ruby_sage

Hi,
I have a couple of questions about the overnight train from Beijing to Xi'an.

How do I book train tickets? We would like to take the overnight train. Is there a way to book before we arrive in China? I ask b/c we'll be arriving in China (Beijing), and will spend just one night before we need to depart for Xi'an. I'd hate to wait, and then find out the train is sold out.

What does the Beijing to Xi'an ride cost (USD)?

Also, is it possible to reserve an entire sleeper car (or sleeper room) for ourselves? We're two female travellers, and I'd prefer not to share our bed area with others.

Thanks so much,
RS

hawaiiantraveler

We used China Trip Advisor to book our tickets before our arrival in Beijing. You can of course wait until you arrive and save a few dollars and buy it there but it was peace of mind with little (imho) expense

http://www.chinatripadvisor.com/english/

Use the seat 61 site for pictures of the train from Beijing to Xian. You are right to get the private compartment. Really worth it imho

http://www.seat61.com/China.htm

Aloha!

ekscrunchy

I rode the train from Beijing to Shanghai (solo female traveler) but I am assuming (and you must check this) that some of what I write will apply to the Xian train:

You can buy the tickets a few days in advance..not much more than that. I would contact your hotel and ask them to do this as son as it is possible. Tell them you will reimburse them when you arrive. That is the easiest way and you will pay a small surcharge.

I booked the two berths in the luxury soft sleeper (the highest class) so I had the compartment to myself. With two of you, this should be no problem..

If you do a search here you will find lots of information about taking the this, and other, train routes in China. Make sure to bring some food and drinks..

ruby_sage

Thanks so much!

RS

Jedmo68631

I used China Advisor also. I don't remember the fare but it was not terribly expensive. get a simple compartment. I had no idea of sleeping arrangements and I was in with two gentlemen. Also bring plenty of snacks and drinks. The food on the train was not good. Xi'an is amazing, you will have a great time. Be sure to go to Banpo in Xi'an. It is worth the visit.

PeterN_H

I'd like very strongly to second the advice given by ekscrunchy above. The prices on chinatripadvisor.com are horrendous, and if that weren't enough the hint you should be tipping in addition to their excessive prices tells you all you need to know about this company's attitude to overseas visitors new to China.

Tickets usually go on sale ten days in advance including day of travel. Note there are multiple overnight services, not just the one.

But if you're staying at an upmarket hotel your advance booking should not be a problem, although you may be charged something nearer ¥50 in service charge than the more typical and reasonable ¥20, or ¥5 if obtained from one of the many bureaux with computers on the railway system.

Note that there are NO on-line methods of obtaining Chinese railway tickets at honest prices unless you are able to read and enter Chinese with your computer and book directly on-line with the Chinese railway system. Such companies as do offer the service have mark-ups as high as 70% (the notorious Tiglion being one of the worst of the bunch).

It can't be said too often that booking only just before travelling is how things are done in China. It's possible to put together a minute-by-minute itinerary with everything booked in advance, and some indeed cannot conceive of travelling any other way. But the Chinese tourism industry just loves to feast on such people, and you will pay vastly more than you need to--not just 'a few dollars' as suggested above, but sometimes several multiples of the local over-the-counter next-day travel price.

It's nearly ten years now since I was last refused a ticket for travel the following day. Of course it does happen, and there are times of year and certain routes where things are a little trickier. But in general the difficulties of getting tickets at short notice for travel in China are overstated. Back in early October, a very busy period for travel, I obtained tickets for overnight travel from Beijing to Xi'an the next day, and back two nights later. But this is, of course, no guarantee that on this particular occasion for some reason all the overnight services to Xi'an won't be completely sold out.

Without reaching for my timetable I believe that not all the overnight trains to Xi'an have the two-berth compartments, but note that if four tickets are bought for a soft sleeper compartment to ensure the exclusion of strangers that you may very well be sold simply the next sequence of four tickets, which may not all be in the same compartment, and involve some exchange negotiations with other passengers. Trips often start with such negotiations.

But male, female, or undecided, nothing untoward is going to happen to you if you share a compartment.

Peter N-H

thursdaysd

"nothing untoward is going to happen to you if you share a compartment" - not only that - you may meet some interesting, and helpful, locals!

cookiescompanion

Hi Ruby,
We did exactly what you did a month ago- arrived in Beijing and had a night there than caught the overnight train to Xi'an.

We booked train tickets using a Chinese travel agent that was recommended on this board. He worked fine. Toby from Uniquely China ([email protected]). He just posted the tickets to where we were staying and they were waiting for us.

We went Soft sleeper which is the most expensive class. We were in a room of 4. The next class down is a room of 6. Unless money is very tight, I would opt for the soft sleeper - it doesnt cost that much more and the rooms are tiny, sharing it with 5 others would not be much fun.

It cost about 400yuan per person (one bunk, I think the top bunk, is slightly cheaper than the other). That's about 55-60USD.

Do not be worried about traveling with others in your cabin. We were two young females and we felt perfectly safe. We even met two lovely Chinese girls on the way to Xi'an!

(if you want a little information I have just started my trip report, just click my name and it will come up)

PeterN_H

Just to clarify, the most expensive class on this route is 'gaoji ruanwo' or 'high-class' soft sleeper, with two berths to a compartment. The lowest sleeper class is hard sleeper, with six couchettes to a door-less enclosure.

The lower berths in both cases are indeed more expensive than the higher ones, although the difference is quite small. Soft sleepers are about 50% more expensive than hard sleepers, however, and the two-berth versions about 80% more still, when available.

Peter N-H

rkkwan

For Beijing to Xian, I believe Deluxe Softsleeper, (aka Gaoji Ruanwo, aka Gaobao) should be on the once daily Z19. The other trains should only have the regular softsleeper (ruanwo).

I've read comments that for a single female traveler, it's safer (or at least "feel safer&quot with egular softsleeper than the Deluxe.

ekscrunchy

Also. There is no guarantee that you will share a compartment with travelers of the same sex. So plan acccordingly if that issue is of any concern.

cookiescompanion

Oh, Im sorry for giving misleading information. I was totally unaware that there was a private berth available.

We asked our agent to book the top class. Rkkwan must be correct - our train was not a z19, so there was no private berth. The top class on ours was a 4 person soft sleeper.

easytraveler

Even tho the upper berths are cheaper than the lower berths, I prefer the upper berths - more privacy and better storage - unless the guy in the other upper berth is carrying a case of motor oil and it starts leaking mid-journey!