High Speed Trains in China
Dec 3, 2018, 1:25 pm
#77
formerly known as Tad's Broiled Steaks
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 6,412
Dec 3, 2018, 2:10 pm
#78
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 42,021
Dec 3, 2018, 6:32 pm
#79
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 38,410
Dec 5, 2018, 2:06 pm
#80
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,333
I am not suggesting that the stations are not in a good location for the residents that make up the vast majority of the customers for the line. I am just pointing this out to potential foreign tourists who are used to train stations being very conveniently located in city centers, where the tourists are. It is not necessarily bad, but it is worth knowing in advance if deciding between a train or plane.
Dec 5, 2018, 2:11 pm
#81
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,333
I was there two weeks ago. The main signs had English, but the destination board in the main ticketing room at Chengdu East was strictly Mandarin. This made it much more difficult for me to know which train to request. There may have been another destination board inside the station which alternated, but I could not find out since you need a ticket to get into the station. Even the board in the bus station alternated, much like the airport, so I am not sure why the main train station did not have this feature. You must have a much looser definition of the city center; it took about 30 minutes to reach from Luomashi.
Last edited by downinit; Dec 5, 2018 at 2:26 pm
Dec 5, 2018, 2:28 pm
#82
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 3,097
Yes, when it comes to buying as opposed to boarding, finding the schedule can be difficult. Larger stations may have electronic signs in the ticket office, but they are often hard to follow, rotating constantly through the day's schedule. Smaller stations may have nothing in the ticket office: you have to line up and ask. Since just about everyone in China uses the online schedule, this isn't a practical problem for just about everyone.
So to repeat, the message is: get onboard and buy online.
So to repeat, the message is: get onboard and buy online.
Dec 5, 2018, 2:34 pm
#83
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 42,021
Yes, when it comes to buying as opposed to boarding, finding the schedule can be difficult. Larger stations may have electronic signs in the ticket office, but they are often hard to follow, rotating constantly through the day's schedule. Smaller stations may have nothing in the ticket office: you have to line up and ask. Since just about everyone in China uses the online schedule, this isn't a practical problem for just about everyone.
So to repeat, the message is: get onboard and buy online.
So to repeat, the message is: get onboard and buy online.