moondog

If you know one train lady from each base (BJ and SH), you can learn the truth. The way it works is they typically get to ride on an express train in one direction, and a 3-digit train in the reverse direction.

allset2travel

I've been scratching my head about the train # system, until your expplanation. Nice job. ^

chornedsnorkack

More details:
The 3 number trains G101...G163 are numbered in order of departure time - except the few missing numbers: G103, G133, G137. These seem to represent trains that once have exist, but were cancelled - when a train is omitted by schedule change, the remaining trains were left unchanged rather than renumbered.

Of course, the 3 series of Beijing-Shanghai trains, namely G1...G3, G11...G21 and G101...G163, are ordered each in its own series, with no relation between numbers of different series.

The other Gxx and Gxxx trains are different terminus pairs on Jinghu railways. Of which Beijing-Hangzhou also covers Beijing-Shanghai, and has numbers G3x...G4x.

G7x, G8x, G9x, G17x and everything past G24x seems unassigned.

G5x is Tianjin West-Hangzhou
G6x is Jinan West-Hangzhou

G18x is Beijing-Jinan West
G19x is Beijing-Qingdao via Jinan and Jinghu railway
G20x is Beijing-Nanjing South
G21x is Tianjin West-Shanghai

G22x and G23x is double-numbered trains on Shanghai-Qingdao - changing direction and therefore number at Jinan. For example G221 is Jinan-Shanghai part of G224/G221. G223 is Jinan-Qingdao part of G222/G223.

moondog

I'm writing this post from G155. I showed up at 北京南站 at 230p this afternoon, with the goal of snagging a second class ticket on G3, which leaves at 3p, and only stops in Nanjing. Second class was sold out, so my choices were to either pay an extra y400 for first class OR spend 1:20 at Burger King and an extra 30 minutes on the train (because the 3 digit trains stop in ~7 places). I opted for the latter because, even when I do first class, I'm always in the dining car.

While I didn't like having to waste an hour of my time at BK, I must say that I don't mind this slightly slower train because actually stopping in these random cities (as opposed to blowing through them at 310 kph) gives you a chance to see them in a bit more detail. For example, Dezhou? I had never heard of it until my train stopped there and I googled it. Apparently, it is the greenest city in China.

All that having been said, buying train tickets in advance is clearly the best course of action, whether or not you want to stop in Nanjing only or 7 other places.

mosburger

I basically only travel first or biz class on the CRH trains. The comfort advantage is quite noticeable for a 190 cm/100 kg guy like myself. Tend to get backache sitting too long in the narrow coach class seats.

Dining car is ok when on short journeys with friends but I could actually not imagine being there for five hours or more. Much prefer reclining the seat and grabbing a coffee, tea or beer from the cabin vendors.

I love this in any country, train travel is really the civilized way to arrive anywhere. Still remember coming off a night train at Xi'an with my Chinese mentor and business partner and being whisked away by friends for a breakfast meal and then to our hotel.

I'm getting more and more familiar with the Shanghai ticket outlets and their locations. No point at all really to go to the railway stations for purchasing train journeys.

mnredfox

moondog, so is your strategy to b-line it to the dining car, grab a comfy seat and order a coffee while camping out there the whole trip?

moondog

While I assume they have coffee on offer, since I don't drink coffee, I can't opine on its quality, but based on the rest of the stuff they sell (apart from the beer/Coke), I'm guessing you wouldn't like it.

You don't have eat or drink anything in order to sit in the dining car. I regard it as a mobile office (I typically travel on work days, so sitting upright and accomplishing stuff is preferable to sleeping for me). All you need is internet access + KFC, and you're assured of a pleasant/productive journey.

former230

Just a follow up post on this topic - my trip is now 6 weeks out...getting closer!

Still planning on taking the HSR from Beijing to Shanghai (one way) on a friday (nov 16th)

I was thinking of emailing my hotel concierge in BJ in advance to get me 3 one way tickets but I am not sure if this would be possible as it appears passports are required for foreigners purchasing tickets and it sounds like we should have plenty of time to get them at 48 hours in advance anyways (unless perhaps fridays are very busy for travel to SH).

One clarification I am hoping someone can address - once in Beijing, where can we actually purchase the tickets? Only at the main HSR train station?

Otherwise, I will be reporting back my experience here in case anyone else who is completely new to it (like me) wants to see another data point.

Thanks.

jiejie

I think it's wise to plan to take the train, given the high chance of foggy weather at PEK in November, which can play havoc with airport schedules. While not normally a heavy train travel period, it will be a Friday and I think you should try to get tickets in advance if not too much hassle and if the surcharge isn't too great. You can email the concierge, but expect to have to front the money before you arrive, and send scans of each traveler's passport info page (if they agree).

If you have no luck or want to wait until arrival, you don't have to go to Beijing South Station. You can purchase these tickets at any remote ticketing office--they are all over the city and the hotel can direct you to the closest one. One person can take all 3 passports, no need for all travelers to show up at the window. Surcharge for buying away from the station is RMB 5 per ticket, a bargain considering it's more convenient and civilized. If nobody in your party speaks Mandarin, have the information you want to convey (train, class of service, # of seats) written down in Chinese by the concierge.

moondog

I've had good luck procuring train tickets very close in recently, even at the train station itself, but I like to try to get them the day before when my schedule permits. Most hotels don't like getting train tickets for their guests before they show up so much that I probably wouldn't even bother asking.

former230

Thanks for the information! This is very helpful. ^

Good to know. I will plan on buying the tickets the day I arrive.

mosburger

Nowadays I use the remote ticket shops almost exclusively, for the reasons jiejie mentioned.

But please do remember their opening times are limited depending on location. I know some that close as early as 4:30 pm. They also close for lunch.

moondog

The passports are kind of a non-issue because every channel I've used is fine with passport scans (sometimes I just show them my computer screen in cases when printing is inconvenient) and, some are cool with numbers only.

Like I intimated before, the real issue is that hotels aren't really all that jazzed about buying train tickets for their guests (many won't even do it for people with cash in hand, let alone extend credit). If you know someone in Beijing, you can ask them to buy for you, but I only offer to do this for people who need hard-to-fetch tickets; Beijing-Shanghai G trains usually don't fall into this category. To be sure, they run at pretty high occupancy rates in 2nd class, but since there is so much capacity, it's pretty easy to get tickets even on G3 (the most desirable of all because it only has one station stop, and unlike G1, you don't have to go to the station during rush hour in order to catch it).

nothingclever

Please accept my apology in advance if this response is not appropriate. I did not purchase tickets for the Beijing route, this is just general information.

I must be lucky as I have had very good luck with purchasing tickets through several hotel concierges, however they all wanted to wait until I was actually at the hotel. Each hotel I contacted via e-mail was able to provide the schedule in advance which was nice since the CNVOL information was hit or miss. I used this information to narrow down my options.

This past July:
The Renaissance Suzhou charged a 50 rmb surcharge (a bargain since that meant that I did not have to visit a ticket office myself). I arrived at the hotel at 7:30 PM and had the tickets dropped off by 10 PM.

The Changzhou Traders Fudu charged a 10 rmb surcharge. Since I was visiting suppliers all day, I do not know how long it took them to obtain the tickets for me.

The remaining tickets were purchased at ticket windows in Shanghai and Hangzhou. Interestingly enough, the only ticket I had a problem with is the one that a supplier insisted on "helping" me with... at the English speaking counter.

I am heading back in November and will attempt to use one of the online options with the help of one of my suppliers. I think that they are just happy that I won't force them to pick me up at Pudong so they are more than willing to front the money until I see them.

chornedsnorkack

Bengbu-Hefei high speed railway opened today!

The fastest of 4 trains Beijing-Hefei so far was Z73, an overnight train taking 9:41. Now there are also 7 G trains daily, numbers G261...G273 and 29, of which the fastest, G29, takes 3:50 and the rest between 4:00 and 4:33.