Crowds at Beijing West station
Questions about train travel drive a relatively large portion of this site’s traffic, according to Google Analytics, and a recent perusal of search terms suggests that the topic deserves another look.
My guide to train travel in China is a good place to start for answers to your basic questions. Look there for answers to:
- How do you buy train tickets in China?
- What is the difference between hard and soft sleeper?
- What does my ticket mean?
- How do you board a train in China?
Below, I’ve answered a few more recent inquiries about comfort, luggage, middle-of-the-night arrivals, and buying tickets on board:
Is it comfortable? This is a tough question, since comfort depends so much on expectations. I personally find that hard and soft sleeper in China compare favorably to overnight trains that I’ve taken in both Europe and Asia. They are consistently clean, smoking is banned inside the sleeper compartments, and music is no longer played at loud volumes throughout the train car (at least, not always). Soft seat, which is the only option on many of the high-speed trains between coastal cities (such as Beijing-Tianjin or Shanghai-Nanjing), is usually incredibly comfortable and modern. Hard seat is another situation entirely, however. The cars are often crowded with people in the aisles, and people with standing tickets occasionally try to squeeze onto the ends of already-small benches. For short journeys it’s uncomfortable but a good way to meet locals; overnight, you shouldn’t count on getting more than an hour or two of sleep. Safety is also a bigger issue in hard sleeper compartments simply because they are so much more crowded. Keep a close eye on your bags.
Can you buy tickets from the conductor on board? I do not believe you can get on the train without some sort of ticket, but it is sometimes possible to get an upgrade on board. For instance, if you have a seat and want a berth, the conductor may be able to sell you a sleeper ticket if someone else with a ticket doesn’t show up or if a berth is empty for part of your journey. As soon as you get on the train, find a conductor and explain that you want to “bu piao” (补票). If an upgrade is available, you will have to pay the difference in price with your original ticket. If no upgrade is available, your name should be put on a waiting list in case anything opens up later in the trip.
Will the train conductor wake me up? If your train gets in in the middle of the night, the train conductor will always wake you up to return your ticket. But that wake-up call might come 45 minutes before the train actually arrives at your station. I usually set an alarm for 5 minutes before the actual stop, just in case I doze off.
What about my luggage? There are luggage racks in all the compartments, usually over the seat. In sleeper trains, relatively small bags can also fit underneath the lower berth. On a sleeper train, you’ll probably have no problem finding a place to put your bag. There is more competition for the luggage racks in hard seat compartments, so stowing a big suitcase might be a bit of a problem. Try to get on board as quickly as possible to have the best chance of finding a secure place for your bag. The train stations have many steps and few elevators or escalators, so a backpack is a better option than a wheely bag.
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