Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
packed. Traffic is also really bad in big cities in China so don't be in a rush—you're not going anywhere
quickly.
Major cities in China have underground metro systems. Wuhan has a limited light rail system in Haikou
(at the time of writing, Wuhan is building a subway system), as does Tianjin. Chongqing benefits from a
monorail. The price of a typical subway ticket is less than $1 USD, depending on distance; in Hong Kong it
is between 60 cents USD and about $3 USD, also depending on the distance.
Trains
Although crowded, trains are the best way to travel in China as they are fast and comfortable. At any given
time over 10 million people are traveling by rail.
Moreover, China has been upgrading their very old trains to modern ones similar to those in Europe
or Japan. The new fleet is cleaner and has air-conditioning. The Z class express trains (such as the train
between Beijing and Shanghai) are on par with European high-speed train standards and oftentimes have
meal service and power outlets.
According to expat Joel Ward, who has lived in China for many years, “The high-speed rail system in
China is comfortable, fast and efficient. For mid-range journeys within China, they're often faster than fly-
ing after you account for the much quicker processes of check-in and security (not to mention flight delays).”
Ticket prices are calculated according to distance traveled and, on some longer routes, by the class you
are in. Third-class hard seats are the cheapest and therefore most packed as those tickets are the only ones
most Chinese can afford (while the train may seem cheap to us, for many Chinese it's anything but). In this
class, you'll get a ticket with an assigned seat number. If seats are sold out, you can opt for a standing ticket,
which will at least get you on the train.
On a high-speed train, the ticket from Beijing to Shanghai is around $81 USD for second class, around
$138 USD for first class, and around $267 USD for a VIP seat. For the longer, full-day train, a second-class
seat is around $66 USD and a first-class seat is around $80 USD. On the popular Shanghai to Xi'an route,
tickets for a hard sleeper are $49 USD, soft sleeper is between $77 USD and $122 USD.
On short express journeys (such as Beijing to Tianjin) some trains have soft-seat carriages. These trains
have comfortable seats arranged two abreast. Soft seats cost about the same as a hard sleeper and carriages
are often double-decker.
Sleeper cars are doorless compartments with bunks on three levels and come with sheets, pillows, and
blankets. Lower bunks are less expensive than top bunks and lights and speakers go out at around 10 p.m.
To get a ticket for this class, you will need to purchase a few days in advance. They are usually sold out by
the departure day.
Joel issues a word of caution, though. “The top bunk is generally the furthest removed from the noise
and activity on the ground, which is why it's more expensive. However, on some of the older trains the
space between the top bunk and the roof is nearly nonexistent. Even when you're laying down, there's barely
enough space to lift a book above your head to read.”
The top level of service is a soft sleeper carriage. They consist of four very comfortable bunks in a closed
compartment, with lace curtains, teacups, clean washrooms, carpets, and air-conditioning. They cost about
double the price of hard sleeper bunks.
Some large stations have special ticket offices for foreigners; otherwise there is always someone around
with basic English skills. It should also be noted that foreigners need to present their passport when buying
tickets.
