How can train tickets be delivered to hotel with new ID policy?
Sep 27, 2014, 8:59 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 26
How can train tickets be delivered to hotel with new ID policy?
I want to get tickets for the bullet train from Shanghai to Beijing. I see that Travel China Guide and ctrip both offer to deliver tickets to a hotel for a fee. However, I also read that as of early 2014 your passport needs to be checked before you can get a ticket. So how can they deliver tickets without checking my ID? Do I then have to wait on line at the train station for someone to check my ID? Or do they do this before I board? Or do they not do it at all? I would prefer getting tickets before my trip so I don’t waste sightseeing time in Shanghai waiting on line to get train tickets to Beijing.
Any thoughts on this would be appreciated.
Thx!
Any thoughts on this would be appreciated.
Thx!
Sep 27, 2014, 9:57 am
#2
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: China and Canada
Posts: 1,886
It takes 5 minutes to pick up the train at the station, no big deal.
You will need to send a copy of your passport to these agents. I think that for ctrip, you need to be there when they deliver. Sounds more annoying than picking them up at the station.
In any case, they may still verify your passport at the station.
You will need to send a copy of your passport to these agents. I think that for ctrip, you need to be there when they deliver. Sounds more annoying than picking them up at the station.
In any case, they may still verify your passport at the station.
Sep 27, 2014, 10:49 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 26
Just 5 minutes? That sounds fine. However, when I was researching on the Internet, I saw advice to come an hour ahead since the line for pickup could be half-hour or more. This would be at Hongqiao railway station. This uncertainty was why I preferred to send tickets to hotel. I didn't realize you had to be there to pick them up though. I had not read that anywhere.
Sep 27, 2014, 11:19 am
#4
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: China and Canada
Posts: 1,886
Check the fine print on the ctrip website. You are not going to arrive at the train station 5 minutes before your train in any case. There is a line for picking up tickets bought on the internet. This line is quite fast as half the people in this line are in the wrong line and turned back. Also it is better to pick up the tickets "in the station" (after the xray machines) as there are fewer people there.
also you can just ask your hotel to get you the tickets
also you can just ask your hotel to get you the tickets
Sep 27, 2014, 5:21 pm
#5
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 42,129
It takes 5 minutes to pick up the train at the station, no big deal.
You will need to send a copy of your passport to these agents. I think that for ctrip, you need to be there when they deliver. Sounds more annoying than picking them up at the station.
In any case, they may still verify your passport at the station.
You will need to send a copy of your passport to these agents. I think that for ctrip, you need to be there when they deliver. Sounds more annoying than picking them up at the station.
In any case, they may still verify your passport at the station.
Sep 27, 2014, 10:46 pm
#6
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: China and Canada
Posts: 1,886
You are right, according to their website, they now allow for the hotel staff to sign for them. I guess that you need to be checked into the hotel when you buy them or advise the hotel to keep them for you.
Sep 30, 2014, 10:40 pm
#8
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: YSC (and all its regularly scheduled flights)
Posts: 2,528
Dr. PITUK
Edit. Just noticed that it was leaving from Shanghai, so maybe the rules are different there. Sorry!
Oct 1, 2014, 8:59 am
#9
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 186
You should probably allow 20 minutes to pick up the ticket at the station. It is never obvious to me which counter to go to pick up the tickets, so I normally go to the front of one of the lines and ask the person at the window which queue to join.
Oct 2, 2014, 5:31 pm
#11
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 42,129
Where did you read this? 15 minutes is fine because boarding doesn't start until t-10. The only reason I can think of to arrive at t-30 is to allow time to load up on KFC for the journey, but it's far better to get real food (e.g. Wagas, Element Fresh, City Super) in town first if you can fit it into your schedule.
Oct 2, 2014, 11:12 pm
#12
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: China and Canada
Posts: 1,886
Where did you read this? 15 minutes is fine because boarding doesn't start until t-10. The only reason I can think of to arrive at t-30 is to allow time to load up on KFC for the journey, but it's far better to get real food (e.g. Wagas, Element Fresh, City Super) in town first if you can fit it into your schedule.
Oct 3, 2014, 12:41 am
#13
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 42,129
No way. Taxis drop off in the middle so the maximum walk is around three minutes. The subway to track 1 walk takes 8 minutes but I don't count the first half of this in my 15 minute recommendation because you're not actually in the train station.
Oct 27, 2014, 8:26 pm
#14
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: SFO
Posts: 1,760
What is the preferred web site to purchase G train tickets from Beijing to Shanghai?
http://english.ctrip.com/
http://www.travelchinaguide.com/chin...11%2F26%2F2014
http://www.cits.net/trains/china-domestic-trains.dhtml
http://english.ctrip.com/
http://www.travelchinaguide.com/chin...11%2F26%2F2014
http://www.cits.net/trains/china-domestic-trains.dhtml
Oct 27, 2014, 10:01 pm
#15
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: China and Canada
Posts: 1,886
There are many agents, most are ok. The one that I have used and who has excellent reviews is www.china-diy-travel.com