Travel Forum - VirtualTourist.com

Travel Forums
	Get Beijing travel and vacation advice from over 1,000,000 VirtualTourist members. Post a Beijing travel question and get unbiased, timely answers and insights from real travelers and Beijing locals.
• Travel Forum Guidelines • Posting To The Right Location • Be a Travel Forum Guru

Beijing Resources: Travel Guide | Deals | Meetings | Local Members | Member Travel Pages

Back to Beijing Forum

Forum	Question	Posted By:	Replies:
Beijing	Train tickets Posted: Wed March 26, 2008 06:14 AM UTC Hello everyone, I need advice about booking train tickets. I will be in China in April and want to book an overnight train from Beijing to Shanghai on the 10th, from Shanghai to Hangzhou on the 13th, and Huangshan to Shanghai on the 16th. I have heard that tickets sellout hours after they are put on sale. I'm not sure if this is truth or just a fear tactic employed by tour group. Since I will be in Beijing only three days before I leave to Shanghai will I have enough time to purchase soft sleeper tickets or will they be sold out by then? Will I have to purchase tickets before I am even in China to ensure I catch these train (which I must)? I looked up purchasing tickets on the CITS websight but they absolutely take advantage and charge over double what I would normally pay. They say to reserve tickets 25 days in advance. But I have heard that tickets don't go on sale until 10 days before departure and in other cases I heard they don't go on sale until 2 or 3 days. Which is true? Plus, I don't know the logistics about picking up the tickets if booked through CITS. Does anyone know of an economical way to purchase train tickets online or through another agency? If you think there is a good chance that there will be tickets when I get to China, I will wait. Thanks for your help. Report Advertising or Inappropriate Posting	zenastar	2 replies [Reply]

Forum

Question

Posted By:

Replies:

Beijing

Train tickets
Posted: Wed March 26, 2008 06:14 AM UTC

Hello everyone,
I need advice about booking train tickets. I will be in China in April and want to book an overnight train from Beijing to Shanghai on the 10th, from Shanghai to Hangzhou on the 13th, and Huangshan to Shanghai on the 16th. I have heard that tickets sellout hours after they are put on sale. I'm not sure if this is truth or just a fear tactic employed by tour group.

Since I will be in Beijing only three days before I leave to Shanghai will I have enough time to purchase soft sleeper tickets or will they be sold out by then? Will I have to purchase tickets before I am even in China to ensure I catch these train (which I must)?

I looked up purchasing tickets on the CITS websight but they absolutely take advantage and charge over double what I would normally pay. They say to reserve tickets 25 days in advance. But I have heard that tickets don't go on sale until 10 days before departure and in other cases I heard they don't go on sale until 2 or 3 days. Which is true? Plus, I don't know the logistics about picking up the tickets if booked through CITS.

Does anyone know of an economical way to purchase train tickets online or through another agency?

If you think there is a good chance that there will be tickets when I get to China, I will wait.

Thanks for your help.

Report Advertising or Inappropriate Posting

zenastar

2 replies

[Reply]

Beijing

Re: Train tickets
Posted: Wed March 26, 2008 06:42 AM UTC

I should be able to help you out for the Shanghai -- Hangzhou and Huangshan -- Shanghai tickets. You previously emailed me so I presume you still have my email?

Was this reply helpful?

yes