We all sometimes travel by rail and know that this method travel cannot be called the fastest. And really, what speed can a regular passenger or even fast train reach? 60, 70, 90 km? Agree, this is not that much even compared to a car. Of course, there are also high-speed trains in our country, such as those that reach speeds of up to 250 km/h, but in Russia this is still rather rare. But the time is probably not far off when high-speed trains, which have long been cutting through the expanses of Europe, China, Korea, and Japan, will appear here too. In the meantime, let's find out which countries have the fastest trains in the world.
First place - Japan
Of course, Country comes first Rising Sun with their high technology and impeccable quality of technology and electronics. The first express trains of the Shinkansen line were launched in Japan back in 1964, they moved at a speed of 210 km/h. In 2003, the Shinkansen train set an absolute and still valid record: 581 km/h on magnetic suspension. The operating speed of these trains is 320–330 km/h. The Shinkansen series express trains are not only the fastest in the world, they are also very beautiful: the streamlined silver-green trains are not called “bullets” for nothing. In addition, Shinkansen is recognized as one of the most safe species railway transport: during the entire time since the launch of the first train, not a single “bullet” was involved in a serious accident.
The cost of traveling on the Shinkansen Express is quite high. For example, tickets from Tokyo to Osaka (distance - 560 km, travel time - just over two hours) will cost, depending on the class of carriage, from 130 to 150 dollars.
Second place - France
Europe is practically not inferior to Japan in the design of high-speed trains and even sets its own records. Thus, the French express trains of the TGV line easily reach speeds of 320 km/h, and in 2007 the POS train of the same series accelerated to 575 kilometers per hour on conventional rails.
Third place - China
In 2004, a high-tech high-speed train magnetically suspended, whose maximum speed today it is 431 km/h. The express travels from the city center to the airport in seven minutes, covering a thirty-kilometer distance. An interesting fact is that the Shanghai Maglev Train (as the express is called) was designed not by the Chinese, but by the Germans.
Fourth place - China
Also in fourth position are Chinese trains designed and constructed by the country's largest railway concern - CSR Qingdao Sifang Locomotive and Rolling Stock Company. The maximum operating speed of the CRH380A express is 380 kilometers per hour, it runs daily on the routes Shanghai - Hangzhou, Wuhan - Guangzhou.
Fifth place - Spain
The top five highest-speed trains in the world are completed by the express trains of the Spanish railway operator AVE. The Spaniards very successfully came up with a name for the company: AVE - an abbreviation for Alta Velocidad Española - in Spanish means “bird”, which, you see, is perfect for a concern that produces high-speed trains. The speed of the company's fastest express train, the Talgo-350, running on the Madrid-Barcelona and Madrid-Valladolid routes, reaches 330 km/h.
High-speed trains in Russia
In Russia, trains reaching speeds of more than 140 km/h are considered high-speed, and those over 200 km/h are considered high-speed. The first Soviet high-speed train, the Aurora, began running in 1963 between Moscow and Leningrad, its speed reaching 160 km/h. Today, the Russian government is investing considerable funds in the development of high-speed transport throughout the Eastern European part of the country. The Sapsan, Allegro, and Lastochka trains are already running on the most popular routes, and at the end of 2014 it is planned to put into operation a high-speed express on the Moscow-Kyiv route.
Rail transport in China is one of the priority modes of transport for both short and long distances. The track infrastructure is very developed and has high quality. It took many years and money to build and improve it. The railway from China has connections with transport systems Russia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Vietnam, North Korea.
Railway history
In various historical periods construction railways in China it was done differently. In 1876, the first road was laid, connecting Shanghai with Wusong.
In 1881, it was decided to build a ten-kilometer-long road from the Zitang Shanquan area to the Suige settlement. In the period from 1876 to 1911, construction of tracks was carried out in the country, the length of which was 9,100 km. In 1912, the first concept for constructing a railway was proposed. By 1949, the length of the railway in the country reached 26,200 km.
In Old China, construction was carried out at a slow pace, in small quantities and with low quality. The lines were laid mainly along the coast. There were no railways in the southwest and northwest of the country. The routes were divided into sections and controlled by different institutions.
Under New China, the Ministry of Railways appeared, into whose department all railway communications were transferred. A work program for the construction and restoration of highways and bridges was created. China developed, the railway expanded by 1996, and its length reached 64,900 km. Stations were built and restored, production of diesel locomotives, electric locomotives, and passenger cars increased.
By 2013 the length railway tracks was 103,144 km. As a result of the transformations, the throughput and train speed. The volume of freight and passenger traffic has increased, and the density of train traffic has increased.
By 2020, the state plans to build more than 120,000 km of tracks. A railway from China is being built towards Khabarovsk. In addition, a project is being developed that will connect the Chinese Southern Xinjiang railway with Kyrgyzstan.
Railway track diagram
Nowadays, China's railway infrastructure is one of the most developed. The length of tracks in the country today is more than 110,000 km. Much attention is given to the development of railway construction in port areas and to the west, deep into the continental part.
The population in China is unevenly distributed, and highest density China's railway map is in the southwest and east of the country. To cover the entire territory of the Republic, the network of tracks is being increased and new technologies are being introduced.
Train classification
In China, the train number is indicated capital letter and numbers. The letter indicates the train category. The train category is affected by speed, service, and number of stops.
- The “G” type train is super-fast and can reach speeds of up to 350 km/h.
- A type “D” train is high-speed, its speed is more than 200 km/h, and it stops only at main stations along the way. The trains include first and second class carriages, and there are sleeping places.
- The “Z” type train travels non-stop, reaches a speed of 160 km/h, and stops at major stations. Typically this is night Train, it consists of reserved seat carriages and compartments.
- Train type "T" is an express train, its speed reaches 140 km/h, stops at big cities and at transport stations. The train has seated, reserved seat and compartment carriages.
- The “K” type train has a speed of 120 km/h and stops in both big cities and towns. It has seated and reserved seat carriages.
- Trains without a letter are No Prefix, these include old trains with very low speeds.
Classes on trains
Cars on Chinese trains can be divided into 4 types (classes).
- A soft sleeper is a two-seater or four-seater compartment.
- The hard sleeper is a compartment with six shelves.
- Soft sitting.
- Hard sitting.
On type “D” trains there is the concept of “first and second class seat”; their difference lies in the comfort of the seats.
High speed trains
In order to continue to develop dynamically, China needs to move quickly and conveniently. The government of the country is doing everything possible to achieve this. One of China's largest infrastructure projects is the construction of a high-speed rail network. It has a wide scope and covers large territory country and is one of the largest in the world. The 2007 Olympics was also the impetus for the construction of such lines.
Most high-speed railways in China are built on overpasses - they take the form of bridges hundreds of kilometers long. The train speed is on average 200 km/h. The length of such routes in China at the end of 2013 was 15,400 km. There are sections of the railway where a train can reach speeds of up to 350 km/h.
In China, there is the following classification of lines by speed:
- Normal (100-120 km/h).
- Medium speed (120-160 km/h).
- High-speed (160-200 km/h).
- High speed (200-400 km/h).
- Ultra-high speed (more than 400 km/h).
High mountain lines
Construction of the high mountain railway in China began in 1984. First, the easy section was developed, and in 2001 they began to develop the difficult section. In the summer of 2006, the highest mountain railway in the world, the Qinghai-Tibet Railway, was opened. It connects China with Tibet, its length is 1956 km. A 1,142 km section of the route passes through the mountains. About 550 km of railway track is laid in the high-mountain tundra zone, the highest elevation of the road reaches 5072 meters above sea level.
Passengers do not suffer symptoms during the trip mountain sickness, since the cars are sealed and the air in the cars is enriched with oxygen, there is protection from solar radiation.
In the high-mountain tundra zone the train moves at a speed of 100 km/h, on the remaining sections of the route the train moves at a speed of 120 km/h.
The railway from China to Tibet provides stable communication between states. Ease and quick access ensured its popularity not only for residents of these countries, but also for tourists.
Railways on Hainan Island
China's high-speed railways are developed not only on the mainland, but also on the islands. Their construction on Hainan Island is interesting and unique. The railway on this piece of land is a ring, which is conventionally divided into western and eastern halves. The length of the ring is 308 km. Its construction in the western part of the island took place in difficult period Second World War. It was built in parts. The work was finally completed only in 2004. In 2006-2007, it was modernized and now serves trains with a speed of 120-160 km/h. In 2007, the island's railway was connected to the mainland by ferry.
Construction of the line in the eastern part of the island began at the end of 2007, ended in 2010, and in the same year the second part of the ring was put into operation.
Features of Chinese railways
In China, there is a special regime for access to the platform. You can only get to the train when it arrives. At the stations that he passes without stopping, only station employees can be observed.
Weak in China transport connection With neighboring states. Despite the fact that there is a through route and functioning infrastructure, the railway from China is closed, and the border has to be crossed on foot.
Buying a train ticket also has its own characteristics. All tickets in China are sold only with identification documents. A guest of the country can only purchase a ticket at the box office. When purchasing through a machine, a Chinese ID card is required.
There is practically no suburban transportation in the country.
Railway stations in cities
Chinese railway stations have a standard architecture and are similar to each other. The only exceptions are old platforms in small villages or cities with a historical past.
New stations are mainly built on the outskirts settlements. Existing railway tracks are moved from the center, old buildings are demolished or reconstructed. Chinese train stations can be compared to airports - they are large-scale, equipped with infrastructure and have many levels.
In China it is impossible to get to the train station without a ticket, only to some very limited sectors. But at old stations you can get to the platform before boarding; for this you need to purchase a special ticket at the ticket office. It gives the right to be on the platform, but not to board the train.
Russia-China
The laying of paths in China is historically connected with Russia. In 1897, construction began on the Chinese Eastern Railway (CER), which is the southern branch. In the period from 1917 to 1950, as a result of military and political actions, it was transferred to China and ceased to exist. This happened in 1952. Instead, the Chinese Changchun Railway appeared on the world map.
In the near future, the China-Russia railway will gain popularity. A project for a Euro-Asian high-speed transport corridor is being developed that will connect Beijing with Moscow. The routes will pass through the territory of Kazakhstan; travel along them will take two days.
The well-known principle “time is money” for business is more relevant today than ever. In order to do everything in time and not be late, humanity is inventing new ways of transportation. One of them was high-speed rail (HSR), which over the past 20 years has won the hearts and wallets of millions of passengers around the world.
In China, Japan and Europe, trains, covering 300-350 km in just an hour, successfully compete with airplanes. The Celestial Empire, mastering with fanatical zeal the new kind transport, in terms of the length of the HSR, it was ahead of its closest competitors for many years to come.
Only in 2010-2012. The Chinese government and state banks allocated about $355 billion for the development of railways, a significant part of which went to expand the network of expressways. IN this year China is investing another $104 billion in railways. In Russia, they are still only thinking about creating a high-speed railway, “accelerating” trains across railway tracks Soviet built.
Japan and China "stole" the Europeans' dream
Engineers and designers have been trying to create fast trains since the advent of rail transport. The first officially recorded speed record on the railway - 210 km per hour - was set in the suburbs of Berlin in 1903, even before the first plane took to the skies.
However, the long-standing dream of Europeans about super-fast trains was destined to come true 60 years later on the other side of the world. In 1964 In Japan, the world's first public high-speed rail (HSR), the Shinkansen, opened between Tokyo and Osaka, now carrying more than 150 million passengers annually. It is curious that during the half-century of operation of the line, not a single disaster occurred on it.
China has made a colossal leap in the development of high-speed rail (or, as they are also called, high-speed rail) over the past 10 years, leaving its closest competitors from Europe and Asia far behind. If in the mid-1990s in the Middle Kingdom trains pulled at an average speed of 50 km/h, then in the early 2000s it increased to 200 km/h.
By the beginning of 2013 The Chinese have built and upgraded more than 8,500 km of railway tracks for high-speed and high-speed trains. Last December, the world's longest and one of the fastest railway lines from Beijing to Guangzhou were opened in China. On it, trains cover a distance of almost 2,300 km in just eight hours, accelerating to 350 km/h.
Such projects require significant cash injections from the state. In 2010 Chinese authorities allocated a record 800 billion yuan ($129 billion) for the development of the railway network in 2011-2012. Another $226 billion was invested. Plan for 2013. - about 104 billion dollars By 2015 the Chinese expect to increase total length railway network up to 120 thousand km, including 18 thousand km of high-speed highways.
Having “tested” high-speed line technologies, China announced its planned expansion into markets South-East Asia and the Middle East. Currently, high-speed rail construction projects are being discussed that will connect China with Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and even the UK (Beijing - London line). The Chinese are ready to build a network of high-speed highways to India and Europe, and at half the price of the Germans or almost half the price of the Koreans.
High-speed trains are ahead of airplanes
Europe is actively catching up with its Asian neighbors, creating a unified high-speed rail network, coordinating the actions of railway operators and creating real competition for airlines at distances of 600-800 km.
The pioneers in the development of expressways in this part of the world were Italy and France with their famous Pendolino and TGV trains. Since the opening of the first high-speed railway from Paris to Lyon in 1981. TGV trains have repeatedly broken their own speed records, overcoming a fantastic ground transport indicator 570 km/h.
The example of the French was followed by the Germans and Spaniards, and in 1994. was launched through the Channel Tunnel high speed line, connecting the capitals of France and England. After its opening, the number of flights between Paris and London decreased significantly.
Today, the total length of high-speed railways and the volume of passenger traffic on them around the world are growing at a record pace. According to forecasts International Union railways, by 2014 The length of the high-speed railway network will increase from the current 17 thousand to 27 thousand km.
We'll go a different way
In Russia, a high-speed highway project railway lines was developed back in the 70s of the last century; in the late 1980s, a high-speed railway development program was adopted. However, in the 90s, for obvious reasons, it was safely forgotten. The idea of high-speed rail traffic in our country was realized only in beginning of XXI century.
They did not build separate railway lines for high-speed lines like abroad; instead, they launched high-speed trains purchased from the German Siemens and the French Alstom on the existing infrastructure. In 2009 Sapsan aircraft began to travel between the two capitals - Moscow and St. Petersburg - at speeds of up to 200 km/h; they also connected the Mother See with Nizhny Novgorod. To Helsinki from Northern capital The Russian Federation carries passengers with high-speed Allegro trains, and in January 2013. from St. Petersburg to Velikiy Novgorod and Bologoye they launched Lastochka trains.
0 20px 0 25px;"> "Sapsan" and "Allegro" in 2012 transported 3.5 million passengers. In total, since December 2009, when they were launched, there have been more than 9 million passengers. The average load of these high-speed trains is more than 80%. "Sapsan" and "Allegro" transport passengers at speeds of up to 200 km/h. average speed trains long distance The Federal Passenger Company today does not exceed 60 km/h.
Today, three main directions for the development of high-speed rail in Russia with speeds of up to 350 km/h are being considered. This is an already tested route Moscow - St. Petersburg, as well as the Moscow - Nizhny Novgorod- Kazan - Yekaterinburg and Moscow - Rostov-on-Don - Adler.
According to the first vice-president of OJSC "" Alexander Misharin (heads the High-Speed Railways company supervising the project), the pilot direction for the construction of the high-speed railway will most likely be Moscow - Kazan.
“It is more expedient (to build a branch - RBC note) to the East, since there is a prospect for development - to extend it to Yekaterinburg with the connection of Perm, Chelyabinsk and Ufa. Geopolitics is already appearing there, access to China,” explained the top manager of Russian Railways.
The Institute for Problems of Natural Monopolies (IPEM) emphasizes that rapid development High-speed rail passenger services in France, Germany, Japan and China are supported and subsidized by the government.
“In Russia, as in the United States, for example, there is no clear position of the state regarding the transportation of passengers along the high-speed railway. However, in the United States, unlike the Russian Federation, there is no urgent need for rail passenger transportation, since the small aircraft and bus service,” says IPEM expert analyst Lev Ruzavin.
In his opinion, in our country “regional aviation is in decline, and bus transportation is carried out by many private companies over which it is impossible to establish control and ensure the required level of safety.”
Alexander Volobuev, RBC
Chinese trains vary in speed and class of service. To designate each train use Latin letter(for example: D, T, K, C, Z) followed by the train number or, less commonly, just the train number.
If you are planning to travel around China by train, then the following information about the category of trains and types of cars in China will be useful to you. Below we will talk about each type of train in detail. And for any question that arises - write to our consultants tourism, they will be happy to help.
| Train type | Characteristics | Maximum speed | Service class |
|---|---|---|---|
| High speed trains | |||
| G | The fastest and the best | 350 km/h (High speed train Fuxinghao– 400 km/h) | Business (商务座)/ Premium (特等座)/ 1st grade (一等座)/ 2nd grade (二等座) |
| D | Second fastest | 250 km/h | Business (商务座)/ 1st class (一等座)/ 2nd class (二等座)/ Coupe (软卧) |
| C | Trains between neighboring cities | 200 km/h | Premium(特等座)/ 1st class(一等座)/ 2nd class(二等座) |
| Regular trains | |||
| Z | They travel without stops or stop at major stations | 160 km/h | Luxury coupe(高级软卧)/ Coupe(软卧)/ reserved seat (硬卧)/ Seats, hard chairs (硬座) |
| T | Express trains | 140 km/h | |
| K | Fast trains | 120 km/h | Luxury coupe (高级软卧)/ Coupe (软卧)/ Seated seats, soft seats (软座)/ Seated seats (硬卧)/ Seated seats, hard seats (硬座) |
High speed trains: G, D, C
If the train number contains the letter G, D or C, then we are talking about high-speed trains. These types of Chinese passenger trains are some of the the fastest and most comfortable in the world. All high-speed trains in China are air-conditioned and smoking is prohibited on the train.
free boiling water. Types G, D and C trains have a dining car that serves Chinese cuisine .
Above the passenger seats there are luggage racks. You can leave large suitcases in the compartment between the carriages. Each carriage is equipped electrical sockets.
wash basin. On high-speed trains there are 2 types of toilets: Western style (with a toilet) and floor-standing. We recommend preparing your own toilet paper.
Fuxinghao - The newest type of high-speed train
The newest fuxinghao high-speed trains were launched in China on June 26, 2017. They are faster, safer and more convenient than previous hexiehao-type high-speed trains.
What's special about fuxinghao trains?
Types of carriages in high-speed trains
There are 4 classes of service on high-speed trains in China: 2nd class, 1st class, premium and business. All seats are installed exclusively in the direction of travel of the train. Category D overnight high-speed trains have both compartment and luxury compartment cars available. Use our website to find train tickets in China .
2nd class carriages (二等座)
2nd class cars are the most economical on Chinese high-speed trains, but quite comfortable. The seats are arranged in 2 rows (3 + 2). There is not much space between the rows. Smoking is prohibited in the carriage.
1st class carriages (一等座)
1st class carriages are more comfortable, they more space. The seats are wider and more comfortable, arranged in 2 rows (2 + 2). The fare here is higher than in 2nd class carriages. Smoking is prohibited in the carriage.
Premium class carriages (特等座)
In premium class carriages, the seats are arranged in 2 rows (2 + 1), with only three seats in each row. It is quieter here, the boundaries of personal space are not violated, a glass door separates the carriage from extraneous noise. The cost of travel in a premium class carriage is higher than in a 1st class carriage, but lower than in business class.
1st and 2nd class carriages are in most cases standard, regardless of the train. But the carriages are premium different on every train. Even railway station employees will not be able to say for sure which trains have standard premium class cars, that is, with three seats (2 + 1) in one row. Therefore, we advise you to travel business class: the cost of the trip is almost the same and comfort is guaranteed.
Business class carriages (商务座)
Business class carriages are the most luxurious and are available only on category G trains. The seats here are wider, arranged in 2 rows (2 + 1), with only three seats in each row. There is a distance of 2 meters between rows. All seats recline and can take a horizontal position.
There are only two seats in the first row of a business class carriage (1 + 1), they are located immediately behind the cabin. This best places for those who are interested in observing the scenery on the road: this offers a view from the cabin itself. But note that these seats are not as close to the window and have less legroom than other business class seats.
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New style compartment cars (动卧)
The main difference between the new type of compartment cars of Chinese trains is that the sleeping places are located parallel to the aisle. Compartments with two shelves in 2 tiers are located on both sides of the aisle.
There is no luggage rack at the top of the compartment. You can stow your luggage in a special compartment under the bottom bunk. In this type of Chinese trains no seating available. Passengers traveling in the upper bunks can either lie down or sit in their seats, or stand in the aisle.
Note: In China, in night trains of category D you can find 2 types of compartment cars: regular (4 shelves in 2 tiers in each compartment) and new type compartment cars (where the berths are located parallel to the aisle). In some cases, in 1 night train of category D there are both types of compartment cars. But there are trains that have only 1 type of compartment: either regular or a new type. Unfortunately, even after tickets have been purchased, it is impossible to know what type of compartment car will be on your train. It all depends on the Chinese Railway.
Coupe cars (软卧)
China's overnight high-speed trains do not have reserved seats, only compartment cars with a locking door. Seats in a compartment on such trains are not cheap; sometimes it is more profitable to purchase a plane ticket, especially during periods when air tickets are on sale. Below you will find detailed description compartment cars in Chinese trains.
Characteristics: high speed train compartment cars in China comfortable and equipped with everything necessary.
The berth is wide and the backrest is adjustable for more comfortable rest: You can sit down to read or chat. Each shelf is equipped with an LCD TV, as well as headphones and a bedside lamp. In addition, passengers can adjust the air temperature in the compartment.
Toilets on high-speed trains are cleaner than on regular trains. There are 2 types of toilets: Western style (with toilet) and floor standing. If you need assistance, press the call button inside the toilet.
Luxury coupe (高级软卧)
The luxury coupe has a door lock. Inside each compartment there are two shelves (lower + upper). Passengers are provided with a sofa with pillows, a wardrobe and slippers. At the end of the carriage there is a toilet and washbasin. Toilet paper is usually available, but we recommend bringing your own toilet paper just in case.
Luxury compartments are not available on all high-speed trains, for example, such cars are available on the route Chengdu - Shanghai, Chongqing - Beijing, etc. Tickets for luxury compartments are quite expensive.
Regular trains – Z, T, K and where only numbers are indicated
Regular trains in China take longer to travel than high-speed trains; unfortunately, they are not so well equipped and the journey will not be as comfortable. But the cost of the trip is much lower than in more modern types trains G, D or C. This type trains are usually blue, white or Green colour. Most trains are equipped with air conditioning.
At the end of each carriage you will find free boiling water. The trains also have a dining car where meals are served Chinese cuisine .
You can put things away in luggage compartment the top of the compartment or in a special compartment under the lower bunk.
At the end of each carriage is located wash basin. On regular trains, only a floor toilet is available. Always take toilet paper with you, as this type of train does not provide it.
Smoking is prohibited in the carriages themselves, but is permitted in the corridors between carriages. However, the smell of cigarette smoke can often be felt even in the middle of the carriage. It happens that passengers smoke in their seats, despite the sign prohibiting smoking.
Seating on regular trains in China
Hard chairs (硬座)
Upholstered armchairs (软座)
Seated carriages with soft seats are more comfortable; the cost of travel in this carriage is slightly higher. There are usually not as many passengers here as in seated carriages with hard seats. This type of carriage is suitable for a trip of no more than 5 hours.
Reserved seat (硬卧)
A reserved seat carriage in China is a carriage open type, divided into compartments on one side of the passage. Each compartment has 6 shelves in 3 tiers (lower, middle and upper). Each passenger is provided with a pillow, sheet and blanket. IN daytime happens in carriages quite noisy, it usually becomes quieter after 21:30–22:00, when the lights in the carriage turn off.
Passengers tall It is not recommended to purchase tickets for the middle or top shelf; the space here is small and will be inconvenient. You will be more comfortable on the bottom shelf. But keep in mind that during the day, passengers with seats on the upper and middle bunks will be seated below, on the lower bunk.
Compartments on China's regular trains (软卧)
The compartment cars of a regular Chinese train are divided into compartments with a closing door. In each compartment there are 4 sleeping places arranged in 2 tiers. Passengers are provided with a pillow, bedding and a personal reading light. The shelves here are wider and more convenient than in a reserved seat carriage. The compartments on China's regular trains are no different from those on a Category D high-speed train.
Luxury compartments on regular trains in China (高级软卧)
Luxury compartments are the most luxurious carriages on night trains. Each lockable compartment has two sleeping places and a separate toilet. This type of carriage is ideal for those traveling as a couple, for whom an atmosphere of safety and privacy is important.
Luxury compartments are available on both regular and high-speed trains in China, but the latter offer greater comfort.
Special types of train tickets in China
Ticket without a seat (无座)
In China, there is also a type of train ticket called a ticket without a seat. It is available for sale in some hard-seat carriages and in some 2nd class carriages on high-speed trains.
With a ticket without a seat, you can get to the desired station while standing, without taking up a separate seat. The price will be the same as for a ticket with a seat. We recommend considering this type of travel only as a last resort, for short distances and if all tickets are sold out.
Some destinations are very popular, especially during the period China's national holidays or during school holidays. Train tickets sell out quickly, and in this case a ticket without a seat becomes the only way to get to the right place. We strongly recommend purchasing train tickets in advance during these periods.
Child ticket
- Children under 120 cm tall and under 12 years of age can travel by train for free without occupying a separate seat. If you need a separate seat, you need to purchase a child ticket. One adult can accompany one child free of charge. If 2 or more children under 120 cm tall and under 12 years of age are traveling, only 1 child can travel free of charge. Others must purchase a child ticket.
- Children between 120 and 150 cm tall and under 12 years of age must purchase a child ticket. The cost of a child's ticket in a seated carriage is half the full fare, in a compartment carriage and reserved seat - 75% of the full fare. In this case, the child is assigned a separate seat.
- Children taller than 150 cm must pay the full cost of the train ticket.
- Children 12 years and older must pay the full price of the train ticket.
In addition to useful articles about traveling in China, on our website you will find a convenient system
search for train tickets in China in Russian.
In our opinion the train is the best remedy travel in China. It's clean and pleasant the vast majority of the time. They go every day, with very rare exceptions. It’s quite comfortable to be at the stations, and the railway employees are neatly dressed and friendly, just like all Chinese. In addition, the train great way get to know the country from the inside, just looking out the window at the landscapes passing by, or talking with people. We were amazed at how sociable the Chinese are! There are Chinese trains different types, places can also be of different comfort. And now more details. This information will be useful to you when planning an independent trip around the Middle Kingdom.
Chinese train categories
1. Type G trains — 高速 “G” Trains (High-Speed)
The fastest and fastest trains with least amount stops, the most expensive. This is seating only. What’s the point of making recumbents if it’s only a 5-hour drive?)) They accelerate to 350 km/h or more. For example, such a train flies from Beijing to Shanghai in 5 and a half hours and costs from 550 yuan. The fastest train in the world, the Shanghai Maglev, accelerated to 486 km/h!
2. Trains type C and D — 城际“C” Trains (Inter-City)动 "D" Trains
Type C train
Also very fast. They have a little more stops and go a little slower than G trains. They have both lying and sitting places. For example, a train travels the same Beijing-Shanghai distance in 8-9 hours and costs from 408 yuan.
3. Z type trains — 直达 “Z” Trains (Direct)
Z type train
High-speed trains connecting Beijing with other major cities countries. These trains are usually night trains and go non-stop. Eat different places: seated, reserved seat, coupe. The Beijing-Xi'an distance takes 11 hours and costs from 275 yuan.
4. T trains — 特快 “T” Trains (Express)
Type T train
Also normal trains. There are all types of places. Xi'an-Urumqi (2500 km) takes just over a day and costs from 280 yuan. Such trains run all over the country.
5. K type trains — 快 “K” Trains (Fast)
K type train
These are exactly the ones we drove. They go a little slower than T-type trains. The carriages are usually red. There are also all types of places. Xi'an-Urumqi (2500 km) travels in 24 hours and 10 hours and costs from 273 yuan. They are late, sometimes by 10 minutes, sometimes by an hour....
6. No letter prefix — No Prefix (Common)
Trains with numbers without a letter prefix
The slowest and therefore the cheapest type of train in China. But it’s quite possible to go, since there is everything you need for your stay.
Types of carriages on Chinese trains
There are 4 types (classes) of cars:
1. hard seat- an analogue of the Russian electric train, that is, ordinary seats. It can shake the psyche of people who are not resistant to stress. But... it depends on how you approach it. If you like comfort, then travel in carriages of a higher class. The trick is that when seats run out, the box office starts selling tickets without a seat, i.e. standing. Our friend took such a ticket, but he had 2 days to travel! But nothing, he returned alive and well))
Schematic map of Chinese railways
And finally, a little video about the new expressway, connecting Beijing and Guangzhou. It's already built!
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