When you are travelling in China sooner or later you will have to us trains and the Chinese trains are just so incredible you will love them. There is an extensive new network of high speed trains now - with a large range of amazing routes all over China - yes it's the world's largest country and to see it by train is a fantastic travel experience.
On my first high speed train in China I was on the Shenzhen North to Shaoguan route. Not a common route I must add, but in 2012 this gave me my first experience of the new high speed trains in China. We were heading to Shaoguan in order to see the mountains and rock formations at Danxiashan.
How to book your train in China
It's best not to book anything in advance - remember this is China! Head to the train station on the day and book your ticket for that day when you're there. If you do have to wait a few hours that's no problem. Or there might be another route you can take. Make sure you have cash - it's payment in cash at these stations in China.
The hardest thing while booking a high speed train ticket in China will be the communication. When buying a ticket, I'd recommend writing in Chinese the name of the place you want to go. This will make it easy for them to get you the correct ticket. If there's a country you can easily get lost in, it's China!
The trip and route from Shenzhen North to Shaoguan
11.52 am - At Shenzhen North Station. Go through the checkpoint at Gate B15 and get on carriage 7, seat 18. Leave within minutes, making Shenzhen disappear in a flash.
12.26 pm - Stop at Guangzhou South for a few minutes. I've opened a can of Guinness and we leave Guangzhou trailing in our wake. A tough ask, given that it's a massive city. We reach a speed of 308 kilometres per hour at 12.44pm - this turns out to be the maximum speed we reach on the trip.
1.44 pm - Arrival at Shaoguan train station and you get off the train here. The train does actually continue but we were backpacking in this area so got off.
What to do on a High Speed Train in China
- Update your travel blog
- Marvel at the views of Chinese countryside
- Crack open a tin of beer
- Have a sleep
- Relax
- Marvel at the train's velocity
- Eat (there will be a food trolley on board or bring your own)
- Bring a travel book to read
That's it! Enjoy your train journey in China!
On my first high speed train in China I was on the Shenzhen North to Shaoguan route. Not a common route I must add, but in 2012 this gave me my first experience of the new high speed trains in China. We were heading to Shaoguan in order to see the mountains and rock formations at Danxiashan.
How to book your train in China
It's best not to book anything in advance - remember this is China! Head to the train station on the day and book your ticket for that day when you're there. If you do have to wait a few hours that's no problem. Or there might be another route you can take. Make sure you have cash - it's payment in cash at these stations in China.
The hardest thing while booking a high speed train ticket in China will be the communication. When buying a ticket, I'd recommend writing in Chinese the name of the place you want to go. This will make it easy for them to get you the correct ticket. If there's a country you can easily get lost in, it's China!
The trip and route from Shenzhen North to Shaoguan
11.52 am - At Shenzhen North Station. Go through the checkpoint at Gate B15 and get on carriage 7, seat 18. Leave within minutes, making Shenzhen disappear in a flash.
12.26 pm - Stop at Guangzhou South for a few minutes. I've opened a can of Guinness and we leave Guangzhou trailing in our wake. A tough ask, given that it's a massive city. We reach a speed of 308 kilometres per hour at 12.44pm - this turns out to be the maximum speed we reach on the trip.
1.44 pm - Arrival at Shaoguan train station and you get off the train here. The train does actually continue but we were backpacking in this area so got off.
What to do on a High Speed Train in China
- Update your travel blog
- Marvel at the views of Chinese countryside
- Crack open a tin of beer
- Have a sleep
- Relax
- Marvel at the train's velocity
- Eat (there will be a food trolley on board or bring your own)
- Bring a travel book to read
That's it! Enjoy your train journey in China!
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