Trains & Flights in China: Booking, Boarding and Getting Around Long Distance

Trains in China are the fastest, cheapest way to explore the country — once you know how booking works. This guide covers high-speed rail, ticketing, seat classes and when flying makes more sense.

Last reviewed: September 2026 · Part of our Arrival & Settling In guide series.

China’s high-speed rail network is the largest in the world and the best way to travel within the country. Beijing to Shanghai takes about four and a half hours, city centre to city centre, and costs roughly the same as a discounted flight with none of the airport overhead. The system is efficient once you know how it works and opaque when you do not — particularly the booking, which releases tickets in a way that catches out every first-timer. This guide covers choosing between train and plane, booking with a foreign passport, navigating the stations, and getting through the holiday travel rushes.

Trains in China or Flights: Which to Pick?

About these fares: they are typical fares for orientation only. The official fare and journey time for your train are shown in 12306 when you book, and they change with the timetable.

The rule of thumb: under 1,000 km, take the train. Above about 1,500 km, or where no high-speed line exists, fly. Between those, compare prices — Chinese domestic flights are cheap and frequent.

Route type	Example	Train	Flight
Short (under 500 km)	Shanghai – Hangzhou	~1h, ¥75	Not worth it
Medium (500–1,200 km)	Beijing – Shanghai	4h30m, ¥550–660	2h15m flight + ~4h airport overhead
Long (1,500–2,500 km)	Beijing – Chengdu	7h30m, ¥800–900	2h40m — flight wins on time
Very long (2,500 km+)	Beijing – Kunming, Shanghai – Ürümqi	10–14h	Flight, unless you want the scenery

The comparison always comes down to door-to-door time rather than journey time. Chinese airports are far outside their cities and security is slow; high-speed stations are usually on the metro network. For a 1,000 km trip, the train is normally faster overall and considerably more comfortable.

For getting around within a city once you arrive, see the local transport guide.

Understanding Train Types

The letter prefix tells you everything:

• G (高铁, gāotiě) — high-speed. Up to 350 km/h. The fast, expensive, comfortable option. This is what you want.
• D (动车, dòngchē) — electric multiple unit. Up to 250 km/h. Slightly slower and slightly cheaper. Often runs on the same tracks.
• C (城际, chéngjì) — intercity. Short-haul regional services between neighbouring cities, e.g. Beijing–Tianjin.
• Z / T / K — conventional trains. Slower, much cheaper, with hard and soft sleeper berths. Useful for overnight journeys on a budget, and for routes without high-speed lines.

For most student travel, G and D trains are the practical choice. Conventional trains matter mainly for long overnight trips where a sleeper berth replaces a night’s accommodation.

Booking Train Tickets

Two routes: the official 12306 app, and third-party platforms.

12306 is the official railway booking system. It has an English interface, no booking fee, and full access to every train. The catch is registration: it requires a Chinese phone number, and it sometimes asks for additional identity verification for foreign passports. If you can get set up, use it — you get earliest access to tickets.

Trip.com (Ctrip) is the most reliable English-friendly alternative. It accepts international cards, has a clean English interface, and handles the passport details for you. It charges a small service fee (usually ¥10–30 per ticket). For most international students this is the sensible default, especially early on.

The critical mechanic: tickets go on sale 15 days before departure (this window has changed over time — check the current pre-sale window for your route in the 12306 app or on 12306.cn before you plan) and popular trains sell out within minutes of release. If you are travelling around a holiday, or on a busy route like Beijing–Shanghai on a Friday evening, book the moment tickets are released. Set an alarm.

Other practical points:

• Enter your passport details exactly as they appear on the document. A typo means you cannot board, and the name check is strict.
• One passport, one ticket. You cannot book for several people with one passport.
• You do not need a paper ticket. Since e-ticketing, your passport is your ticket. Scan it at the gate and go.
• Seats are assigned automatically unless you pay to select. On a train with two people, you may not be seated together.
• Changes and refunds are possible up to a few minutes before departure, with a fee that scales with how close to departure you are.

At the Station and On Board

Chinese high-speed stations are enormous — think airport terminals, not railway stations. Shanghai Hongqiao and Beijing South each handle hundreds of thousands of passengers a day. Arrive 45–60 minutes before departure, more at peak times.

The sequence on arrival:

1. Enter the station — passport check at the door. Have it ready.
2. Security screening — bags through the scanner, as at an airport. Liquids rules are relaxed compared to flying, but power banks must be under the capacity limit (currently 100Wh).
3. Find your gate (检票口) on the big departure board. Gates are numbered, and the board shows the train number, destination, departure time and gate.
4. Wait in the departure hall — gates typically open 15–20 minutes before departure and close about 3–5 minutes before.
5. Scan your passport at the gate and walk through. No paper ticket, no QR code.
6. Find your carriage and seat. Platform markings show carriage numbers; staff can point you.

On board, seats are numbered and there is overhead luggage space plus larger racks at the ends of carriages. Most G trains have a dining car and a trolley service, but the food is expensive and mediocre — buy something at the station. Power sockets are standard, and Wi-Fi exists but is unreliable. Bring your own connectivity plan; see the internet guide.

Station announcements are in Chinese and English on most high-speed services, but boarding announcements can be very short. Watch the screens.

Choosing Seat Classes

Class	Layout	Price vs second class	Worth it when
Business (商务座)	1+2, fully reclining	~3×	Rarely. You get a lie-flat seat and lounge access, at near-flight prices.
First (一等座)	2+2, wider seats	~1.6×	Long journeys, or when second class is full during holidays.
Second (二等座)	3+2, standard	Baseline	Almost always. Comfortable enough for 5–6 hours.
Standing (无座)	No seat	Same as second class	Only when you absolutely must travel and nothing else is available.

Second class is genuinely fine. The seats recline, there is a tray table and a power socket, and the ride is smooth. Paying for first class is a modest comfort upgrade rather than a transformation.

Booking Flights

Domestic flights in China are frequent and often cheap if booked a few weeks out. The main booking platforms are Trip.com (English, international cards, the default choice for foreigners), Fliggy (Alibaba’s travel app, integrates with Alipay) and Qunar (good for fare comparison).

Practical notes:

• Passport details must match exactly, as with trains.
• Chinese domestic flights have no passport control — it is like a domestic flight anywhere. You still need your passport as ID.
• Check-in closes 40–60 minutes before departure and is enforced strictly.
• Delays are common, particularly in summer and around holidays. Build in buffer if you have a connection.
• Baggage allowances are more generous than European budget carriers — typically 20 kg checked and 5 kg cabin on domestic routes.
• Liquids rules apply as at any airport; power banks must go in cabin baggage.
• Check which airport. Beijing (PEK / PKX), Shanghai (PVG / SHA) and Chengdu (CTU / TFU) each have two, and they are far apart. Confirm before you book onward transport.

Overnight Trains and Sleeper Berths

For very long routes or a tight budget, conventional Z and T trains offer sleeper berths, and they are a genuinely good option — you sleep on the train and save a night’s accommodation.

• Soft sleeper (软卧) — four berths in an enclosed compartment with a door. Around ¥350–500 on an overnight route. Comfortable, and the better choice for international students.
• Hard sleeper (硬卧) — six open berths in three tiers, no door. Around ¥200–300. Noisy, social, and a memorable experience if you are up for it.
• Hard seat (硬座) — genuinely uncomfortable on an overnight journey. Avoid for anything longer than about four hours.

Book these the same way as high-speed tickets. Berths sell out well in advance on popular routes, and the cheapest categories go first.

Holiday Travel and How to Survive It

Three periods turn Chinese transport into something else entirely:

• Spring Festival (Chinese New Year, Jan/Feb). The largest human migration on earth. Roughly three billion trips over 40 days. Trains between the big coastal cities and inland provinces sell out within seconds of release.
• Golden Week (1–7 October). A full week of national holiday. Tourist destinations and trains to them are packed.
• Summer (July–August). Student travel. Less extreme than the other two but still heavy on popular routes.

If you must travel at these times:

1. Book the moment tickets release — set an alarm for the exact release time and have your passport details pre-filled.
2. Be flexible on date and time. Travelling a day earlier or on an unpopular departure time dramatically improves your odds.
3. Consider flying when train tickets are gone — prices rise but availability often remains.
4. Buy a longer journey than you need. A common tactic: if Beijing–Xi’an is sold out, buy Beijing–Chengdu (which stops at Xi’an) and get off early. You pay more, but you travel.
5. Arrive at the station 90 minutes early. Security queues at peak times are substantial.

Final Thoughts

Once you have done it once, high-speed rail in China is the easiest long-distance travel you will ever use. Get 12306 or Trip.com set up with your passport details before you need it, book as early as the release window allows, arrive at the station with time to spare, and treat your passport as your ticket. For most of your travel in China, the train will beat the plane on time, price and comfort — and the view from the window is considerably better.

Official resources: China Railway 12306 — official train ticket booking (Chinese; use translation in your browser).

Sources

• 12306 (China Railway official site) — the only official online channel for mainland train tickets — timetables, fares and ID requirements (accessed 2026-09)
• Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) — air passenger rights, delays and baggage rules (accessed 2026-09)

Disclaimer: Rules, prices and platform features in China change frequently and can vary by city, institution and individual circumstances. Always confirm with the relevant authority or provider before making arrangements.