Train - Deluxe Sleeper - Guangzhou/Beijing/Shanghai

As I am in Australia I need to arrange for a booking agent to get some train
tickets for us (there are 3 couples travelling). This all seems too hard as
we have not booked our accommodation yet, and IF the booking agent can get
the tickets, they will then leave at the hotel. As we don't know where we
will be staying, this seems to be in the "too hard" basket.

So, my question is........... is it likely to be a problem getting deluxe
sleepers once we are there, ie, can we arrive one day and book our train
ticket for the next day successfully????

Our itinery for the train is Guangzouh to Beijing, Beijing to Shanghai and
Shanghai to Hong Kong.

Cheers
Sue

In article , Sue says...
As I am in Australia I need to arrange for a booking agent to get some train
tickets for us (there are 3 couples travelling). This all seems too hard as
we have not booked our accommodation yet, and IF the booking agent can get
the tickets, they will then leave at the hotel. As we don't know where we
will be staying, this seems to be in the "too hard" basket.

So, my question is........... is it likely to be a problem getting deluxe
sleepers once we are there, ie, can we arrive one day and book our train
ticket for the next day successfully????

Our itinery for the train is Guangzouh to Beijing, Beijing to Shanghai and
Shanghai to Hong Kong.

Why don't you fly? Would make a lot of sense, given the large distances
you are planning to cover. Instead of spending a day or two in the train
you spend one hour or two in the plane. Plane tickets are quite cheap
and can be booked in any travel agency in China on very short notice (no
problem on the same day or even just a few hours before departure).
Check my travelogues:
http://www.molon.de/travelogues/China/2006/
http://www.molon.de/travelogues/China/2005/
http://www.molon.de/travelogues/China/2004/
--

Alfred Molon
http://www.molon.de - Photos of Asia, Africa and Europe

On Aug 18, 9:09 pm, Alfred Molon wrote:
In article , Sue says...

As I am in Australia I need to arrange for a booking agent to get some train
tickets for us (there are 3 couples travelling). This all seems too hard as
we have not booked our accommodation yet, and IF the booking agent can get
the tickets, they will then leave at the hotel. As we don't know where we
will be staying, this seems to be in the "too hard" basket.

So, my question is........... is it likely to be a problem getting deluxe
sleepers once we are there, ie, can we arrive one day and book our train
ticket for the next day successfully????

Our itinery for the train is Guangzouh to Beijing, Beijing to Shanghai and
Shanghai to Hong Kong.

Why don't you fly?
Alfred Molon

******Probably because they want to travel by train you dolt.
Stop spamming and being bossy Alfie.

"Alfred Molon" kirjoitti
s.com...
you spend one hour or two in the plane. Plane tickets are quite cheap
and can be booked in any travel agency in China on very short notice (no
problem on the same day or even just a few hours before departure).

Unless there aren't seats available, of course.

"LarbGai" wrote in message
ups.com...
On Aug 18, 9:09 pm, Alfred Molon wrote:
In article , Sue says...

As I am in Australia I need to arrange for a booking agent to get some
train
tickets for us (there are 3 couples travelling). This all seems too
hard as
we have not booked our accommodation yet, and IF the booking agent can
get
the tickets, they will then leave at the hotel. As we don't know where
we
will be staying, this seems to be in the "too hard" basket.

So, my question is........... is it likely to be a problem getting
deluxe
sleepers once we are there, ie, can we arrive one day and book our
train
ticket for the next day successfully????

Our itinery for the train is Guangzouh to Beijing, Beijing to Shanghai
and
Shanghai to Hong Kong.

Why don't you fly?
Alfred Molon

******Probably because they want to travel by train you dolt.

I wouldn't have put it quite so rudely, but I too would want to travel
by train as a choice.

It is dissapointing that it seems to be impossible to make
pre-bookings to travel between major cities in comfort, without
paying well over the odds, And as the OP has implied, the
possibility of booking for a few days ahead is big unknown.

tim

Travel Agent!!

We used Lily Xie - and she was superb. Booked a whole heap of stuff - and
colected tickets when we got to Hong Kong - paid when we got to Beijing. I
don't know of any Australian TA who'd outlay money before receiving a red
cent!!!






"Sue" wrote in message
...
As I am in Australia I need to arrange for a booking agent to get some
train tickets for us (there are 3 couples travelling). This all seems too
hard as we have not booked our accommodation yet, and IF the booking agent
can get the tickets, they will then leave at the hotel. As we don't know
where we will be staying, this seems to be in the "too hard" basket.

So, my question is........... is it likely to be a problem getting deluxe
sleepers once we are there, ie, can we arrive one day and book our train
ticket for the next day successfully????

Our itinery for the train is Guangzouh to Beijing, Beijing to Shanghai and
Shanghai to Hong Kong.

Cheers
Sue

"A Mate" wrote in message
u...
Travel Agent!!

We used Lily Xie - and she was superb. Booked a whole heap of stuff -
and colected tickets when we got to Hong Kong - paid when we got to
Beijing.

But what did they charge.

Face value plus a reasonable (local) booking fee

or the 10 (or 20) times face value that most people advertise.

tim

tim - you're a 'misery guts' - always negative!

They charged the going rate plus a reasonable commission.




"tim....." wrote in message
...

"A Mate" wrote in message
u...
Travel Agent!!

We used Lily Xie - and she was superb. Booked a whole heap of stuff -
and colected tickets when we got to Hong Kong - paid when we got to
Beijing.

But what did they charge.

Face value plus a reasonable (local) booking fee

or the 10 (or 20) times face value that most people advertise.

tim

Sue wrote:

As I am in Australia I need to arrange for a booking agent to get some train
tickets for us (there are 3 couples travelling). This all seems too hard as
we have not booked our accommodation yet, and IF the booking agent can get
the tickets, they will then leave at the hotel. As we don't know where we
will be staying, this seems to be in the "too hard" basket.

The best way to approach independent travel in China is not to plan in
detail, but to make a rough plan as to route, and adjust it as to what
is found. Booking accommodation in advance can easily lead to paying
twice what's necessary (depending on the level of accommodation chosen).
Booking train tickets through unscrupulous on-line agencies can lead to
paying as much as 70% over the top for train tickets on some of the
routes mentioned.

Accommodation rates can almost always be bargained well down over the
counter, rail tickets are no longer very hard to obtain on most routes
unless you absolutely MUST travel on a particular day, and even there
there are fall-back options such as flying (sometimes little more than
the train fare these days depending on route and time of year) and even
long-distance buses (many of which are air-con and comfortable),
although not really an option on the very long routes you mention.


So, my question is........... is it likely to be a problem getting deluxe
sleepers once we are there, ie, can we arrive one day and book our train
ticket for the next day successfully????

If 'deluxe' means the standard soft sleeper, then the answer is that
very often you will indeed by able to do that. But in general it's
better to be looking a little further ahead to increase your chances of
success.

Our itinery for the train is Guangzouh to Beijing, Beijing to Shanghai and
Shanghai to Hong Kong.

I haven't had a problem getting out of Guangzhou, but that station does
have a reputation for being difficult with tickets. If you don't want to
tackle the station itself, then using an agency (likely found in your
hotel) may be a better choice. Let them do the running around for a
commission of Y20 per ticket or so.

There's an assortment of trains on the Beijing to Shanghai route, some
of which are of a super deluxe variety not found on most other routes,
including two-berth rooms with private bath (I'm told--I haven't
personally used these). These are at least as expensive as flying (again
depending on time of year) and intended to compete for overnight traffic
from that market.

The Shanghai to Hong Kong route is a different kind of train again,
still treated as an international trip, also with more up-market
facilities, and it only runs every other day. You may need to show a
passport in order to buy a ticket.

If, by any chance, your first point of arrival is not Guangzhou but Hong
Kong, then you may be able to by some of these tickets for fair prices
while you are there. CTS Kowloon sells some of them (although is should
be avoided for many other services, for which it charges more than most
other agencies). You might be able to buy the Shanghai to Hong Kong
ticket from KCR (the railway that runs it) in Hong Kong, but I think
that regulations may require you to buy it in Shanghai.

Have a look at this page:

http://www.ctshk.com/english/train/t...ble/formgz.htm

And there are links on the right, under Price Enquiry for other options,
but certainly they will sell you the Guangzhou to Beijing ticket, and
they claim to sell on-line.

For details and schedule of direct trains between Hong Kong and mainland
China destinations, see:

http://www.kcrc.com/html/eng/service...assenger_servi
ces/index.asp

Hope that helps.

Peter N-H
http://www.datasinica.com

In article , Markku
Grönroos says...

"Alfred Molon" kirjoitti
s.com...
you spend one hour or two in the plane. Plane tickets are quite cheap
and can be booked in any travel agency in China on very short notice (no
problem on the same day or even just a few hours before departure).

Unless there aren't seats available, of course.

I did three trips across China, always booking at the last minute. Did
lots of flights, always found seats availabe, just in one case I had to
purchase a first class ticket because the economy was full.
--

Alfred Molon
http://www.molon.de - Photos of Asia, Africa and Europe