Originally Posted by
susiesan
Is that because a lot of average Chinese cannot afford to ride the HSR trains?
What is near that Beijing subway station that it gets so crowded? The Cap Ren hotel we are staying at appears to be closest to either the Guomao Station or Shuangjing Station. I can't tell from the map which is the one to use for that hotel.
It's just that the CRH trains are not crowded at all by Chinese standards...sure they will push to get on, but it's so orderly compared to rush hour on the subway. Since you're not taking a K or T train you don't have to worry about 100 people standing in the aisle of your car.
What Jiejie mentions about the trains already being there is true for Shanghai Hangzhou trains always. It's a mad rush from the waiting room to the track itself, but getting on the train is a non issue. One point of advice - check which side of the train your seat is on before lugging all the luggage aboard. If your seat is on the other end of the coach it might be annoying trying to get it all down the aisle