Traveling around China by train is not only a great way to save money, but also an opportunity to get to know the country from the inside. China boasts an extensive railway network, as well as modern and extremely comfortable trains. We will tell you about the most exciting routes in this article.
1. Xining – Lhasa
Journey duration: 22 hours
Length: 1,956 km
Ticket price: 495 yuan (4,046 ₽) for a reserved seat, 781 (6,385 ₽) for a compartment
Visa: To visit Tibet you need a tourist permit. An entry permit must be obtained in advance from the tour operator. You can contact any travel agency (both in Russia and China). The original permit is checked when boarding the train to Lhasa.
The route from Xining to Lhasa is considered the most beautiful section of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway. This is the highest mountain railway in the world. In China it is often called the “path to heaven.” The train at the Tang La mountain pass rises to a maximum height of five thousand meters above sea level, and also passes through the Fenghuoshan tunnel – the longest tunnel built in the high-mountain tundra zone.
Along the route, the windows offer stunning views of endless deserts, mountain lakes and snow-capped peaks. Each carriage is provided with additional oxygen to prevent altitude sickness. At some stations, if there are no passengers boarding or disembarking, the doors are not even opened to prevent rarefied air from entering. Protection from solar radiation is also provided.
2. Hefei – Fuzhou
Journey duration: 4 hours
Length: 813 km
Price: 350 yuan (2,861 ₽) for seats in a second-class carriage, 600 (4,905 ₽) for seats in a first-class carriage
After the opening of the Hefei-Fuzhou high-speed railway in June 2015, travel time between the two cities was reduced from fourteen to four hours. The road immediately won the title of “the most beautiful high-speed railway route in China”, and absolutely deservedly so.
Most of the road passes through bridges and tunnels. In total, there are 170 bridges and 54 tunnels along the train route. The longest of them is a railway bridge over the Yangtze River with a length of 50 km.
Along the route, travelers will see several popular tourist places, the most colorful of which, of course, are the Huangshan and Wuyi Mountains, which are included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
3. Xi’an – Urumqi
Journey duration: 33 hours
Length: 2,526 km
Price: 544 yuan (4,450 ₽) for a reserved seat, 846 (6,916 ₽) for a compartment
This route completely repeats the section of the Great Silk Road – the caravan road connecting East Asia with the Mediterranean in antiquity and the Middle Ages.
On the route, passengers enjoy stunning views of the Yellow River, Asia’s largest desert – the Gobi, the westernmost fortification on the Great Wall of China – the Jiayuguan Fortress, as well as the Tianchi “Heavenly Lake”, famous for its crystal clear water.
4. Beijing — Ulaanbaatar
Journey duration: 30 hours
Length: 1,167 km
Price: 1200 yuan (9,810 ₽) for a reserved seat, 1800 (14,715 ₽) for a compartment
Visa: Russian citizens do not require a visa to Mongolia, provided that the period of stay in the country does not exceed 30 days.
Traveling on the Trans-Mongolian Railway is an unforgettable experience. In addition to the unique natural landscapes, fellow travelers will also be of great interest – the Chinese, Mongols, Uyghurs – a real mosaic of different religions and cultures.
Since China and Mongolia have different gauges, at the Erenhot border station, along with customs inspection, wheel sets are also replaced. The train is literally lifted into the air, the wheels are changed, and then lowered onto another track.
Photo: Korea rail network authority
5. Beijing – Pyongyang
Journey duration: 23 hours
Length: 808 km
Price: may vary
Russian citizens can visit North Korea only as part of an organized tourist group or accompanied by an individual guide.
The capital of two states: China and North Korea is connected by train No. 27. There is only one class of tickets for this route: soft sleeper. Trains operate on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
The coolest thing about this route is not the landscapes outside the window (although they, of course, will not leave anyone indifferent),
and a unique chance to communicate in an informal setting with Koreans, to touch their lives. During an official tourist trip around the country, such an opportunity may not arise. As a rule, guides do not allow tourists to approach DPRK citizens for a kilometer.
And finally, some useful tips about traveling around China by train.
- Most tickets can be booked up to 60 days before your intended travel date. However, some tickets can only be purchased 20 or 10 days in advance.
- Only passengers with tickets are allowed into the station building; at the entrance, everyone’s passport is checked and data is entered into the computer, things are scanned, passengers are searched. Everything is like at the airport.
- For first class passengers there are special waiting rooms with soft chairs.
- They are allowed onto the platform only when the train arrives; you cannot go down earlier.
- The compartment has no doors and 3 rows of shelves instead of two.
- If you are coming from the terminal station, the bed linen will already be laid and it will be fresh. If you stopped at an intermediate station, it is possible that someone has already slept on this linen before, and no one is going to change it. These are the realities.
- Keep your ticket until the end of your trip. At the exit, it will need to be attached to the turnstile reader.
