Hi all,
my friend and I plan on visiting Xi'an on our trip to China and to know the best way to get there. The Z19 overnight train or a direct flight both have postive and negative attributes. Does anyone have a preference?

I prefer trains - more environmentally friendly, and more opportunities to mingle with locals who aren't employed in the tourist industry. And possibly more opportunities to enjoy the countryside, depending on the time the train runs.

There's another advantage to the train, albeit rather different to thursdaysd's logic.

Unlike airports railway stations are usually in city centres near where you are likely to be/want to get to. On an overnight train you travel while you're asleep.

Both these mean that trains may let you make more effective use of your time.

Another recommendation for the overnight train--and remember, it's one less hotel night to pay for!

My trip report including that train ride is here:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34656568 but there's not a whole lot about the train; it was simple, comfortable, and easy.

The train no contest! But don't expect to be able to buy a ticket the day before. It's a popular route! Things may have changed, but this was the one train for which I was unable to buy a ticket myself at the station. Just didn't meet that all important helper I guess! Had to use an agent at the hotel in the end.

Have fun.

I'm also wondering whether to go by train or plane. I haven't taken an overnight train for years as I was unable to sleep because of the noise & movement but I know that trains are much more quiter & smoother now is this the same in China?

I just took the Beijing > Xian train last week (and Xian to Shanghai 3 days ago) and I can tell you it is without a doubt the best way to travel hands down.

It was so smooth, that I had to open my eyes to tell if we were moving sometimes. I missed my train to Xian which I was worried about since I had to get my ticket the day before (moved my plans back one day since I couldnt get a soft sleeper same day) and had to wait for a hard sleeper on the next train (about an hour later). The hard sleeper was such an expierence!

I would almost say that the hard sleeper on that train was better then the soft sleepers in Vietnam and the Chinese train up to Mongolia! The only thing I didnt like is being stared at when I sleep. I dont mind it when I walk around (I'm white, 6'2" 320lbs) but it got to be a bit much to wake up to people staring at me just the same as when I tried to go to sleep, hahaha.

Another benifit is (at least for me was) the train station in Beijing was in town (unlike the airport) and the train station in Xian was on the north part of town (very east to navigate).

- Shaun in Shanghai

Definitely the train.

If you and your friend can climb a bit, then get the two upper bunks in the 4-bunk soft sleeper. More privacy up there. No one to stare at you while you snore away.

Bring your own food and bottled water, some TP, some reading material and you're all set.

Overnight train Beijing to Xian is an easy ride.

Can anyone tell me the best/most economical way to buy the train ticket? Did you buy online, an agent, hotel, station? I am taking a Beijing/Xian/Shanghai trip. Also, is it better to go B/X/S or B/S/X? Thanks!

We took the Z19 Beijing-Xian train last summer, and I booked it through China Trip Advisor before leaving on our trip (www.chinatripadvisor.com). The tickets were waiting for us when we got to our hotel, and we had no problems with them.

Having said that, I'm fairly sure that buying them this way was not the most economical. Travelers who have purchased them in China and posted how much they paid for them paid less than what I did. But I don't think what I paid was out of line for being able to book them before the trip, and have them delivered to our hotel (which is part of China Trip Advisor's standard service). That convenience and peace of mind, knowing this was done before we even started our trip, was worth it to me, but it wouldn't be so for everyone.

As far as the train itself, it was one of my favorite parts of our trip. We had the two-bunk soft sleeper with private bathroom, and it was fine for us. However, we only had small carry-on luggage with us, and I couldn't imagine trying to take a large, hard-sided suitcase on. (A man in front of me was doing this, and he was having trouble getting down the narrow corridor to his compartment. When he got there and tried to bring the suitcase in, it barely fit through the door. I don't know where you would put that and still have room to turn around, for either yourself or your roommate.)

While I found the ride to be smooth for the most part, I was glad I remembered my earplugs. I'm a light sleeper, and I wouldn't have been able to sleep without them because of the noise from the tracks. But waking up to the countryside and the sun rising over a mountain top more than made up for that small inconvenience.