Ticket Offices

There are several options for getting hold of train tickets in Shanghai. You can queue at the ticket offices (shoupiaoting) at train stations, but brace for a long wait. There are two ticket halls at the Shanghai Railway Station, one in the main building (same-day tickets) and another on the east side of the square (advance tickets). One counter should have English-speakers.

Alternatively, your hotel will be able to obtain a ticket for you, albeit sometimes for a hefty surcharge. Tickets can also be purchased for a small surcharge from travel agencies (Click here).

Hard-seat and hard-sleeper train tickets can also be purchased for a small Y5 commission from the following train ticket offices (huochepiao yushouchu):

Bund (; 384 Middle Jiangxi Rd; 384 8am-8pm)

French Concession (; 12 Dongping Rd; 8am-noon & 1-6pm Mon-Fri, 9am-noon & 1-5.30pm Sat & Sun)

Jing’an North (; Hengfeng Rd, west of Shanghai Railway Station;)

Jing’an South (; 77 Wanhangdu Rd; 77 8am-5pm)

Pudong (; 1396 Lujiazui Ring Rd; 1396 8am-7pm)

Hongkou (; 106 Huangpu Rd; 106 8-11.30am & 12.30-6pm)

Train information is available over the phone in Chinese only ( 800 820 7890).

Classes

The most comfortable way to get to destinations around Shanghai (such as Suzhou and Hangzhou) is by high-speed train, which assures you a comfortable seat and regular and punctual departures.

On swish high-speed G-class, D-class and C-class trains seating classes are straight­forward:

» 1st class (yideng)

» 2nd class (e rdeng)

» Business class (shangwu zuo)

» VIP class (tedeng zuo)

For most other slower (T-class, K-class, some Z-class and other) Chinese trains, you have the following choice of ticket types:

» Hard seat (yingzuo)

» Hard sleeper (yingwo)

» Soft seat (ruanzuo)

» Soft sleeper (ruanwo)

On non-high-speed trains, numbered soft seats are more comfortable than hard seats. Hard-seat class is not available on the high-speed C-, D- and G-class trains, and is only found on T- and K-class trains and trains without a number prefix; a handful of Z-class trains have hard seats. Hard-seat class generally has padded seats, but it’s hard on your sanity: often unclean and noisy, and painful on the long haul. Since hard seat is the only class most locals can afford, it’s packed to the gills.

For overnight trips to farther destinations, hard sleepers are easily comfortable enough, with only a fixed number of people allowed in the sleeper carriage. They serve very well as an overnight hotel.

The hard-sleeper carriage consists of doorless compartments with half a dozen bunks in three tiers and foldaway seats by the windows. Sheets, pillows and blankets are provided. Carriages are nonsmoking, although smokers congregate between carriages. Competition for hard sleepers is keen, so reserve early (Click here). Prices vary according to which berth you get: upper (cheapest), middle or lower berth.

Soft sleepers are expensive (about twice the hard-sleeper price), with four comfortable bunks in a closed, carpeted compartment.

Дата добавления: 2015-11-14