Beijing Train Guide

Beijing, the capital city of China, is also the busiest and the biggest railway hub in all of China with 6 railway stations. From Beijing, you can not only take the popular Tibet train to Lhasa, but also high-speed bullet trains to surrounding cities, even further to Shanghai and Hong Kong.

Here, we offer the useful information about major trains available from Beijing to other cities in China. Hoping this will help you arrange your Beijing Tibet train tours, as well as the train journeys from Beijing to other parts of China well.

Beijing Tibet Train

Travelling to Tibet, the ‘Roof of the World’, is certainly one of those experiences you should not miss. It might seem like a long journey to take a Beijing Lhasa train, but the views along the Qinghai-Tibet railway are worth all the money and time. Another advantage of travelling to Lhasa by train is that your body gets enough time to adjust to the increasing altitude. Since it is one of the most popular railway routes in China, it is highly suggested to book your Beijing Lhasa train ticket at least a month or two in advance. This train runs every day.

Beijing-Lhasa Train Fares and Schedule

The train from Beijing to Lhasa, Train Z21, runs every day from Beijing West Railway Station to Lhasa Railway Station. It takes about 40 hours and 20 minutes to finish the 3,757 km’s journey. The ticket price of the hard sleeper berth is from CNY 720, and the price of the soft sleeper berth is from CNY 1144.

*The ticket prices are subject to change depending on the season. Please check the ticket prices real time before booking.

Which Station in Beijing to Take a Train to Tibet?

The train to Tibet from Beijing starts at Beijing West Railway Station. Opened in 1996, this railway station has both traditional and high speed trains function with 20 platforms. You can easily get to this station via subway, bus, or taxi from downtown Beijing and the airport in Beijing.

The exterior of Beijing West Railway Station, the start of Beijing Lhasa train.

Beijing Xian Train

The distance between Beijing and Xian is 1,200 km and the introduction of high speed trains has cut down the travel time to half. There are about seventeen G series bullet trains going between Beijing and Xian every day. There are also overnight sleepers from Beijing to Xian which take much longer than daytime high speed trains, but comfortable nonetheless. Since Xian is also a popular tourist destination known for its ancient sites, there are a lot of people travelling to Xian and since travelling by train is economical compared to flight many locals and travelers choose to travel by train.

Beijing Xian High Speed Train Fares and Schedule

There are about 17 high-speed trains running from Beijing to Xian every day. The railway between Beijing and Xian is 1,217 km’s long with 5-7 station stopping in between. Here are the timings of some of the trains. There are three kinds of seats onboard each bullet train from Beijing to Xian, including the most expensive Business class seat at CNY 1,672, the first class seat at CNY824, and the cheapest Second Class seat at CNY515.

*The ticket prices are subject to change depending on the season. Please check the ticket prices real time before booking.

There are Business class seat, first class seat and Second Class seat onboard each bullet train from Beijing to Xian.

Beijing Xian Overnight Train Fares and Schedule

Some travelers choose overnight trains to save money and to save day time for sightseeing and not travelling. By travelling overnight on train, you can also save hotel cost for one night. The overnight trains have sleeper berths with comfortable bedding which makes travelling easier. The price of the Deluxe soft sleeper berth is from CNY814, while the ordinary soft sleeper berth is at CNY 415. The hard sleeper berth is always cheaper than the soft one, at the price of CNY 272. And the cheapest option onboard is the Hard seat at CNY 148, which is not recommended for long time journey.

*The ticket prices are subject to change depending on the season. Please check the ticket prices real time before booking.

Beijing Shanghai Train

Beijing and Shanghai are two of the most busiest and populous cities in China. Lots of locals go back and forth between these two cities regularly. The distance between Beijing and Shanghai is 1, 318km. Almost 41 high-speed trains run between Beijing and Shanghai every day, both day time and night time trains are available. Here are timings of some of the trains that go from Beijing to Shanghai:

Every day, high-speed trains run between Beijing and Shanghai on both day time and night time.

Beijing Shanghai High-speed Train Ticket Price:

G Train: Business Class- CNY1, 748; First Class- CNY933; Second Class- CNY553

D Train: New Soft Sleepers- CNY605; Traditional Soft Sleepers- CNY780; Second Class Seats- CNY430

*The ticket prices are subject to change depending on the season. Please check the ticket prices real time before booking.

Which Station in Beijing to Take a Train to Shanghai?

The train to Shanghai departs from Beijing South Railway Station and arrives at Shanghai Hongqiao Station. You get to Beijing South Station from airport in airport shuttle bus line 10. It is 35 km from the airport and 7 km from the famous Tiananmen Square. To get there by subway, take subway line 4 and change to line 2 or 7, depending on where you are getting on. You can also get there by taxi or bus.

More Trains in Beijing

Some of the other destinations you can go by high speed trains from Beijing are: Shenyang, Harbin, Tianjin, Dalian, Hangzhou, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Chongqing, Shenzhen, Jinan, Qingdao, Xi’an, Wuhan, Changsha, Kunming, etc. And the newly opened Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong express line makes it possible to get to Hong Kong from Beijing by bullet train within 5 hours.

How to Get to Beijing Train Stations?

There are totally 6 railway stations in Beijing. They are: Beijing Railway Station, Beijing North, Beijing South, Beijing West, Beijing East, and Badaling Railway Station. All of these stations are accessible by subways, cabs, and buses. Some of these stations have direct shuttle buses form airport. It is convenient for foreigners to go by cabs and subways. In case of public buses, all the information are in Chinese and they are almost always full.

Where to Buy Train Tickets in Beijing?

You can book train tickets online, via travel agencies, directly from train stations, or ticket offices located at different parts of the city. As foreign travelers, you need present details of your passport, especially if you are booking in ticket offices. If you are buying them online make sure you are choosing the right dates and right stations. The best way to book tickets are via a travel agency to avoid any mistakes or mishaps. It is also advisable to book tickets well in advance.