Help! How do you get from Shanghai to Xian
Dec 27th, 2007, 03:46 PM
#1
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Help! How do you get from Shanghai to Xian
My son is going to be studying in Shanghai for the semester. I am going to join him for 10 days at the end of May. I want to go to Xian. What is the best way to get there? Are there options?
I have never been to China so I am really just starting my research.
Thanks
Gail
I have never been to China so I am really just starting my research.
Thanks
Gail
Dec 27th, 2007, 04:27 PM
#2
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I took an overnight train from Shanghai to Xi'an this past November. There wasn't the deluxe soft sleeper option, so I was in the soft sleeper car with two male strangers, and my brother. The train was comfortable, and not difficult to navigate. However, if I was a solo female I would probably fly.
Dec 27th, 2007, 08:12 PM
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I would fly. It's your fastest option and it's inexpensive. You can see the prices at elong.com (which is partners with Expedia) and if you check various dates you can see how the prices change. Sometimes there are discounts of 70%. My recollection is if you look for the same flights on Expedia they'll be much more expensive. I most often get tickets for internal China flights from a Chinese travel agency. Every time I've purchased airline tickets from a Chinese travel agency, including elong, I've received PAPER tickets. It used to be that a license or something was required to issue eTickets in China.
You didn't ask but... My parents like Clarence Guo's tour to the Terracotta Warriors and Cave Dwellings. See taxitour.com. They didn't stay at the Bell Tower hotel but they wished they had due to location and they met people who paid like $60 for the penthouse that had a 360 degree view. That's less than they paid for HoJo right outside the walls. We liked renting bikes on the city wall and riding up there for a bit. Note that if you stop at Herbal Medicine market or the like you'll definitely be told you have something wrong and they have just the right (expensive) herb to cure it. I'd get the free diagnosis for fun but wouldn't buy the medicine for it. I think my parents also were taken for a "free" massage somewhere and were pressured for tips. Oh, tipping is not common in China. Sometimes people will spot an American and try to make them feel they should leave a tip cuz they could get lucky and pocket something, but you never have to leave a separate tip anywhere. "Service charge" will be included in the bill if they're required such as at many restaurants of 5-star hotels. People earn much less here but cost of living is also very low. For example, I can get Chinese breakfast on the street in Shanghai's French Concession for less than 20 cents US. I do NOT recommend you get food from street vendors though. Just an example to take into consideration when you're negotiating to buy things.
You didn't ask but... My parents like Clarence Guo's tour to the Terracotta Warriors and Cave Dwellings. See taxitour.com. They didn't stay at the Bell Tower hotel but they wished they had due to location and they met people who paid like $60 for the penthouse that had a 360 degree view. That's less than they paid for HoJo right outside the walls. We liked renting bikes on the city wall and riding up there for a bit. Note that if you stop at Herbal Medicine market or the like you'll definitely be told you have something wrong and they have just the right (expensive) herb to cure it. I'd get the free diagnosis for fun but wouldn't buy the medicine for it. I think my parents also were taken for a "free" massage somewhere and were pressured for tips. Oh, tipping is not common in China. Sometimes people will spot an American and try to make them feel they should leave a tip cuz they could get lucky and pocket something, but you never have to leave a separate tip anywhere. "Service charge" will be included in the bill if they're required such as at many restaurants of 5-star hotels. People earn much less here but cost of living is also very low. For example, I can get Chinese breakfast on the street in Shanghai's French Concession for less than 20 cents US. I do NOT recommend you get food from street vendors though. Just an example to take into consideration when you're negotiating to buy things.
Dec 27th, 2007, 08:15 PM
#4
I'm a solo female traveler, and I've been quite happy riding Chinese trains in soft sleeper. I look forward to sharing with locals, and soft sleeper in China is very comfortable. Last time I took a train to Xi'an (from Suzhou, surely started in Shanghai) I found I was sharing a compartment with the president of Xi'an university and his wife.
Dec 28th, 2007, 06:30 AM
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Stormy...save time and maybe money, remove the anxiety and....fly!
This past spring we made all of our flight reservations via W.A.C.T.S Chicago office...our hard tix were delivered to our hotel in Beijing when we arrived a few weeks later.
They averaged about $110 per person per flight (BJ to Xian, Xian to Gulin, Guilin to Shanghai)...they also arranged tix for our Shanghai to Tokyo flight for $200 per person.
Flights were all on time, comfortable, clean and gracious attendants. Mostly Airbus 319's and 320's.
Ask for Kay, and call,708-409-1244.
I would wait until March and Kay will probably tell you to wait until three weeks before you leave the states. One caveat...it's close to Olympic time, all internal flights may be more crowded than usual. There were plenty of empty seats on our flights.
Stu T.
This past spring we made all of our flight reservations via W.A.C.T.S Chicago office...our hard tix were delivered to our hotel in Beijing when we arrived a few weeks later.
They averaged about $110 per person per flight (BJ to Xian, Xian to Gulin, Guilin to Shanghai)...they also arranged tix for our Shanghai to Tokyo flight for $200 per person.
Flights were all on time, comfortable, clean and gracious attendants. Mostly Airbus 319's and 320's.
Ask for Kay, and call,708-409-1244.
I would wait until March and Kay will probably tell you to wait until three weeks before you leave the states. One caveat...it's close to Olympic time, all internal flights may be more crowded than usual. There were plenty of empty seats on our flights.
Stu T.
Dec 28th, 2007, 08:32 AM
#8
Of course, if you take the train, you'll wind up IN Xi'an, just a short, cheap taxi ride from your hotel. I don't understand this preference for planes over trains, especially since planes produce more pollution, which is already disastrously bad in China.
Dec 29th, 2007, 06:39 AM
#10
According to seat61.com/China.htm (highly recommended site) the train currently leaves Shanghai at 16:19 and arrives in Xi'an at 9:03. In my experience trains in China may actually leave a few minutes early (!), as boarding is closed five minutes or so before the scheduled departure. You wait in the waiting room (separate ones for hard and soft sleeper), and are only allowed onto the platform when the train is ready for boarding.
Dec 29th, 2007, 07:34 AM
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I took the overnight from Beijing to Shanghai (did not visit Xian) and would highly recommend the train experience. If you have a generous budget you can even buy both berths in the luxury sleeper; this of course costs much more but to me it was worth it for the knowledge that I would get a good night's sleep. Even if you don't sleep all that well, the trains are a fabulous experience.. I was traveling alone and was kind of nervous but I found lots of help from interested bystanders and from the train staff as well.
One tip: Bring your own tea-filled thermos or some kind of cup for drinks. (I had a bottle of duty-free vodka but had a hard time getting something to drink it in!!!) And bring your own food; you won't starve on the train but I thought the train food was fairly poor.
One tip: Bring your own tea-filled thermos or some kind of cup for drinks. (I had a bottle of duty-free vodka but had a hard time getting something to drink it in!!!) And bring your own food; you won't starve on the train but I thought the train food was fairly poor.
Dec 29th, 2007, 08:03 AM
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I also took the train between Beijing and Shanghai, only in the soft sleeper berth, not the deluxe soft sleeper as EK did. The train itself between Beijing and Shanghai was newer, smoother and quieter than the one between Shanghai and Xi'an.
I would take the Beijing/Shanghai run again. I would probably try to fly the Shanghai/Xi'an leg though. I did not sleep at all that night, just because the train was so loud, even with earplugs. One advantage to the train though, was arriving in Xi'an at 8 am we simply took the city bus from the train station to the Terracotta Warriors. We left our luggage at the train station and picked it up when it was time to check in to the hotel.
I would take the Beijing/Shanghai run again. I would probably try to fly the Shanghai/Xi'an leg though. I did not sleep at all that night, just because the train was so loud, even with earplugs. One advantage to the train though, was arriving in Xi'an at 8 am we simply took the city bus from the train station to the Terracotta Warriors. We left our luggage at the train station and picked it up when it was time to check in to the hotel.
Dec 29th, 2007, 02:39 PM
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Stormy...Xian airport is a handsome new one, and cabs are lined up...about $15 to town. (We stayed at the Hyatt). However, if you want to spend 17 hours on the train, that's a choice you have to make.
We love trains, and although we usually drive in Europe, the times we have "trained" have been pleasurable. BUT I'm sure that 17 hours would turn both wife and me off.
Stu T.
P.S. The [popularly recommended Clarence Guo mentioned by Nagiffag above was a "no show" even after we had booked him six weeks in advance. Just didn't show at the airport and didn't call us at the hotel where he knew we were staying, until 11 that night (!),with some lame excuse and no apology.
In the meantime, that afternoon, we had hired a taxi through the concierge at the Hyatt, and a lovely young lady driver drove us to the warriors, waited two hours for us, took us to the caves and walked us through, then took us back to the hotel all for $60 !!
(By the way, I was amazed at the commercially incredible "Disneylandesque" changes at the warrior location since I was last there in '84)
We love trains, and although we usually drive in Europe, the times we have "trained" have been pleasurable. BUT I'm sure that 17 hours would turn both wife and me off.
Stu T.
P.S. The [popularly recommended Clarence Guo mentioned by Nagiffag above was a "no show" even after we had booked him six weeks in advance. Just didn't show at the airport and didn't call us at the hotel where he knew we were staying, until 11 that night (!),with some lame excuse and no apology.
In the meantime, that afternoon, we had hired a taxi through the concierge at the Hyatt, and a lovely young lady driver drove us to the warriors, waited two hours for us, took us to the caves and walked us through, then took us back to the hotel all for $60 !!
(By the way, I was amazed at the commercially incredible "Disneylandesque" changes at the warrior location since I was last there in '84)
Dec 29th, 2007, 02:54 PM
#14
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WOW! this is so helpful. Thanks everyone. Either way will be an adventure!. I only am going to spend about 10 days since I am going to Tanzania in October for 3 weeks. Vacation time does run out eventually. I think I might fly and save time. However, the train does sound like fun. We love traveling by train and have done a lot of it in Europe.
Gail
Gail
Dec 30th, 2007, 12:20 AM
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We flew Beijing-Xian and took the train Xian-Shanghai.
The train was a fun experience, but I found it very overwhelming. We were the only westerners. And we are a family of 4, so we had the soft sleeper compartment to ourselves.
If I was you and travelling alone, unless I was dying for the train experience, I would definitely fly.
The train was a fun experience, but I found it very overwhelming. We were the only westerners. And we are a family of 4, so we had the soft sleeper compartment to ourselves.
If I was you and travelling alone, unless I was dying for the train experience, I would definitely fly.
Dec 30th, 2007, 12:24 AM
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Stu T. - oh no, I just read that Clarence was a no-show for you. I'm so sorry. That was very inconsiderate and must have been horrible for you. I'm glad you were able to make other arrangements... travelgirl2
Jan 1st, 2008, 07:23 AM
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Hi TG2:
Happy to hear from you! Thank you for your kind words, but as you can see we rebounded from his error of omission very nicely. Didn't miss a stroke...hope all is well with you, your DH amd DS 1 and DS2...feel like we got to know them well! Happy Travels...where to?
Stu T.
Happy to hear from you! Thank you for your kind words, but as you can see we rebounded from his error of omission very nicely. Didn't miss a stroke...hope all is well with you, your DH amd DS 1 and DS2...feel like we got to know them well! Happy Travels...where to?
Stu T.
Jan 3rd, 2008, 06:11 AM
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omg Tower that's terrible that Clarence was a no show for you! My parents found him super interesting and loved the tour. It's good to know and I'll try to remember your experience if I ever am tempted to recommend his service again.
