| 3 weeks travelling by train, central east china | |
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| Mar 1, 2005 23:15 |   |
 | Hi, My wife and I are coming to China from late March and plan to travel by train and stay in the following cities: Beijing ->Tianjin ->Datong ->Hohhot ->Taiyuan ->Xian ->Luoyang/Shaolinsi ->Nanjing ->Shanghai with a couple of extra days thrown in for travel etc. it will be for a total of 3 1/2 weeks. Our main concern is that we have seen people saying that getting seats on trains can take up to a couple of days to organise. Is this true? some of the cities we are visiting we are just passing through and only want to stop for a day to break up the train trip, would this be a problem (being only 1 day)? Is it realistic that if we can't get a hard seater we will always be able to get a soft sleeper (if it means we can stick to our schedule we don't mind paying the extra yuan)? We also read that suitcases are not recommended for train travel. Is this true or is it ok? Is there much theft on the trains? Thanks very much Andrew |
| Mar 2, 2005 09:34 | #1 |
| To visit the cities you've mentioned, 3 1/2 weeks is enough. For the train travel, I do not suggest you to take the hard seat, coz the hard seat carriages are always crowded and many thefts there, thus not so safe for you. Hard or soft sleeper tickets will be much easier to get. Late March is not a tourism peak season, so if you do not want to book all the tickets beforehand, it's ok. Just book it at the reception of the hotel when you arrive a city. Notice that do not leave any valuable or important things in your suitcase. Though lost luggage never happened to me, no one can assure this will never happen. The last point: check if there any conferences or other activities in each city during your visiting period, so that you can be aware of the situations of hotel and tickets booking. |
| Mar 2, 2005 09:47 | #2 |
| Since the time you choose is not the peak of tourism. It would be better for you to buy you next ticket at the railway station as soon as you get off the train. And remember not to buy tickets from those vendors around the ticket sales window, which should be one of the only two places you buy ur ticket. Another is the hotel u check into. As the route u choose is almost in Northern China except from Luoyang to Nanjng and Shanghai. The landscape is almost the same so u can also consider traveling by air. The air ticket at discount costs almost the same as a soft sleeper berth. As to suitcases, u never put ur visas or money in the suitcases but in ur money belt. I think this is the same else where in the world as in China. U can leave ur suitcases at ur hotel or at railway station luggage care center. Be alert when u r on a bus or in market. Generally speaking, travel in China is safe and interesting! Enjoy it! |
| Mar 2, 2005 23:19 | #3 |
| Thanks very much for that info guys. I am glad that we aren't travelling in peak season. My next question: Is it hard to book day trip tours once you arrive in a city? Particularly in Hohhot we want to take a trip to the grasslands just for a day, but we don't know exactly when we will arrive there so we can't really pre-book anything. I am assuming that Xian and Beijing have so many tourists that there are always tours going to the main sites so you can join anytime. |
| Mar 3, 2005 08:40 | #4 |
| I am not sure if March is the best season for grassland. I guess you'd better find out if there is anything to see in spring in the grassland. You can book a tour with your hotel. |
| Mar 3, 2005 09:32 | #5 |
| i'm a local guy in xi'an.if you have any questions about this city, i will be gald to give you some advice |
| Mar 3, 2005 15:27 | #6 |
| and i'am very familiar with some of the tourist attractions you are going to visit. so about any problems and questions, just ask me. i will glad to see you travel in china will be a happy one. |
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