"China - the Middle Kingdom" China by mke1963

China Travel Guide: 29,456 reviews and 82,851 photos

Lanzhou to Beijing - The Yellow River Express

Feeling China

UPDATE JULY 8TH 2006: Latest destination added is the UNESCO World Heritage Site at Zhangjiajie/Wulingyuan.

China is one of the most diverse countries in the world, but it is a huge land area.
One of the most interesting ways to see the countryside and meet Chinese people is to travel by rail.
I live in Beijing and travel a lot in the country, and my boss and staff are tolerant of my desire to travel everywhere by rail.

However, the tips and reviews in this China section are not just about travelling by railway in China, but also general advice!

Easier than you might think

The world's best railway carriage attendant

China is criss-crossed by a network of railways. Other than on Hainan island and in Tibet, you can get to or near most places by train. You can usually also get a direct train from Beijing, Shanghai and/or Xuzhou to most other large towns in the country at least once a day.
Although Chinese railways carry huge numbers of passengers every day, if you travel soft class (i.e. first class) you can avoid many of the most crowded situations, and with care and planing you can avoid getting into the big crowds.
Most big stations have a separate booking window for soft class, and a separate waiting room. You don't have to use them - so getting closer to the real Chinese travel experience - but I can sssure you that joining the Friday night rush for hard class seats at Beijing Xi is a stressful experience that can be quite frightening. Imagine 2,000 people blindly running with all their luggage sacks to get the 500 setas for a 32 hour journey. People can and do get knocked over!
Soft class arrangements are more calm and a bit more civilised than the rampaging hard class herd.
Also at many stations, if you pay for a porter to carry a bag or two, you get access to the platform before the masses, so again reducing the risk of a crush.

Urumuqi to Lanzhou....23hrs 56mins!

On the train, the soft class sleeper compartments have four berths (two upper and two lower - the upper berths are slightly cheaper but are more cramped). The compartment is carpeted, there is a flask of boiling hot water for tea and coffee, a heater, a small table, curtains, individual reading lights, and music (which can be switched off if you want). remarkably it also has a normal power socket for your PC or Walkman!
Trolleys come through the train selling drinks, nuts, sweets, pot noodles, hot food, toys, newspapers.
Soft class is non-smoking (enforced strictly) but smokers can use the doorway at the end of each carriageway.
Each compartment has one or two carriage attendants who are absolutely invariably kind, helpful, and a mine of information about your train and your journey.

Pros and Cons

Pros:See China! No seriously. See China for 28 hours at a time!
Cons:Getting tickets is become a lot harder!
In a nutshell:A changing landscape every minute

Last visit to China: Jul 2006
Intro Updated Jul 5, 2008
Add to Trip Planner (?)
Report Abuse

Reviews (32)

Guide books: The New Yangzi River Trilogy (2003) - China

Guide books: The New Yangzi River... Favorites (12)

These three guide books are staggeringly good. In fact, for their content, they are in a complete league of their own.... more travel advice

Guide books: Chine - de Pekin a Hong Kong - China

Guide books: Chine - de Pekin a Hong... Favorites (12)

This French guide book is excellent for the area it covers which is basically from Beijing through central China to Hong... more travel advice

Guide books: Peking by Juliet Bredon (1919) - China

Guide books: Peking by Juliet Bredon... Favorites (12)

Juliet Bredon's guide to Peking was first published in 1919, and republished several times. It is a fascinating... more travel advice

Guide books: Rough Guide (3rd Edn, Apr 2003) - China

Guide books: Rough Guide (3rd Edn, Apr... Favorites (12)

The latest Rough Guide to China (April 2003) is the best general guidebook to China (in English) by quite a long way. I... more travel advice

Transportation (14)
See All Maps
Things to Do (2)
See All Link: China's National Nature Reserves
Hotels (2)
See All Hotels by the hour

Local Customs (1)
The fun of having fun at the temple...
Restaurants (1)
Clickety-clack
Been to China?
Share your travels with the world!

Travelogues (2)

1 - 2 of 2

Comments (6)

Reply
- Report abuse
elpariente May 17, 2007 at 1:59 PM

You worked very hard .Your pages are very interesting . They will help me to reach my China dream Thank you!!!! Gracias !!!!
Reply
- Report abuse
easterntrekker May 10, 2007 at 5:15 PM

Great tips . We're planning on heading to China in Oct.
Reply
- Report abuse
Helga67 Mar 17, 2007 at 12:43 PM

Excellent info for my trip to China. Thanks
Reply
- Report abuse
1Karan Jun 14, 2006 at 1:40 AM

What a wealth of information!
Reply
- Report abuse
pedersdottir Feb 22, 2005 at 9:38 PM

Thank you for a unique perspective on the joys and hazards of China travel. Sounds like one should also not dare hitch hiking..?
Reply
- Report abuse
nepalgoods Nov 27, 2004 at 9:54 AM

Your page gives me a great update on trains in China. Thank you!