Originally Posted by
halfpny
Thanks moondog! I'll probably ping my hostel a few days in advance to see if I can get my train ticket a little earlier. I've got everything else taken care of, including my return flight from Xi'an using ctrip.
Unless you're prepared to send them cash in advance, this is a waste of time. But, don't panic; you'll (almost definitely) be able to get tickets after you arrive in Beijing.