China High Speed RailwayIt is currently the world's largest high-speed railway network. It was built in 2004 and has a total mileage of 19,000 kilometers by the end of 2015, accounting for more than 60% of the world. The total mileage of high-speed railways currently under construction and about to be constructed in Mainland China reaches approximately 16,775.5 kilometers.
Whenever possible, high-speed rail is the best way to travel around China. The train is clean, comfortable and modern. The seats are comparable to, or even better than, seats on an airplane. Most of the tickets are designated seats, and the number of unseat tickets is limited, but unlike ordinary Chinese trains, no one has ever squeezed into the aisle crazily. There are more people sitting than seats. Unlike other trains, smoking is not allowed here, even between cars. According to Western standards, the price is reasonable, and departures are frequent on most routes.
Although China has a well-developed and advanced airport infrastructure, China is plagued by flight delays, and the high-speed rail network is very punctual. Although the flight time from Beijing to Shanghai is shorter than taking the train, once you add your time to and from the airport and possible delays, railway transportation is more convenient.
The English abbreviation for these high-speed trains is CRH, which is China's high-speed railway. In some railway stations, there will be separate CRH ticket offices and automatic ticket machines, just look for the "CRH" sign.
The maximum speed that can be achieved by each tuning line varies greatly, and the technology used is also different. Almost all rolling stocks are now manufactured in China, but most of the technology comes from abroad. Canada’s Bombardier, Japan’s Kawasaki, Germany’s Siemens (the manufacturer of ICE) and France’s Alstom (the manufacturer of TGV) are all involved. Some new trains use independent indoor color schemes and decorations, but most trains follow the standard painting.
Bring your ID/passport According to new regulations issued in 2011. Chinese citizens must present their ID cards to purchase train tickets, and foreigners must present their passports. |
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China's railway passenger service covers most cities, but many small stations have no passenger service after the speed of the railway has been increased, and they need to change to other means of transportation. High-speed railway mainly coversEast ChinaandCentral ChinawithnortheastIn some areas.
Train type
According to the operating speed of Chinese railway trains, from high to low;
- G: High-speed EMU trains, running at a speed of 300-350KM/H, the whole body is blue and white is the "Harmony" train group, and its running speed is 300km/h, and it is also the main model of China's high-speed railway system at present, with a red tone. It is the "Fuxing" train set with a running speed of 350km/h. It has been in service on the Beijing-Shanghai Railway, the Yangtze River Delta, and the Pearl River Delta in 2017. It is currently being gradually promoted and replaced with various line trains.
- C: Intercity high-speed trains run on intercity railways, and the speed can also reach 200-300KM/H.
- D: EMU trains, with a maximum speed of 250 km/h (155 miles), operated by the Harmony and Fuxing. Some EMUs have a top speed of 160 km/h and are operated by the Fuxing (Emerald Green Belt and Gold Belt, CR200J), but most of its journey is not on high-speed tracks.
- For other non-high-speed train types, seeChina Railway。
Generally speaking, for the same seat, the higher the operating speed of the train, the higher the ticket price. Students holding a student card with a student ticket discount card jointly issued by the Ministry of Education and China Railway Corporation can enjoy high-speed rail tickets four times a year 25% discount on the price (second-class seats only).
Although the maximum speed of many railways is as high as 350 km/h, most trains run at speeds of around 300 km/h. This is due to safety and cost considerations. For lines with a maximum speed of 250 kilometers per hour, adjust to about 200 kilometers per hour. Since September 2017, the train speed between Beijing and Shanghai has been restored to 350 kilometers per hour, and more lines have gradually returned to the highest design speed.
There are also some G trains whose operating routes include those constructed according to different standards. In this case, the vehicle will run at a speed of 300 km/h on a line with a higher speed limit, and at a speed of 250 km/h or 200 km/h on a line with a lower speed limit. The fare is also based on the maximum speed of the different segments. For example, the G train route from Beijing to Taiyuan includes the first part from Beijing to Shijiazhuang, and the second part from Shijiazhuang to Taiyuan. The first part runs on the Beijing-Hong Kong high-speed railway, and the train runs at a speed of 300 kilometers per hour. However, the top speed of the Shi-Tai high-speed railway construction in the second part of operation is only 250 km/h, so the train runs at a lower speed and the fare per kilometer is lower than that of the first part. If you only take the second part of the D train (for example, get on the train in Shijiazhuang and get off in Taiyuan), neither the speed nor the price will be different from the G train.
Seats
China Railway is divided into different seats in the same train, and the fare of high-level seats is higher than that of low-level seats. It should be noted that not every train includes every seat.
EMUs (G, C, D) include the following seats, arranged from highest to lowest:
- Business seat: three seats in each row, the seat can be rotated
- First-class seats: four seats in each row, the seats can be rotated
- Second-class seats: five seats in each row, the seats can be rotated
Some EMU (D) trains that run at night also provide sleepers, which are more expensive than second-class seats. These trains sometimes sell tickets with sleeping berths instead of seats.
The business seat can be fully reclined onto a flat bed. The first-class seats are larger and more comfortable, but the second-class seats are still very good. If your journey is less than 2 hours, you won't really notice how much difference there will be in the second class, but long-distance travel will not be so tiring in the first class. Adults may prefer first-class seats because the seats are obviously wider. There is no luggage cart, all luggage is placed on the train. However, express luggage service is still available.
Carry-on baggage
According to the regulations of the railway department, passengers with adult tickets can carry 20 kilograms of luggage (10 kilograms for children) for free. On ordinary trains, the length, width and height of luggage should not exceed 160 cm, and on high-speed trains, it should not exceed 130 cm. In fact, no one usually checks the size of your luggage, so you can take it with you as much luggage as you can. However, according to a report from Hong Kong West Kowloon Station (opened in 2018), the station will check the volume of luggage.
Any suitcase that meets the standard luggage size restrictions can be carried on China's high-speed rail trains. However, if the train is crowded, finding space for your big bag can sometimes be difficult. A foldable bicycle, folded and packed in a suitable big bag, will also be allowed to be carried.
Checked baggage
If you want to bring some large items (including full-size bicycles or electric scooters) or some prohibited luggage (such as knives), you can check in your luggage. This service is operated by China Railway Express. The name can be seen on many signs.
On the CRE website, you can refer to the information of delivery and pickup outlets. Find the service outlet link on the homepage, enter the three-level administrative district (province, prefecture-level city, county or district) and street address (if you don’t know it, you can usually enter the station name, for example: Shanghai South Station), it will show your service location on the map. Most major stations have a comprehensive reception desk (as the luggage department of the station), usually located somewhere near the main station building. However, there are some exceptions: for example, although you can send packages from the luggage department of Wuhan Wuchang Railway Station, packages sent to Wuchang Station are likely to be placed in a shed in the building materials market about 5 kilometers away from the station.
Buy tickets
In China, railway tickets can be purchased at the station, or through the 12306 hotline in various places, or at the ticket sales point andRailway Customer Service CenterPurchased. Tickets purchased at stations and ticket agents are paper tickets, and those purchased at the railway customer service center are electronic tickets. If you need to exchange for paper tickets, you need to exchange them at the station or ticket agent. In addition to student tickets, ticket sales agents charge a handling fee of RMB 5 for ticket purchase and paper ticket exchange. China Railway tickets are real-name tickets, and you need to purchase tickets based on valid ID documents such as ID cards or passports.
China Railway Corporation stipulates that railway tickets are sold 30 days in advance, and during winter and summer vacations (winter vacation is centered on the Spring Festival, usually in January and February of the Gregorian calendar; summer vacation is usually in July/August of the Gregorian calendar) students can purchase student tickets 72 days in advance (However, the number of tickets released is very small). To book a ticket at 12306, you need to register with your mobile phone number in Mainland China and provide the identity information of the passenger (if you order a student ticket, you need to fill in student information, such as school name, student number, bus zone, discount card number, etc.), which can be passed Major commercial banks in China make payments, and currently also support WeChat and Alipay payments (support Huabei). After ordering a ticket, you can change the ticket (or change arrival) once, and you need to make up the difference (or refund the difference) if you change the arrival. According to the distance from the departure time, 12306 charges a 5%-20% handling fee to the refunder. If the refund is more than 15 days away from the departure time, a full refund will be issued.
At some stations, the short message of the booking receipt sent by 12306 can be used as one of the vouchers for boarding.
Ride
Tickets must be checked when travelling on Chinese railway trains. At present, the main ticket checking method is still manual ticket checking, and paper tickets and identification documents are required when checking the ticket. At high-speed rail stations, you can insert a ticket directly to pass through the gates (only blue magnetic tickets), and you need to insert a ticket to pass customs when leaving the station. Some newer stations also provide direct boarding services by swiping second-generation ID cards. Passengers holding student tickets are required to show their student ID (must be stamped and registered on time), ID card and ticket to the station staff when checking in. While the train is running, the crew will also conduct a second check on the passengers on the train, and the content presented is the same as when the ticket is checked.
Notice:China High Speed Railway TrainSmoking is prohibited in the entire list, If the smoke alarm on the train is triggered, the train will automatically brake and affect the line operation. Violators of this provision will be fined more than 500 yuan, and any violation of the provisions of the criminal law will be held criminally responsible.
During the operation of the train, the crew will sell drinks, snacks and other items or souvenirs along the carriages. Each carriage is equipped with an electric tea stove. If you need hot water, you can pick it up by yourself, but be careful not to get too full to prevent the train from shaking Cause spillage. (Generally speaking, the stability of China's high-speed railway trains is very good. Someone once stood a one-yuan coin by the window of the car, and the coin did not fall for a long time.)
Each carriage has a toilet (opposite to the electric tea stove) for one person, so please go in advance if necessary.
There is a large luggage storage rack at the front of each car (row 01). If your luggage exceeds 24 inches, please do not try to put it on the luggage rack above your head. Please put it on the large luggage storage rack. Or behind the last row of seats in the carriage (usually used to place large luggage). If you put it on the luggage rack, please pay attention: your luggage must be placed completely inside the edge of the luggage rack. The Chinese railway system has the following requirements for passengers’ carry-on baggage: An adult can carry items up to 20 kg for free, and children can carry items up to 10 kg for free. No luggage exceeding 130 cm can be carried on EMU trains, and items not exceeding 160 cm can be carried on other trains. If your luggage is too large, please check in.
Each row of second-class seats of high-speed rail trains is equipped with a charging plug (220V/50Hz), with a two-pole jack and a three-pole jack, which can be temporarily used for charging.
High-speed rail trains provide meal services, mainly boxed lunches, with prices divided into different levels such as 15 yuan/40 yuan. According to railway transportation regulations, if 15 yuan boxed lunches are sold out, higher-priced boxed lunches will continue to be supplied at a price reduction of 15 yuan.
High-speed rail trains provide paper trash bags. Before you get off the train, put the trash in the trash bag and hand it over to the dedicated crew for disposal. Please do not throw trash anywhere.
High-speed rail trains are equipped with Mandarin and English announcements as standard. In certain areas, there will be more announcements. Please note that some railway stations in China are named after "place name direction", such as "Jinan West". The English newspaper station is pronounced "Jinan Xi Railway Station" instead of "Jinan West Railway Station", and the directions in Chinese are respectively pronounced " Dong" (East), "Xi" (West), "Nan" (South), "Bei" (North).