TRAIN AND FLIGHTS IN CHINA
Replies: 10 - Last Post: Jan 8, 2013 11:27 AM Last Post By: JPDeM
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TRAIN AND FLIGHTS IN CHINA
HI FELLOW TRAVELERS,IF ANYONE CAN HELP ME,
I WANT TO KNOW THE PRICE ,OF A FLIGHT FROM BEIJING TO SHANGHAI ,AND HOW EASY IS IT TO BOOK,
AND HOW MUCH IS THE TRAIN FROM SHANGHAI TO BEIJING,SHOULD I BOOK IT HERE,OR IN CHINA?
AND HOW SAFE DO YOU THINK THE WEBSITES,FOR PAYING WITH A CARD?ESPECIALY HOTELS?
IM FROM THE UK,AND ANYONE IN CHINA ,9-15 JANUARY 2013,SHANGHAI ,BEIJING,AND FANCY MEETING,
CHEERS,
DAVE,
1
For flights you can use China's largest online travel agent (probably one of the largest in the world): ctrip.com Other good ones also include elong.net and travelzen.comPrices are usually about the same for all 3 but I prefer travelzen as they do not have a 3% surcharge for foreign credit cards. No problem using your credit card on these websites or with hotels.
There is a high speed train between Beijing and Shanghai doing the journey in about 5 hours. cost is 555RMB. There are dozens of trains every day. You can wait until you get there to buy the tickets. Not much price difference with flying but more relaxed. You can check schedules on http://www.cnvol.com/
2
For info about trains, you could take a look here. You should confirm the schedule in other web (e.g.: this web) though.For flights from Beijing to Shanghai, you could take a look at China Spring Airlines.
3
There are plenty of flights between Beijing & Shanghai daily. The price for flight can be cheaper than train, cost ~£25 to 100, I would take the flight as it saves time too. Those website listed above are the good ones. I recommend english.ctrip.com. Credit card payment is very safe. Book early you will get better deal for both tickets & hotel.4
The bullet train from Beijing to Shanghai is under 5 hours and about 555 yuan. A flight is 2 hours and considerably more than that plus you see nothing from the air cf the train.http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-06-13/beijing-shanghai-bullet-train-tickets-to-cost-from-555-yuan-1-.html
6
The domestic airport, the bullet train terminus, and the long distance bus coach station are all within 7 mins walk of each other at Shanghai Hongqiao which is in western Shanghai. Some domestic flights might go to Pudong, the international terminal. It's easy to detrain at Shanghai Hongqiao, & walk to the bus station, and there is English signposting. There are buses into central Shanghai & the Bund area. The metro trains in Shanghai are truly awful with stampeding crowds in peak hour. Plus you don't want to be dragging luggage up & down huge flights of stairs if the lifts are out, hard to find, or even non existent.10
Yes flying is cheaper but that assumes that the flight is on time. Those bullet trains are nearly always on time. Plus the security and check-in process is much quicker as is getting off the train (with your luggage in hand already). Pretty much a toss-up but more space in the train and you can talk on the phone and (sometimes) get internet access, and don't need to turn off your iPad if you are playing some game or whatever.
