> Does anyone know if the new schedules have been released yet and if not, when will this likely happen?

October 2009. On sale in paperback form in Chinese only and in China and with no guarantee they won't change in between printings (or even that they'll get it right in the first place--the thing is usually littered with errors even if you can find your way through it, which not even many Chinese can). If you have any Chinese there's an unreliably updated website you can check, but no other authoritative on-line sources.

The first glimmers in English will probably be a translation by Duncan Peattie, who provides a summary of key trains reorganised into a sensible timetable format and translated, as well as selling an almost complete translation. It usually takes him a while after new timetables come out to complete the update. See:

http://www.chinatt.org/

> Can I safely wait until arrival in Shanghai to book (about 3-4 days in advance of desired departure date?)

It's a bit hit-or-miss with trains on this route. Booking further ahead than that would be better. If you're booking a hotel ahead try to get the hotel to make the arrangement for you before your arrival, assuming the fee charged for this is reasonable. But be warned that English-language on-line booking services for rail tickets in China add surcharges of as much as 80%.

Peter N-H

Yes, it has both Deluxe Soft Sleeper (2 in a room) and regular Soft Sleeper (4 in a room). Deluxe is almost never sold out, and neither is regular Soft Sleeper. Except during major holidays.

Many thanks to you both. The trip will likely be on or close to 21 March, Sunday, and I am not aware of any holidays during that week. Please correct me if I am, unfortunately, wrong.

Incidentally, anyone with a slightly deeper interest in China's railways and wanting materials in English should acquire the China Railway Atlas published by Quail Map Company. A new edition was published last year on a larger scale with maps of all the Chinese lines (plus Mongolia and Taiwan), All the Chinese lines are here plus maps of junctions, and quite a nice visual way of showing just how little of China is enclosed in the limited horizons of standard tourism, and how easy it is to get off the beaten (railway) track. Most of China falls into this category.

http://www.quailmapcompany.free-online.co.uk/

Peter

Cool, Peter. I see they have Korea as well.

Excellent, Peter. Thank you.

Now that October is here, it is time to revisit this question:

Does anyone (Peter; Rkkwan) know if the March 2010 schedule for the direct Shanghai-Hong Kong train has been announced, or posted online?

The schedule is for July to December 2009 for now.

This really is easy enough to calculate, and no timetable is need. Trains run to the same schedule year-round (public holidays only cause the addition of services and the system never shuts down, nor runs a different schedule on a Sunday, and all but a tiny number of trains run daily, year-in and year-out), and whether the Shanghai to Hong Kong train runs on even or odd dates is simply a matter of whether there are an even or odd number of days in the month. It runs every other day, year-round.

If there are an odd number of days in the current month, then the service will switch from odd to even or even to odd the next month, and if the number of days in the current month is even than the schedule will stay the same, whether odd or even, the next month.

December's service is even dates. December has 31 days so January's service will be...

even.

January has 31 days so February's service will be...

odd.

February has 28 days, so March's service will be...

odd.

So unless there's a sudden, unheard-of, complete revision of the entire system schedule (other than a system-wide small increase in speed, which happens occasionally but doesn't affect this question), the train from Shanghai to Hong Kong will run on March 1, 3, 5, and so on.

But to repeat, this may help with your planning, but any booking you attempt to make will not actually be made by any third-party agent until tickets become available a few days before the date of travel. Booking a long way ahead does not increase your chances of obtaining a ticket in the (very unlikely) event there should be high demand in March 2010.

Peter N-H

Blah. Apologies. Duh. Etc.

Don't do this not long after waking up and while eating breakfast. Initial mistake leads to error throughout.

December: even, 31 days, so...
January: odd, 31 days, so...
February: even, 28 days, so...
March: even.

Alternatively just take a calendar, put your finger on Dec 30, and choose every other day until you reach March.

I think I'll take a nap.

Peter

Peter I don't want to wake you so I will just leave a note: Thank You!! And you, too, Rkkwan.

I am not planning to buy the tickets; I just want to know the dates when I begin looking for hotels in Shanghai...

Dear Peter: I hope you have had a good sleep!

Peter and/or Rkkwan: Are the schedules out yet?

Can I now rest assured that the direct Shanghai to Hong Kong train will depart Shanghai on EVEN dates next March? I do apologize for all of this pestering..many thanks to both of you for your help.

A little Googling goes a long way:

http://www.it3.mtr.com.hk/B2C/UserPage/sysTimeTable_Eng.asp

All the 2010 schedules are there.

And, note, exactly as forecast, the March dates are even. The published timetable, as mentioned, is not needed.

You are a tremendous help here. Thank you!

Thank you. Would you happen to have on hand the prices for the luxury soft sleeper two-person compartment on this train?

The MTR site has the fare:

http://www.it3.mtr.com.hk/B2C/UserPage/sysFareTable_Eng.asp

It should be the same or about the same for HK->Shanghai and Shanghai->Hong Kong. HK$1,039, with discounts on some dates.

Rkkwan and Peter: I am flummoxed! The schedules tell me that the T99 train departs on EVEN days in March of this year. The concierge in my Shanghai hotel insists that he has checked with the local ticket office and that there are no trains to Hong Kong on 22 March (our preferred date of departure) and that the trains are leaving Shanghai on ODD dates in that month.

Is there any way to settle this definitively?

MAny thanks!

I know you are all sitting on the edge of your seats awaiting further word from me, so I will comply. After a flurry of e-mails back and forth to personages occupying various positions at the hotel, it has been confirmed that the train is running, in fact, on EVEN dates in March. I told them that several days ago!