how to buy train tickets to beijing in shanghai

Replies: 13 - Last Post: 29-Oct-2007 03:17 Last Post By: ellyse

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len16

27-Oct-2007 08:23
Posts: 121

how to buy train tickets to beijing in shanghai

I'm going to Shanghai in January 2008 and I'm planning to visit Beijing by train. Do you know how I can buy train tickets in advance since it seems not advisable to get the tickets from the station itself?

vixtersmixter

27-Oct-2007 13:54
Posts: 13

Hi

I spent 3 weeks in China in september and traveled on 3 different overnight trains to get around. It is a fab way to travel! But yes the stations can be a little manic and you might need to go somewhere else to find a ticket office so ordering tickets is the easiest way. Some hotels will get tickets for you but I used China trip advisor to book my trains b4 I left the UK and they delivered the tickets to my hotels in China at exactly the time I specified. In fact I found it to be a brilliant service!!!
here is the website details...
http://www.chinatripadvisor.com

also found out lots of info about trains in China from this website. Info is pretty acurate!......
http://www.seat61.com/China.htm

Hope that helps,

Harry_Mudd

27-Oct-2007 17:38
Posts: 4,087

Quote
not advisable to get the tickets from the station itself?

Why not?

You walk up to the ticket counter and buy it. If that's too easy, go to the foreigner desk and buy it there.

It is only just before and during the national holidays that buying a ticket will be difficult.

now, get the classes right. It's a 14 hour or so trip, so if it is the night one, then get a soft or hard sleeper. A soft sitter is ok, but the beds are better.

"A person without a sense of humor is like a wagon without springs. It's jolted by every pebble on the road" - Henry Ward Beecher

len16

28-Oct-2007 00:46
Posts: 121

to #1 - Thanks so much for the tips. I already checked chinatripadvisor.com but their tickets are way lot more expensive although i might give it a shot.

to #2 - I read too many travel forums i guess and all they say is how difficult it is to buy tickets in the railway station. Yes, it's going to be an almost 12 hour trip so i'm betting on the soft sleeper.

to both of you guys, thanks for the info.

ChrisWilliams

28-Oct-2007 03:25
Posts: 710

Agree with #2

Your first time at the ticket window determines whether you are going to cringe, or to muddle your way through.
Most times there are helpful people nearby.
It pays to have some key information written down before you fron the window - where to, when.

Have a go

: )

len16

28-Oct-2007 04:03
Posts: 121

Guess what Chris? My flight will be arriving at 11:45PM of January 19 and I'm thinking of taking the night train to Beijing on the 20th. Will buy soft sleeper ticket the same day I will leave for Beijing? Am I crazy to think I can do this or what? I've read there's a certain John here on TT who can get the ticket for me for a reasonable fee. How do I talk to this guy?

bmta

28-Oct-2007 04:34
Posts: 8,941

if you have any brains, the ultimate answer is of course that NOOne will know for sure.
BUT; I saw (and booked myself tickets at the very helpful and perfect english -speaking special foreigners counter in the ADVANCE hall= to the LEFT across the square if you EXIT ShHai main station (there is now also a gaint new sattion south) last yr, and saw the giant screen there that shows which trains are full etc. on the SAME day (a sat) there were like 6 Z-class trains (all luxury overnite soft sleep) to BJ, of which at least 4 still had emtpies... cost around 500/550 CNY (may have gone up since, of course). If you cannot manage that, forget China alltogether. OR mail the people at the hostel you pla to stay if theyre willing to help - and for what price.

so you believe anything - on the news? on TV? in your guidebook? on this forum? good luck then - you'll need it!

len16

28-Oct-2007 08:33
Posts: 121

Hi, everyone. Thanks for all your help. I just might pass on Beijing this time due to time constraint. It gives me another reason to visit China again after my Shanghai trip. I have decided to see the water towns near Shanghai instead of Beijing.

wanderer9020

28-Oct-2007 10:22
Posts: 610

how about saving more for a shanghai-beijing roundtrip airfare, then you dont need to wait for cebu pacific to service beijing in the future, and offer a crazy 1 peso one way fare.If time constraint is the problem , flying is the solution not the sleeper train...

...to go or not to go, therefore I go..

ellyse

28-Oct-2007 19:26
Posts: 8,932

#5: I believe that the John you're talking about is the one who's in Xi'an. Wrong city, won't be able to help you out.
#8: That's an open-jaw not round-trip. And overnight sleeper train saves you much more time and money than flying. I'm tired of writing an essay about the reasons so I won't bother now.
Cheers!

FireArm

29-Oct-2007 02:34
Posts: 30,299

Isn't there a train ticket office not to far from the bund? I'm sure I bought a ticket to Beijing there once.

"Hang your chemistry and electricity! If you want to make a pile of money, invent something that will enable those Europeans to cut each other's throats with greater facility."

ellyse

29-Oct-2007 02:41
Posts: 8,932

I think someone told me there's one near the Hiker IYH, but I'm not sure.
Cheers!

len16

29-Oct-2007 03:13
Posts: 121

#9 I checked out John's website and yeah, he's in Xi'an. i perfectly understand why an overnight sleeper train is better than flying after reading almost every post on TT.

will be going to Hangzhuo instead.

ellyse

29-Oct-2007 03:17
Posts: 8,932

Well done! :) Good decision made, I say.
Cheers!

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