September China Trip in Turmoil!
 

We are planning a 26 day trip to China (into Beijing and returning from Hong Kong) and up until Tuesday the plan was developing nicely. First trip to the country for Mrs NFZ but I've been to HKG several times for about 10 days total and to Beijing for 5 days last year.

Anyway first we decide on Tuesday not to do the Yangtze River boat trip for various reasons, leaving about 5 days now free for reassignment.

And then today we learn Delta will suspend the ATL-PEK and PVG-ATL flights, on which we were already booked.

So everything is up in the air for a while until we re-negotiate flight plans with Delta and then try to decide on the river's alternative.

Fun times.....

Sorry to hear of your flight woes. We are planning a 21 day trip starting in Beijing and returning from Hong Kong. Would love to hear about your itinerary and "must-see's". This is our first trip to China - our trip is booked for July.

Sorry to hear about your flight situation after you had carefully planed.

I saw that Delta, American, Continental and United were going to cut some international flights on "slow" days (such as Tues/Wed) starting in September. Is that what happened to your bookings or is the route cancelled altogether?

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

We flew to Hong Kong and returned from Beijing using Delta FF points, but flying on Continental. The planes were excellent with individual screens for each seat. Can you have Delta rebook you on Continental, one of their skyteam partners?

I've been writing a review of our trip. Maybe you can get a few ideas from that?

We live in Cincinnati and Delta just announced it's cutting out our direct flights to London and Frankfurt. It's disappointing.

If you have regular or FF tickets you should be fine. The flights are with Delta's codeshare partners as far as the website shows. Though Northwest and Delta have merged, some flights are still listed as Northwest.

Continental as an alternative to Delta through Skyteam, ends soon as they join Sky Alliance

I shouldn't give the impression I'm all that worried about revising the flights ... it's just a hassle. We are indeed on FF awards (J class) and there are lots of alternatives ... the trick is selecting the best alternative.

cc1, we're doing the semi-classic tour including, as of now, 5 days in Beijing, 2 in Xi'an, 3 in Chengdu, 4 in Yangshuo and environs, 6 in Hong Kong, plus the former 5 for the boat trip. I think I am starting to look at the Dali/Lijiang area seriously for that. Most intercity transport will be by overnight train with Lijiang and getting to HK possibly by air as of now.

NoFlyZone, we are hoping to do much the same as you in April next year. We might stay 3 nights in Xi'an after reading images2 TR, sounds like there is plenty to do.

We were tossing up on the cruise, just not sure if it is "our thing" or not so we have decided to put those days to better use too.

Could you please post a link to the site with the trains that you have been using?

Many thanks.

I loved Xi'an and was so sorry that I hade very limited time there.
My trip report from China, I did a separate one for each country
http://www.fodors.com/community/asia...n-in-china.cfm

This is the official Chinese rail site this gives you the name of the train and schedule
http://www.cnvol.com/

I also used this site when checking on my train travels it gives a price don't remember how accuarate it was.
http://www.chinahighlights.com/china-trains/

Then there is this site
http://www.seat61.com/China.htm

There is indeed lots to do in Xi'an. In addition to the things Images2 has written about so far, you should try to see the Taoist Temple to the Eight Great Immortals, and the Shaanxi History Museum. I wasn't so excited by the stele museum, but some people like to see the one with the Nestorian Christian cross.

> This is the official Chinese rail site this gives you the name of the train and schedule
http://www.cnvol.com/

Looks better than most third-party front ends, but not official, I'm afraid, and information should always be double-checked.

> I also used this site when checking on my train travels it gives a price don't remember how accuarate it was.
http://www.chinahighlights.com/china-trains/

Patchy, incomplete, and inaccurate, and only mounted in order to flog you tourism services.

> Then there is this site
http://www.seat61.com/China.htm

Amazing global coverage, and useful for images of trains, etc., but something less than shrewd overall on China, directing ticket purchasers towards immense rip-off ticket sites, for instance, although some caveats have now been added.

Peter N-H

Many thanks everyone, sounds like our days in Xi'an are going to be quite full.

Nywoman, I have read every word of your reports and enjoyed them immensely.

thursdaysd, great shall add them to the list.

PeterN-H, seems like its not easy getting reliable information but at least we can see where the trains go.

doesn't delta just reschedule you on another airline?

Maudie: You can get reasonably reliable English-language information for travel between major stations here for free:

http://www.chinatt.org/

with the option to pay to get a fuller picture, but one probably beyond your needs.

I say 'reasonably reliable' because this is a translation (and reordering into a sensible format) of the published timetable, which is often itself full of mistakes.

Peter N-H

Well I will give it a try then. Thanks.