Train is the main means of transport in China, and most people take the train for domestic travel though it is getting more popular to go by air. Travel by train is reasonably cheap, convenient and safe, and it is great fun to take train since you are able to see more on the way and to have chance to meet different people on your journey.
Railway lines connect Beijing with every province except Tibet. You may reach almost all the cities, even the county towns, by train. So if your destination has no airport close by, you could always take the train. Most passenger trains are pulled by diesel locomotives, and you may see some electric trains in mountainous areas. Steam locomotives are still in use in some areas for freight trains. Enthusiasts may be bale to see steam engines in railway museums, in some tourist regions or in some forestry areas.
On passenger trains, there are four types of seats: hard seat, soft seat, hard sleeper and soft sleeper. Soft class sleepers have comfortable 4-berth compartments with full bedding provided. Hard class sleepers provide bunks in open-plan dormitory cars, usually arranged in bays of 6 (upper, middle and lower) on one side of the aisle, with pairs of seats on the other side of the aisle for daytime use. The key trains on the Beijing-Shanghai and Beijing-Hong Kong routes also have modern air-conditioned 'deluxe soft class' with 2-berth compartments, as well as the normal soft class with 4-berth compartments. Most long-distance trains also have a restaurant car serving full meals.
It is Ok to take hard seats or soft seats for short-distance travel, but sitting upright for a journey longer than five hours is tiring. Sleepers are more comfortable especially for overnight travel. Foreigners usually take soft sleepers, which are more expensive but more comfortable and with greater privacy. Some foreign travellers prefer to take hard sleepers or even hard seats because it is a good way of meeting and having contact with ordinary Chinese passengers.
There are four main railway stations in Beijing. The largest is the newly-built Beijing West Railway Station (West Station) in the southwestern part of the city. Trains to the south, southwest and northwest usually leave from here. The second station was the largest before the West Station was completed. It is the Beijing Railway Station in the southeastern part of the city, close to the city centre. From there trains depart for the northeast, east and suburbs. The other two are the Yongdingmen Station (South Station) in the southern part of the city and the Xizhimen Station (North Station) in the northern part, from which slow trains depart.
Train tickets can be booked at your hotel or at the Foreigners' Ticket Office in the Beijing Railway Station and the West Station. It opens whole day with half hour or one hour breaks in lunch or dinner time. Normally you have to book your ticket a few days in advance, otherwise you have to take your chance, since tickets are in very short supply, especially in peak travel seaons(the Spring Festival, May Day 1st May, National Day 1st October). If you plan your journey beforehand, you can ask your travel agent to help you, which makes it much simpler for you.
