I would like to book a week long trip to beijing from Hong Kong using 2 deluxe sleepers.

It appears on the varying web sites that the Deluxe sleeper cannot be booked on the Beijing to Hong Kong leg until you arrive in the mainland.

Does anyone have any experience or suggestions as to the dilemna?

Thanks
Ken

Anyone who has made this trip who has any comments to make would also be greatly appreciated,

Can't give you direct info i'm afraid but you could try the site

seat61.com

it's a very good resource for international train travel including the beijing-HK route

My parents took the HK-Beijing on Deluxe Soft Sleeper a couple years ago. They like it so much that on their recent trip to Shanghai, they did the same. No complains at all. Lavatories at either end of car, and since there are only 18 people on each car (I believe), it's quite acceptable for an overnight trip.

Since they're right now on another HK/China trip, I can't ask them about the specifics with the tickets. I did know that on their way back from Shanghai, the train wasn't full, and they were able to "downgrade" to a regular soft-sleeper but have the whole 4-berth cabin for themselves. So, basically same level of comfort for a lower price.

Thanks Rkwan

I am going to keep on investigating so it should come off.

fdKen -

I got hold of my parents in HK just now and asked them about it. It's correct that you can't book the return trip on Deluxe Soft Sleeper from Hong Kong, at least not easily. If you MUST have it, then a travel agent can contact another agent in Beijing or Shanghai to get the tickets and send them to you or hold it, at extra costs.

What they did for their last two trips were the same that most Hong Kong people do. You book the return on the regular 4/room Soft Sleeper. After you board the train, talk to the conductor to assess the load factor and availability of the Deluxe Soft Sleeper. For their Beijing->HK trip, they upgraded. For their Shanghai->HK trip, the train was so empty that they have the the whole room to themselves, so no reason to upgrade to the Deluxe.

Since these every-other-day express trains do not stop enroute to pick up passengers, there's no chance of people coming into your room later in the journey.