Originally Posted by moondog
the fastest trains do that route in 12 hours. i've never once seen any of the ptv/headphone setups that you speak of, but it's possible that this is a new (within past 6 weeks) enhancement. soft sleepers cost y476 for the top and y499 for the bottom (about $65 given current forex).
in response to the poster below, i've had a change of heart regarding the widebodies this year because my primary objective is to get there quickly and the 737s seem to be better at that (if nothing else, they are faster to load/unload). but, as i mentioned in my first post to this thread, comfort all comes down to one's ability to park himself in an exit row.
Few Z trains (not all of them, e.g. Z1, Z3, Z13, Z21) do have PTV/headphone in SoftSleeper cars.
Be aware: these nonstop Beijing-Shanghai trains generally depart between 7 pm-9 pm. Outside of this narrow window, your choices are limited.