoi / Chengdu - Hanoi / Guangzhou - Hanoi / Shijiazhuang - Hanoi / Beijing - Ho Chi Minh City

1c Travelling from Hanoi (Vietnam) to Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam)

Travel from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City by overnight train. The journey time is 32 to 37 hours. Train ticket fares start from 25 EUR. There are up to 6 train connections daily. The trains of Vietnamese railways offer the following service classes: - 3rd class, hard wooden seats - 2nd class, soft seats with air-condition - 2nd class, sleeper with 6 berths per compartment, with air-condition - 1st class, sleeper with 4 berths per compartment, with air-condition On some trains luxury train wagons are attached. For example "Violette Express" and others which offer 4-berth and 2-berth compartments. The train numbers are as follows with departure time in Hanoi, arrival time in Ho Chi Minh City and the total journey time: - SE1 / 22:20 / 05:45 / 31:25 - SE3 / 19:25 / 04:38 / 33:13 - SE5 / 08:50 / 18:55 / 34:05 - SE7 / 06:00 / 16:30 / 34:30 - SE9 / 14:25 / 03:25 / 37:00 - SE11 / 08:00 / 21:05 / 37:05 We recommend to travel one of the most scenic parts of this rail journey between Huế and Đà Nẵng on day light (SE1, SE3). You get to this section of the travel route 13 hours after departure in Hanoi. Sit on the left in direction of travel to have the best view. If you travel as tourist, it makes sense to include some stops for example in Huế, Đà Nẵng and Hội An. Find the exact train schedules and buy your ticket via the given booking links.

Where to buy a ticket from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City?

train connections: popular connections travelled by other users Ho Chi Minh City - Hanoi

A Train Journey in North-Vietnam

Need a cheap place to sleep we recommend booking.com, find a cheap flight compare prices on kiwi.com.

Do you have questions about the connection between Elektrostal and Ho Chi Minh City? Does something not work as it should? Just ask in our forum and get competent answers from our rail travel experts.

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Moscow Metro

The Moscow Metro Tour is included in most guided tours’ itineraries. Opened in 1935, under Stalin’s regime, the metro was not only meant to solve transport problems, but also was hailed as “a people’s palace”. Every station you will see during your Moscow metro tour looks like a palace room. There are bright paintings, mosaics, stained glass, bronze statues… Our Moscow metro tour includes the most impressive stations best architects and designers worked at - Ploshchad Revolutsii, Mayakovskaya, Komsomolskaya, Kievskaya, Novoslobodskaya and some others.

What is the kremlin in russia?

The guide will not only help you navigate the metro, but will also provide you with fascinating background tales for the images you see and a history of each station.

And there some stories to be told during the Moscow metro tour! The deepest station - Park Pobedy - is 84 metres under the ground with the world longest escalator of 140 meters. Parts of the so-called Metro-2, a secret strategic system of underground tunnels, was used for its construction.

During the Second World War the metro itself became a strategic asset: it was turned into the city's biggest bomb-shelter and one of the stations even became a library. 217 children were born here in 1941-1942! The metro is the most effective means of transport in the capital.

There are almost 200 stations 196 at the moment and trains run every 90 seconds! The guide of your Moscow metro tour can explain to you how to buy tickets and find your way if you plan to get around by yourself.

• China railway launches charter tour train service to Russia's Vladivostok

SHENYANG, April 17 (Xinhua) -- A charter tour train taking 300 Chinese tourists departed on Tuesday from a north China city for Russia's Vladivostok on a seven-day tour.

This was the first of such train service this year operated by China Railway Shenyang Bureau Group Co., Ltd., headquartered in Shenyang, capital of northeast China's Liaoning Province.

The charter tour train departed from Shanhaiguan Railway Station in Qinhuangdao City, Hebei Province. The trip's itinerary winds through Yanji and Hunchun cities in northeast China's Jilin Province before going across the border for a visa-free travel in Vladivostok, Russia.

The railway company has planned to open three charter tour train service to Vietnam, Laos and Russia, respectively, to boost visa-free travel. Enditem

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Vacations, planes, and high-speed trains are off limits if you're in too much debt in China

• China is punishing citizens who can't repay their debts by cutting off access to social services.
• So-called deadbeat debtors are blacklisted, facing travel restrictions and government jobs.
• The blacklist is similar to the country's "social credit" system that punishes undesirable behavior.

China wants its citizens to repay their debts — and it is willing to punish those who don't.

That means that delinquent debtors are restricted from accessing some services in the country, like high-speed trains and air travel. Some, according to a Wall Street Journal report , are forbidden from government jobs and denied pricier insurance policies, vacations, and even nice hotels.

Outstanding debtors are placed on a government delinquency blacklist . Informally, these people are referred to as "laolai" — roughly translated, "deadbeat debtors." And the number of names on the list is about 8.3 million, according to the Journal — a jump of nearly 50% since 2019 .

It's not just formal restrictions they face; some phone companies in China have gone as far as assigning special ringtones to debtors to warn other people that they are talking to someone on the brink of insolvency.

However, procedures for personal insolvency in China are few and far between. Unlike most other countries, China doesn't allow most people to write off their debts with bankruptcy, per the Journal.

Instead, the Chinese government can take steps like seizing a debtor's income as restitution, leaving them with a small allowance so they can cover living expenses.

That isn't always enough, though, as one man found when he petitioned to raise his monthly income allowance to help pay for a newborn child. Rather than approving the increase to 12,000 yuan, or approximately $1,600, the Journal reported that the court cut his allowance by nearly 40%. 

In China, a country that traditionally values saving, some consider borrowing money to be taboo . That's backed by a 2021 study, which noted that in Chinese society, "many still view bankruptcy as a vehicle for feckless shirkers to escape their debts."

That's left many debtors feeling trapped by the system, which can make it increasingly difficult for them to pay off seemingly insurmountable liabilities.

China's debtor blacklist is technically separate from its " social credit system ," but both have similar functions — namely, tracking individual behavior and rewarding or punishing people for it.

The system, which is not yet fully implemented, has penalized citizens for everything from social media posts to jaywalking . The worst offenders may face trouble getting loans and travel restrictions — similar to the experience of blacklisted debtors.

The Chinese economy has slumped after exiting the pandemic . Researchers have warned of a "debt-deflation spiral" that could make the situation for Chinese households even worse.

Watch: Thousands of demonstrators erupt in rare protests against COVID-19 restrictions across China

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