Browsed through a few informative sites. Still have a few questions about travel by train from Beijing to Hangzhou. I've done Shanghai to Hangzhou, but not from Beijing.

1. Does G33 (and/or G1) go from Beijing to Hangzhou via Shanghai (ie stop in HQ; or change train in HQ)?
2. Possible to book ticket online with US credit card? If so, web site please?
3. Prefer fastest trains, are they booked up early? How far in advance should I buy ticket if I have to do it in person at South Station?

TIA.

Stop in Shanghai Hongqiao, no change train.

Not possible on the official 12306.cn. You need to check third party services.

G33 is pretty nice. You can always watch how many tickets left on 12306.cn or more friendly http://yupiao.info/. yupiao.info is a proxy to 12306.cn with automatic CAPTCHA recognition, fill the "发到站" box with "北京" (Beijing) and "杭州" (Hangzhou), select the date of departure, and click "查询" button. On the result page, "软座" number is how many first class seats left, "硬座" number is how many second class seats left and "其他" column should have business class information.

Is there a reason you must purchase at South Station? If you will be staying in Beijing prior, it is probably easier to purchase at one of the numerous satellite offices all over the city, if you want to do it yourself rather than have hotel do it. www.cnvol.com has a Train Ticket Office Search function on it. Or hotel can direct you to closest one.

Outside of holiday periods, I would think that you could get a ticket on one of these two trains a couple of days in advance of your departure date, particularly if you're not fussy about taking either first or second class.

I would fly this route because:

1) You're looking at 7.5 hours -- door to door -- on the train v. ~5 on the plane
-in spite of the fact that all of us have wasted huge chunks of time sitting around Chinese airports or being held captive on planes, 2.5 hours is a pretty serious cushion

2) The price difference is negligible if you are somewhat flexible

Basically, at 4 hours, the train wins on BJ-NJ. At 5 hours, BJ-SH is a toss up. At 6 hours, the train loses to the plane on BJ-HZ. (Flying time is more or less the same in all 3 cases.)

Nice to know this. Does this apply to trains G33 & G1? I am looking at early morning departure (around 8-ish).

Well, I am currently learning Chinese (through self study and talking with friends).
Thanks for the link. Just a test run, I tried to copy/paste the Chinese characters onto "yupiao" site. This is what I get back: 05月09日至05月12日 g33次列车 北京 至 杭州 的剩余火车票额
I noted that the search engine allows up to +12 days from current date only.

Thanks.

jiejie,
As alwlays, appreciate your local insight!
For new stations and those I have not visited (SOuth station being one; and if I have time), I usually want to go there and scott it out. For example, I do not want to go to Shanghai Railway Station to get ticket as the place is/was a zoo. I found things over at HQ station are a lot more orderly, including people.

I was not aware of satellite ticket offices, but will check it out.

moondog,
Appreciate your cost/benefit analysis. You are absolutely right about the time duration and the negligible savings. I too would normally fly this route too.
I am pursuing some train experiences around the world. Just returned from a train trip in Central and Northern Europe. Real fun.
Thought its time to do some in China. Working on a personal pet project, btw.

Frequencies differ. Note that while all Beijing-Shanghai trains without exception stop at Nanjing South (and the frequencies of planes Beijing-Lukou are less than those Beijing-Shanghai), only a few Beijing-Shanghai trains continue direct to Hangzhou.

Also, while express trains Beijing-Shanghai exist, none of them continue direct to Hangzhou. You might connect at Hongqiao from an express train to local high speed train - but that is a connection. The direct trains are slow, stopping trains between Beijing and Shanghai.

How much time is a connection worth for you?

I mean, given a choice between say 5 hours on one train, 1/2 hours connection, 1/2 hours second train, arriving in 6 hours, or a direct train but taking 6 1/2 hours, which would you prefer? Direct train means you can settle in your seat, put away your hand luggage and stay there save for toilet and restaurant visits at your leisure.

The Beijing-Hangzhou trains are important for being the longest high speed trains anywhere - 1487 km.

How long shall Longhua-Wuhan-Zhengzhou-Xian trains be this July?

If your plans are some time ahead, note that on unknown days of December 2012, Nanjing-Hangzhou and Hangzhou-Ningbo high speed railways shall open. What shall the service patterns be there?

You could fly to Hongqiao and then take the train for the last mile. Honestly I'd fly this route unless there was an overnight option.

Actually, my personal choice on this route, especially if I wanted the experience and Chinese language practice (and save springing for a hotel night), would be the excellent express overnight train Z9, leaving Beijing Main Station at 19:15 and arriving Hangzhou station at 08:28. Only one intermediate stop in the morning so they roll very steady through the night, and normally very punctual. A soft sleeper lower berth will only set you back about RMB 540. Z's are still great trains even if they aren't HSR.

The Nanjing - Hangzhou line would, AFAIK, be routed through Suzhou?

+1

Nope. The new line goes around the south side of Taihu, passes Yixing and Huzhou.

South side of Taihu would be within Suzhou city limits. No stop there at a new or existing station?

Please take a look at a map and you'll understand. Suzhou is on the E shore of the lake, Yixing on the W shore and Huzhou on the S shore.