Taken a number of trains around China. All classes, overnight, short trips and long ones. Chinese trains are surprisingly good value and efficient.
Just hope the safety issues are ironed out since the major accident 18 months ago.
Taken a number of trains around China. All classes, overnight, short trips and long ones. Chinese trains are surprisingly good value and efficient.
Just hope the safety issues are ironed out since the major accident 18 months ago.
Safety wise, I'd much rather be on any train in China than on the road.
Speeds have been reduced due to safety concerns. However, if the materials used to build the railway are not up to the required standard, whether it is the steel or concrete, then sadly there will be more 'accidents' in the future.
I do agree that the trains are a safer and more comfortable form of travel than the roads though. It's all relative when you travel in a place like China.
Thanks for the advice and tips. Gonna buy the tickets tomorrow. Will give you guys a report and review of my high speed train trip (with photos if possible).
By sheer coincidence I took my wife and kid up this morning (10am) to get the Changsha train, the only one available was the 18:00.
I was at shenzen lo wu station today to buy one ticket to Changsha from shenZen north there is a queue 45mins long and no seats not even first class till very late toningt . Had to buy gz to changsha at 6 and hoof it from lo wu to gz east then get the mtr to the high speed station at gz south . Precisely why I always just buy in advance a few days from the high speed rail counter at hungHon station . Cts don't sell them ' even having to get back to shenZen north on the high speed I had to wait 3hours till next available . I have got a next train ticket without prior booking but service is so popular now its less likely than previous .
Is there a dedicated high speed ticket counter at Hung Hom? Does it sell tickets at face value, or does it add commission (how much?).
It is common practice to buy a ticket and get on the next train. Sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't.
Also travelling on Friday afternoon and Sundays are always busy with the trains.