I did it! 1st time on China High Speed Rail.
What is the experience like taking China HSR...
1) Buy tickets
You can the HSR tickets on Trip.com, 12Go or the official 12306.cn. Sounds easy right, but guess what, tickets are available 15 days in advance, e.g. if you intend to take train on 15th Jan, than you buy tickets around 31st Dec. On trip.com & 12Go, any period above 15 days, you are actually put on a Q list. 12306.cn is the most intimidating platform as there are many options including 'hard seat', 'standing option' & even sleeper. I decided to stick to Trip.com as anything, reaching out to their service agents will be easier. On Trip.com, you get to choose seats & you see the seat number.
Also I prefer not to be placed on Q list as on Trip.com, it states they will try to procure your tickets up to 2 hrs prior departure. So I actually waited till the tickets are officially available so that I can get a more instantaneous confirmation.
You have to load details of your passports & whoever you are buying tickets for. Your passport will act like the ticket.
NOTE: You will not be allowed to buy duplicate tickets, e.g. a 2nd ticket under your name to the same destination. I guess this is to prevent people hoarding & reselling tickets.
2) Train station
The HSR is usually at the North station but some places do not have North station. E.g. I wanted to take HSR from Xi'an to Luoyang, so boarding is at Xi'an North Station but at Luoyang, the HSR station is Luoyang Longmen.
To enter the train station, we have to use the manual Q. There is also usual bag scanning. At 1 of the station, my friend had a water bottle & she is asked to put the water bottle on a scale device.
There's also F&B outlets at the train station, although price is more costly & less tasty. But you can easily pick up drinks & snacks.
3) Platform
You will need to check which platform is your train stopping at & Q there, about 15 to 20 minutes in advance. As foreigners, we use the manual Q & thankfully it's not that long. The manual Q is also for elderly & handicaps so they usually let these people go 1st.
4) The Train
I could only buy 2nd class tickets as only those were available on Trip.com by the time I went in when tickets are available. 2nd class tickets are 3 in a roll & relatively comfortable. However, within the cabin, there's not much rack space for you to place your luggage. We were traveling with 20 inch hence we were able to place the luggage on the top panel. If you are traveling with a big luggage, gd luck to you.. 1 lady had to place hers near the toilet.
5) My trip
I took the HSR from Xi'an to Luoyang, than Luoyang to Huashan & from Huashan back to Xi'an.
There's train attendant & cleaning lady so it's very orderly & clean.
Conclusion:
Overall it's quite a frustrating experience especially for a 1st timer when it comes to buying the tickets as tickets are available only 15 days in advance. .. although I'm not so sure if I can buy more in advance on 12306.cn.
Geared with this experience, I'm now more confident to do self travel in China.
#traveling , #Xi 'an, #highspeedtrain , #chinatravels , #chinatravelguide
When planning trips on China High Speed Rail (HSR), one key challenge I learned was the ticket purchasing process. Since tickets become available only 15 days before travel on most platforms like Trip.com, planning ahead is crucial. For instance, if visiting Wuxi, booking tickets online early is your best option to secure your preferred departure time and seat. Besides Trip.com, the official 12306.cn website is another avenue for ticket purchase, albeit more complex due to many ticket types and options. I found Trip.com user-friendly especially for foreigners, offering seat selection and better customer support. An important tip is to ensure your passport information is correctly entered as it acts as your ticket within China's transportation system. Also, avoid attempting to buy duplicate tickets under the same name for the same route, as this is restricted to prevent scalping. At train stations, be prepared for security checks including bag scans and occasionally placing liquids on scales for inspection. Knowing the exact boarding station matters because some cities have multiple HSR stations, for example, Xi'an North versus Luoyang Longmen. Arrive early to join the manual queue to board the train smoothly. Onboard, second-class seats are comfortable with three seats per row, but storage space is limited. If traveling with large luggage, plan accordingly since overhead racks may not accommodate big bags. Overall, despite some initial frustrations with ticketing and station procedures, traveling by China High Speed Rail is an efficient and orderly experience. With experience, self-guided travel across China via HSR becomes not only feasible but enjoyable. For anyone considering trips to Wuxi or other cities on the high-speed network, leveraging these practical tips enhances your journey and reduces stress.
