Traveling on China's Bullet trains

[Steve4031]

My father has expressed an interest in going to China and visiting Tsingtao which is now knows as Qingdao. I download an an Iphone app and determined that their is some sort of high speed train service from Beijing to Qingdao. I've researched the man in seat 61 website, and their info seems somewhat incomplete. Apparently one can only buy tickets in China 20 days or less before departure. The website also states that it is easy for one to buy tickets at the station. How easy is this? And how full do these trains run?

Thanks.

 

[tp49]

My father has expressed an interest in going to China and visiting Tsingtao which is now knows as Qingdao. I download an an Iphone app and determined that their is some sort of high speed train service from Beijing to Qingdao. I've researched the man in seat 61 website, and their info seems somewhat incomplete. Apparently one can only buy tickets in China 20 days or less before departure. The website also states that it is easy for one to buy tickets at the station. How easy is this? And how full do these trains run?

Thanks.

From my personal experience buying tickets is easier for Chinese than it is for non-Chinese speakers. In the major city stations generally there is only one window available for English language ticket purchases. Things have also changed very recently with the advent of the majority of ticket sales going online now. Doing it yourself with an international credit card also presents issues as the railway agency may or may not accept the card. Many places only take Chinese issued cards. There are "agencies" that would do the purchase for you but it drives up the cost. Unless he has his heart set on riding Chinese HSR I would recommend comparing the fee against a Chinese domestic airline ticket (use the website C-Trip). The stations also aren't the most western friendly and you are subject to airport style security when entering the rail station. It's not like it is here.

 

[Steve4031]

Thank you. We are both interested in the train because you can see the country from the window. We were in china before and ventured to the station in xi'an. It was so overwhelming we never even went inside. I thought the bullet train system would be better.

 

[rrdude]

I'd give my left eye-tooth to ride the new Chinese HSR, and would pay the extra to an agency to get me the tickets up front. Recent articles I've read stated, surprisingly, that many of the automated ticketing machines at the major stations have an "English" option, but not knowing one word of any of the languages that are spoken in China, "Winging it" would certainly add to the stress level.

I hope you choose to take the HSR, and regale us with a trip report.

 

[Steve4031]

We're in the early decision making process. If we go there will be a trip report.

 

[George Harris]

Admittedly it was a few years back, but based on the experience of acquaintance of mine, and a Hong Kong resident, I would NOT ride an internal airline flight in China, unless it was a life and death issue or close to it. An internal train ride, no problem.

 

[caravanman]

Hi,

I found this report of a high speed ride in China: China HST

Ed

 

[Steve4031]

Thanks. That was helpful.

 

[Steve4031]

It's official. I'm going. Flight booked last night.

 

[tp49]

Hi,

I found this report of a high speed ride in China: China HST

Ed

The guy who wrote that report is a friend of mine lol.

 

[Long Train Runnin']

Admittedly it was a few years back, but based on the experience of acquaintance of mine, and a Hong Kong resident, I would NOT ride an internal airline flight in China, unless it was a life and death issue or close to it. An internal train ride, no problem.

Can I ask why? In May I will be in China and will have the opportunity to ride 2 HSR lines as well as the bullet train to/from the Shanghai airport, but I'm set to fly between Beijing and Shanghai. It seems like its only a 90 minute flight, so I can't imagine it being a disaster.

 

[Shawn Ryu]

I might do this, since I am heading out to Shanghai and Guangzhou later this year.

 

[Steve4031]

Flyertalk has a entire forum about travel in china which is helpful. I've learned a lot there.

 

[George Harris]

Admittedly it was a few years back, but based on the experience of acquaintance of mine, and a Hong Kong resident, I would NOT ride an internal airline flight in China, unless it was a life and death issue or close to it. An internal train ride, no problem.

Can I ask why? In May I will be in China and will have the opportunity to ride 2 HSR lines as well as the bullet train to/from the Shanghai airport, but I'm set to fly between Beijing and Shanghai. It seems like its only a 90 minute flight, so I can't imagine it being a disaster.

The story was that the person was on a flight where for a while at cruise both pilots were out of the cockpit drinking coffee in the first class section, the comment being we have a very reliable autopilot so there is nothing to be concerned about. How common this is, I have no idea. This was something that happened 15 years ago, so take it all for what it is worth.

 

[PRR 60]

Admittedly it was a few years back, but based on the experience of acquaintance of mine, and a Hong Kong resident, I would NOT ride an internal airline flight in China, unless it was a life and death issue or close to it. An internal train ride, no problem.

Can I ask why? In May I will be in China and will have the opportunity to ride 2 HSR lines as well as the bullet train to/from the Shanghai airport, but I'm set to fly between Beijing and Shanghai. It seems like its only a 90 minute flight, so I can't imagine it being a disaster.

The story was that the person was on a flight where for a while at cruise both pilots were out of the cockpit drinking coffee in the first class section, the comment being we have a very reliable autopilot so there is nothing to be concerned about. How common this is, I have no idea. This was something that happened 15 years ago, so take it all for what it is worth.

The accident rates for China air carriers are comparable to those of USA carriers. I would not put much stock in a report of a single incident from 15 years ago.

Sometimes there is confusion between airlines in China, and the airline "China Air". China Air went through a period where their safety record was awful and was blamed on lax standards. China Air is a Taiwan carrier, not a mainland China carrier.

Airline Accident Rates

 

[tp49]

I flew China Eastern and Xiamen Airlines several times and never had or saw any problems except for an exceptionally long ground hold (4 hours) on a return from Xiamen to Shanghai.

 

[tp49]

Admittedly it was a few years back, but based on the experience of acquaintance of mine, and a Hong Kong resident, I would NOT ride an internal airline flight in China, unless it was a life and death issue or close to it. An internal train ride, no problem.

Can I ask why? In May I will be in China and will have the opportunity to ride 2 HSR lines as well as the bullet train to/from the Shanghai airport, but I'm set to fly between Beijing and Shanghai. It seems like its only a 90 minute flight, so I can't imagine it being a disaster.

You're referring to the maglev from Pudong Airport. I rode it out of necessity one night to pick up my sister there b/c Metro Line 2 stopped running to the airport before the maglev closed for the night. For what it is it wasn't worth the 50 Kwai considering you'd probably have to transfer to Metro Line 2 anyway to get to where the majority of the hotels are. Line 2 would cost under 5 Kwai for comparison. Looks flashy from the outside but the interior consists of cheap looking seats with bad seat covers. For what it costs I'd have expected better.

Domestic flights Shanghai to Beijing for the most part leave from Hongqiao Airport Terminal 2 (pretty much the same place as the HSR) and service between the two is very frequent. Metro Lines 2 and 10 service Hongqiao terminal 2. The flight wouldn't be a disaster and you'd even get a meal onboard unlike US domestic flights.

 

[George Harris]

Sometimes there is confusion between airlines in China, and the airline "China Air". China Air went through a period where their safety record was awful and was blamed on lax standards. China Air is a Taiwan carrier, not a mainland China carrier.
Airline Accident Rates

Yes, I remember the CAL accidents. I was living in Taiwan at the time they happened. Given the circumstances of these crashes, they did not stop me from using them. In the 96-97 time frame, I was on a China Airlines flight a couple of times a month between Taipei and Hong Kong, and a couple years later took several flights between Singapore and Taipei. Last time I was on a CAL flight was a round trip about 18 months ago between San Francisco and Taipei.

 

[Long Train Runnin']

Admittedly it was a few years back, but based on the experience of acquaintance of mine, and a Hong Kong resident, I would NOT ride an internal airline flight in China, unless it was a life and death issue or close to it. An internal train ride, no problem.

Can I ask why? In May I will be in China and will have the opportunity to ride 2 HSR lines as well as the bullet train to/from the Shanghai airport, but I'm set to fly between Beijing and Shanghai. It seems like its only a 90 minute flight, so I can't imagine it being a disaster.

You're referring to the maglev from Pudong Airport. I rode it out of necessity one night to pick up my sister there b/c Metro Line 2 stopped running to the airport before the maglev closed for the night. For what it is it wasn't worth the 50 Kwai considering you'd probably have to transfer to Metro Line 2 anyway to get to where the majority of the hotels are. Line 2 would cost under 5 Kwai for comparison. Looks flashy from the outside but the interior consists of cheap looking seats with bad seat covers. For what it costs I'd have expected better.

Domestic flights Shanghai to Beijing for the most part leave from Hongqiao Airport Terminal 2 (pretty much the same place as the HSR) and service between the two is very frequent. Metro Lines 2 and 10 service Hongqiao terminal 2. The flight wouldn't be a disaster and you'd even get a meal onboard unlike US domestic flights.

Its kind of expensive, but its more a joy ride then a necessity I want to ride more for the experience of the speed and to ride on mag lev since I've not had that opportunity before. Thanks for the info on Air China.

 

[tp49]

Admittedly it was a few years back, but based on the experience of acquaintance of mine, and a Hong Kong resident, I would NOT ride an internal airline flight in China, unless it was a life and death issue or close to it. An internal train ride, no problem.

Can I ask why? In May I will be in China and will have the opportunity to ride 2 HSR lines as well as the bullet train to/from the Shanghai airport, but I'm set to fly between Beijing and Shanghai. It seems like its only a 90 minute flight, so I can't imagine it being a disaster.

You're referring to the maglev from Pudong Airport. I rode it out of necessity one night to pick up my sister there b/c Metro Line 2 stopped running to the airport before the maglev closed for the night. For what it is it wasn't worth the 50 Kwai considering you'd probably have to transfer to Metro Line 2 anyway to get to where the majority of the hotels are. Line 2 would cost under 5 Kwai for comparison. Looks flashy from the outside but the interior consists of cheap looking seats with bad seat covers. For what it costs I'd have expected better.

Domestic flights Shanghai to Beijing for the most part leave from Hongqiao Airport Terminal 2 (pretty much the same place as the HSR) and service between the two is very frequent. Metro Lines 2 and 10 service Hongqiao terminal 2. The flight wouldn't be a disaster and you'd even get a meal onboard unlike US domestic flights.

Its kind of expensive, but its more a joy ride then a necessity I want to ride more for the experience of the speed and to ride on mag lev since I've not had that opportunity before. Thanks for the info on Air China.

Then take it during daylight hours instead as they restrict the speed at night. Also, for the best domestic airfares in China check out C-Trip. Air China isn't the only airline that flies the Shanghai-Beijing route. China Eastern does as well as several others. I flew China Eastern several times and never had an issue on them and it is easier, faster and cheaper to get from downtown to SHA then PVG.

 

[Shawn Ryu]

I flew China Eastern and Xiamen Airlines several times and never had or saw any problems except for an exceptionally long ground hold (4 hours) on a return from Xiamen to Shanghai.

Its not any mainland Chinese airline you need to be worrying about, its the China Air in Taiwan that has got serious issues from what I have heard.

 

[jis]

Then take it during daylight hours instead as they restrict the speed at night. Also, for the best domestic airfares in China check out C-Trip. Air China isn't the only airline that flies the Shanghai-Beijing route. China Eastern does as well as several others. I flew China Eastern several times and never had an issue on them and it is easier, faster and cheaper to get from downtown to SHA then PVG.

I have flown China Southern from Lhasa (TAR) to Kathmandu (Nepal). It was like any run of the mill 757 flight except for the idiotic Chinese security drill at Gongar Airport. The take off run was spectacularly long given the altitude of the airport. They actually pressurize the airport as soon as the doors are closed, since the internal pressure is supposed to be 7 to 8k feet, whereas the ground altitude there is over 11,000' even at the base of the Tsangpo (Bramhaputra) Valley.

 

[tp49]

I flew China Eastern and Xiamen Airlines several times and never had or saw any problems except for an exceptionally long ground hold (4 hours) on a return from Xiamen to Shanghai.

Its not any mainland Chinese airline you need to be worrying about, its the China Air in Taiwan that has got serious issues from what I have heard.

That wasn't why I said what I said. I'm also rather familiar with the Taiwanese airlines having flown Eva, China Airlines and FAT. My point is/was that the domestic experience on Chinese airlines wasn't bad and that the worst thing I experienced was a very long ground hold in Xiamen.

 

[tp49]

Then take it during daylight hours instead as they restrict the speed at night. Also, for the best domestic airfares in China check out C-Trip. Air China isn't the only airline that flies the Shanghai-Beijing route. China Eastern does as well as several others. I flew China Eastern several times and never had an issue on them and it is easier, faster and cheaper to get from downtown to SHA then PVG.

I have flown China Southern from Lhasa (TAR) to Kathmandu (Nepal). It was like any run of the mill 757 flight except for the idiotic Chinese security drill at Gongar Airport. The take off run was spectacularly long given the altitude of the airport. They actually pressurize the airport as soon as the doors are closed, since the internal pressure is supposed to be 7 to 8k feet, whereas the ground altitude there is over 11,000' even at the base of the Tsangpo (Bramhaputra) Valley.

I mentioned China Eastern by name because they hub in Shanghai and have the majority of flights out of SHA that was it.

 

[AC4400]

My father has expressed an interest in going to China and visiting Tsingtao which is now knows as Qingdao. I download an an Iphone app and determined that their is some sort of high speed train service from Beijing to Qingdao. I've researched the man in seat 61 website, and their info seems somewhat incomplete. Apparently one can only buy tickets in China 20 days or less before departure. The website also states that it is easy for one to buy tickets at the station. How easy is this? And how full do these trains run?

Thanks.

As far as I know, all the high speed trains (D and G class) from Beijing to Qingdao depart from newly remodeled Beijing South Station. Last December, My wife and I tried the Beijing-Tianjin Intercity Rail from that station. It is HUGE and airport-styled, and linked with subway line 4. Unlike other major train stations in Beijing, there is usually no line at the ticket booths in Beijing South. Also there are several ticket vending machines, so it shouldn't be a problem to buy tickets at the station.

As the high speed service between Beijing and Qingdao is somewhat frequent ---15 pairs per day --- I guess the trains shouldn't be very full after the Spring Festival season (ending on 2/16).