Rail travel in China
Photo: N509FZ, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Train travel is the main method of long-distance transportation for the Chinese, with an extensive network of routes covering most of the country. Roughly a quarter of the world's total rail traffic is in China.
China has the world's largest network of high-speed railways, and expansion continues at a frantic pace. It is also home to the world's only high-speed sleeper trains due to the vast distances covered. If your route and budget allow then these are generally best way to get around.
Hong Kong has a high-speed rail station that opened to the public in 2018. Macau is not directly served by the railway network, but it is connected via light rail.
Types of trains and servicesChinese trains are split into different types of services designated by letters and numbers indicated on the ticket and the train number.
ClassesThe high-speed (CRH) trains usually have five classes:
Booking ticketsThe sale of train tickets usually starts 20 days in advance, either online via the China Rail booking site or at the major train stations' ticket offices. Two days later, tickets can be bought at private agencies.
Train stationsMany cities have multiple different stations for normal trains and high-speed trains. High speed station names usually consist of the city name and the cardinal direction (for example Héngyángdōng "Hengyang East").
Travel tipsTrain doors are always managed by railway staff, which means you should not attempt to open or close them by yourself unless there is genuine emergency.
High-speed railChina has built a high-speed passenger rail network and is continuing to expand it rapidly. The trains are similar to French TGV, German ICE, or Japanese Shinkansen.
International and regional routesAs of 2025, a large number of international services are not operating — those appended with a tick are confirmed to be operational. You should check whether the services are still available.
See also
Sources and licences
- Guide text adapted from the Wikivoyage article "Rail travel in China" by its contributors, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read on Wikivoyage · Contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Photo: N509FZ, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons