Chinese Sleeper Trains
‘Z’ category trains are the fastest and most modern long distance trains in China, running on routes such as Beijing-Shanghai and Beijing Xian.
They are composed of the very latest air-conditioned sleepers, plus bar and restaurant. Traveller Jim McCorry reports: “The train journey was exceptionally good; the sleeping accommodation was first class as was the service.
We also had the opportunity to meet and enjoy conversations, sometimes only in written form I may say, with a number of Chinese people sharing our compartment both going and returning. Booking in Beijing was relatively painless as they have a special booking office for foreigners.”
Thiese superb trains have top-quality brand-new air-conditioned sleeping-cars, far superior to any flight and saves time over flying, too. These trains are soft class only (no hard class) with 4-berth ordinary soft class sleepers, 2-berth deluxe soft class sleepers with private toilet, restaurant car (with menu in Chinese and English, beer a reasonable RMB15, the crispy fried prawns are recommended..!) and bar. It is reported that the on-board staff are helpful and speak some English, and the berths are even fitted with small TV screens.
Can anyone tell me about their sleeper train experience in China? I’m headed there for a family wedding. After we want to travel to Beijing, Xian, and Hong Kong. We’re trying to decide how to travel between cities. Thanks.
I took nite train last year from Beijing to Xian. Booked the soft sleeper which is a 4 bunker unit and more comfortable than the hard beds. It was a direct train with no stopovers. It depends on what you are used too.
I found it OK but can be a bit noisy as you can hear the train moving and also if there is baby or kid crying or someone snoring in your bunk it can be a bit disturbing. Also the 4 bedder units are 2 level bunks so if you are upper bunk you would need to climb up and down. For the lower bunk, it is more convenient but beware that the upp bunk people may sit around on the lower bunk bef it is sleeping time unless you are already lying down on the bed. You should specify when you purchase tickets which level – unless you are booking the entire unit of course. Also there is limited space for luggage – usu below the beds of lower bunks. Otherwise it does save a nite of hotel and some time travelling on overnite train.
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I have taken one from Beijing to Shanghai before. It is not bad, but not luxorious by any standards. I’ve experienced it before, but if I can afford it, I’d much rather fly. If you can afford it, try a train for one portion but not all legs for the trip because it takes much longer than a plane and is not that comfortable.
There are various categories. I think I booked the soft sleeper. There were 3 levels of bunk beds facing each other on 2 sides, so 6 people for each quarter. The people from the top will sit around your bed at the bottom bunk, and it’s a pretty high climb to the top bunk. The train was noisy and hard to sleep in with no privacy. Also, you are dealing with locals talking loudly and spitting in some places. The bathrooms were not that clean. There is almost no food served, with the exception of instant noodles and crackers, and a so-so restaurant. Most people buy their own food to bring with them.
I think the only category higher than my class is an individual room where you have a mini room with your own bed, sitting area, etc.
So, if you can afford it, take the train for one route (Beijing to Xian) and then fly to Hong Kong. Beijing to Hong Kong takes a few days, I think.
I don’t think Chinese trains are any worse than European ones. Soft sleeper = first class (4 bunks to a cabin)
Hard sleeper = second class (6 bunks to a cabin)
There is not much head room in hard sleeper but you only sleep there. When I travelled to Lhasa I had the bottom bunk and everybody else sat on my bunk during the day (and ate there). There are no doors on the cabins in hard sleeper.
It can save time/money if you take an overnight train and arrive at your destination early next morning (vs half a day getting to/from airports etc).
I am trying to decide weather to take a sleeper as well. On my last trip to China I only used trains to go between Shanghai, Suzhuo & Hangzhuo which were great.
However my husband traveled on the sleeper train from Beijing to Shanghai. While he didn’t mind it he said the bathrooms at the end of the trip were a horrible mess.
This has put me off a bit as we are traveling with our 14 year old daughter.
2nd class European couchettes are either 6 or 4 bed per compartment, with lockable(however flimsy)door.
Chinese hard sleepers are 6 per compartment with NO door. They used to have hard-sleeper bedrooms (4/compartment with door, no a/c) but that was 20 years ago.
European 1st class sleeping accommodation is either double or single. There is no quad. European couchettes are also air conditioned. Not so for Chinese hard sleeper.
I created a travel blog of my train trip from Beijing to Lhasa. When I was planning the trip I found it difficult to find first hand information on this train and hence I created some web pages that will hopefully help others. Once in Lhasa we traveled via Land Cruiser to Everest Base Camp and then to Katmandu. It was an amazing trip and I am now working on my travel blog for the Land Cruiser part of the trip. If I can answer any questions please feel free to get in touch. merikle.com/Tibet/TibetTrain/tibettrain2.html