How to Go on China Train Trip II

While CRH “G” trains are technically capable of going 380 km/hr, they are currently limited to 250 km/hr and less for energy conservation and safety reasons. Sleeping car service is not provided. A normal “fast train” trip from Beijing to Shanghai (you can have 72-Hour visa free travel to Beijing and Shanghai) used to take 12 hours. The CRH can take less than 5 hours on this 1318 km route.
The following discussion relates to the normal China Railways trains
Train Tickets –There are various ways to buy train tickets in China although it is not easy for a tourist.

Tickets usually go on sale 20 days prior to departures via the official centralized website: 12306.cn This website is only in Chinese and requires a Chinese bank-issued card to pay. Tickets now have the name and id card number on the ticket (passport number for foreigners). This was put in place to eliminate scalpers. If you have someone buy tickets for you, you will need to provide them with your exact name and passport number (as with plane tickets). They will also need a copy of your passport if you wish to have the tickets delivered to you. When tickets are bought on-line, you are given a confirmation number which you need to bring along with your passport at the train station to pick up the paper ticket. You can do so just before your departure.

If you are worried about obtaining a ticket there are ticketing of China tour agents that can procure your tickets but you will be paying a premium price and it is more expensive than obtaining your own. Such premium can be quite high. Look at the various prices on seat61.com/China.htm As with the advice they give on other train travel around the world, the seat 61 website is not affiliated with commercial agencies and give excellent advice on how to buy tickets & what to expect with train travel in China . Another option is to have your hotel purchase the tickets for you in advance as soon as they go on sale. Some hotel concierges/travel desks are willing to do this, but others decline to, since you are not there in person with your credit card. Tickets are good only for the name and passport number printed on them.

Some agents will deliver the tickets to your hotel. Those cost more and require advance payments. Remember that no ticket agent can guarantee anyone a seat before tickets go on sale. Read all the fine print, every word of it. Many times these agents are selling their product on an "if available basis," speculation on busy routes that they can get to the ticket window before others.. Also, you may not get confirmation (or rejection) until other transportation alternatives are sold out or at a much higher last-minute price for your last minute China travel deals.
Scam/deception alert: Some on-line ticket agents show schedules of only the trains for which they choose to sell tickets and get their fees. For example, some may not even show the famous G "bullet trains" between Shanghai and Beijing as for sale, and then warn you in flashy red color that other ticket agents show trains for which there are no tickets! Do your own research.
If you do opt to buy your own tickets at the station, plan to be there early as you will have to wait in lines – and you may find your train sold out. Major stations in bigger cities will have an English-speaking ticket agent (with a sign designating such). Most stations will not. Don’t rely on your pronunciation of the destination city - you may want to go to Nanning and end up in Nanjing. Have your destination city written out in Chinese to be sure you get the correct tickets. Your hotel will do this for you, or you could print out this information prior to your China tours.