Top 10 Most Popular China High Speed Train Routes 2024

 

Till the end of 2017, China has constructed a massive high speed railway network which has a total distance over 25,000 kilometers (15534.3 miles), which makes traveling by high speed bullet trains become more and more popular among both domestic and foreign travelers - fast, comfortable, punctual, and with quite fair prices. Currently, the high speed trains can take you to more than 150 cities and towns in China, including the capital Beijing, historical Xian, panda city Chengdu, karst city Guilin, charming Shanghai, heavenly city Hangzhou, city of gardens – Suzhou, beautiful Yellow Mountain, etc. Most of the trains in China are G-series trains which run steady with a speed over 250km/h. You can get to Beijing from Shanghai within 4.5 hours (819miles), get to Xian from Beijing within 5 hours (753 miles), get from Chengdu to Chongqing within 1.5 hours (187.6 miles), get from Guangzhou to Guilin within 2.5 hours (341 miles)… China high speed trains provide First Class Seats, Second Class Seats and Business Class. Some overnight trains also provide sleepers. You can choose according to your preference and budget. Travelers on the train can both enjoy the safe and comfortable train ride, and also can enjoy many stunning landscapes outside the windows.

Below are Top 10 Most Popular China High Speed Train Routes which are very popular among travelers, covering Beijing, Xian, Guilin, Chengdu and many other tourist destinations in China.

1. Shanghai-Beijing: the Newest Fuxing Train Experience

More and more people, including regular tourists and business travelers are taking high speed train to transfer between Beijing and Shanghai instead of flights because it's fast, comfortable, and punctual with quite fair prices. The newest generation of high speed bullet train (Fuxing Trains) has been put into operation between Shanghai and Beijing, which make this route as the World's Fastest Passenger Rail, a 350 km/h (217 mph). The fastest one takes as little as 4 hours 18 minutes to travel from Shanghai to Beijing or the opposite way. While 8 years ago, it took more than 14 hours to get to Beijing from Shanghai by train. Either way, taking bullet train between Shanghai and Beijing is something stylish and unique as you will travel from the most prominent metropolis in China to its greatest ancient capital city.

Beijing Shanghai High Speed Rail is the busiest railway route in China. It's reported that more than a quarter of the country’s population lives close to the line, and an estimated 220,000 passengers use the trains each day. This high speed rail stretches as long as 1,318km (819 miles) from southeastern China to the northern capital, and has 24 stations, including Tianjin (天津), Jinan (济南), Xuzhou (徐州), Bengbu (蚌埠) and Nanjing (南京). There are currently 41 pairs of high speed bullet trains (mostly G trains and partly D trains) running between Shanghai and Beijing from early around 6am to 21pm. All G trains (高铁) run in daytime and arrive at stations before 00:00 am while the D trains (there are not many) run as overnight trains (usually depart after 7pm~10pm, and reach stations between 7am~9am).

Keep reading: what is G trains? What is D trains?

News: Tourists from 51 countries (US, UK, Germany, France, Russia, Japan, Australia...) are allowed to stay in Beijing for 72 hours without China visa after checking in customs in Beijing Capital International Airport.

Rail Lines
Train Number (From/To)
Timetable
Duration
Tickets
(RMB)
Major Stops
Beijing-Shanghai G1, G3, G5, G7, G9, G11, G13, G15, G17, G21... 06:43-21:23 04h 18min - 12h 07min Second Class: 553.0
First Class: 933.0
Business class: 1748.0
Suzhou, Nanjing, Jinan

Distance: 1,318 kilometers (819 miles)

Durations: 4 h 19min to 12h 7min

Number of trains: 41 pairs of high-speed trains (38 daytime trains and 3 overnight trains)

Which station in Beijing?

Currently all high speed trains depart from or arrive at Beijing South Railway Station (北京南). It’s 6km southwest of central Beijing, and can be reached by Subway Line 4 and 14, taxi or public buses.

Learn more about Beijing Railway Stations

Which station in Shanghai?

Currently all G-series high speed trains depart from or arrive at Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station (上海虹桥). It’s 18km west from Pudong Distric, and can be reached by Subway Line 2 and 10, taxi or public buses. The D-series trains use the old Shanghai Railway Station in the central city area.

Learn more about Shanghai Railway Stations

Useful Links

Most Popular Beijing Tour Packages

Recommended Shanghai Tours

Beijing Shanghai Tours

Beijing Travel Guide - Attractions, Weather, Maps, Hotels...

Shanghai Travel Guide - Attractions, Weather, Maps, Hotels...

2. Beijing-Xian: Ancient Capitals Exploration

Beijing and Xian are two thriving metropolises in northern China which both used to be important capital cities for hundreds to thousand years with rich imperial history, traditions and architecture combining with modern skylines and alive cultural styles. They attack all your senses and have everything expected to offer.

Currently, the high speed train is the best way to connect these two most popular tourist paradises in northern China. It takes only about 4.5 hours to finish the railway distance of 1212 kilometers (753 miles) between Beijing and Xian. Besides, you have flexible choices of train schedules as there are more than 17 pairs (34 trains) running between two cities every day, all are modern and new G-series trains.

News: Visa-free travel in Xian was made possible now! From June 1, 2014, visitors qualified of 51 countries could travel in Xian for 72 hours without visa. Please go and enjoy our 1-3 days Xian tours.Travel News: Visa-free travel in Xian was made possible now! From June 1, 2014, visitors qualified of 51 countries could travel in Xian for 72 hours without visa. Please go and enjoy our 1-3 days Xian tours.

Rail Lines
Train Number (From/To)
Timetable
Duration
Tickets
(RMB)
Major Stops
Beijing-Xian G87, G89, G651, G671, G429, G661... 6:05-18:55 4h 20min - 6h 2min Second Class: 515.5
First Class: 824.5
Business class: 1627.5
Shijiazhuang, Zhengzhou

Distance: 1212 kilometers (753 miles)

Durations: 4h 20min to 6h 2min

Number of trains: 17 pairs of high-speed trains

Fuxing trains: G89/G90

Which station in Beijing?

Currently only Beijing West Railway Station (北京西) serves high speed trains departing from or arriving at Beijing (北京南). It’s about 10km from Tian’anmen Square, and can be reached by Subway Line 7 and 9, taxi or public buses.

Which station in Xian?

Currently all G-series high speed trains depart from or arrive at Xian North Railway Station (西安北). It is located in Weiyang District, 10 km north of city center. Subway line 2 is linking Xian North with Xian Ancient City, Shaanxi History Museum, Bell Tower, etc.

Learn more about Xian Railway Stations

Useful Links

Most Popular Xian Tour Packages

Beijing Xian Tours

Useful Xian Travel Guide - Attractions, Weather, Maps, Hotels...

3. Xian-Chengdu: Encounter with Pandas & Terracotta Warriors

The official operation of Xian Chengdu High Speed Rail was one of the biggest events in 2017 because there were too many people that were waiting for, including Chinese and foreign travelers. Xian is the most famous and largest city in northwestern China while Chengdu is the most prominent city in southwestern China. Both places are always on the top of Travelers’ Places to Go List. Now it’s no longer a dream to visit the world wonder of Terracotta Warriors in the morning, then go to see the adorable Giant Pandas in the afternoon and enjoy a spicy hot pot in the evening in a single day. The journey has been cut to around only 3~4.5 hours to transfer between Xian and Beijing while in 2016 it took more than 12 hours. While we suggest you plan a longer trip to see and experience more in a leisure way: 2or 3 days to visit the Xian highlights, such as Terracotta Warriors, Ancient City Wall, Historical Museum, Muslim Quarter, etc., then take a high speed train to Chengdu to enjoy a relaxing stay of 2 days – visit pandas, hunting for food, exploring Giant Buddha

The Xian Chengdu High Speed Railway has a total distance of 643 kilometers (400miles) with 17 railway stations, including Hanzhong(汉中), Guangyuan(广元), Jiangyou (江油), Mianyang(绵阳), etc. It is supposed to be linked with Guiyang (Guizhou) and Kunming (Yunnan) in the south, and extended to Lanzhou-Urumqi High Speed Rail in the northwest. There are currently 36 pairs of high speed bullet trains (including 14 G-series trains and 22 D-series train) running between Xian and Chengdu from early around 7am to 19pm.

Rail Lines
Train Number (From/To)
Timetable
Duration
Tickets
(RMB)
Major Stops
Xian-Chengdu D1911, D1913, G2201, G2203, D1901... 07:05-19:07 3h 13min - 4h 25min Second Class: 263.0
First Class: 421.0
Business class: 789.0
Mianyang, Guangyuan, Hanzhong

Distance: 658 kilometers (409 miles)

Durations: 3h 13min to 4h 25min

Number of trains: 36 pairs of high-speed trains (72 trains)

Fuxing trains: G89/G90

Which station in Xian?

Currently only Beijing West Railway Station (北京西) serves high speed trains departing from or arriving at Beijing (北京南). It’s about 10km from Tian’anmen Square, and can be reached by Subway Line 7 and 9, taxi or public buses.

Which station in Chengdu?

Chengdu has four railway stations, but only Chengdu East Railway Station (成都东) serves for Xian Chengdu High Speed Train. It’s located Chengdu District in eastern area of Chengdu City, about 9km from Tianfu Square, the city center. Subway Line 2 and Line 7 can take you there conveniently.

Learn more about Chengdu Railway Stations

Useful Links

Most Popular Chengdu Tour Packages

Recommended Chengdu Xian Tours

Useful Chengdu Travel Guide - Attractions, Weather, Maps, Hotels...

4. Shanghai-Hangzhou: Elegant Southern China Style

Shanghai and Hangzhou are lovely neighbors. Shanghai is a melting pot with much history, fashion, charm, mystery and exotic culture. It has some of the world's tallest skyscrapers, exotic the Bund, charming hidden back streets and gardens, wonder land Disney Resort. While Hangzhou, only about 210km from Shanghai, was once said as "the City of Heaven, the most beautiful and magnificent in the world" by Marco Polo. Travelers always lost themselves on the scoop of exploring the dreamy West Lake, fabulously green hills, amazing food, well-known Dragon Well Tea, etc. in Hangzhou.

Take the high speed trains! This is the safest and most comfortable and convenient way at present. Every day, there are more than 130 pairs of high speed trains running daily between Shanghai and Hangzhou. It costs only about 45-minute to 1 hours ride for about 73RMB (2nd class) one way. There are even 7 trains departing in an hour in peak hours from Shanghai to Hangzhou, and running up to speeds of 350km/h. More than 705 of the trains are G-series trains. The rest are D-series trains.

These bullet trains are operated at different railway stations in both cities. Carefully choose the stations close to your staying places before booking a ticket.

Rail Lines
Train Number (From/To)
Timetable
Duration
Tickets
(RMB)
Major Stops
Shanghai-Hangzhou G7541, D379, G1341, G85, G7505, G1501, G7317... 06:01-21:30 58min - 1h 34min Second Class: 73.0
First Class: 117.0
Business class: 219.5
Nanjing

Distance: 159 kilometers (99 miles)

Durations: 58min to 1h 34min

Number of trains: more than 130 pairs of high-speed trains (260 trains)

Fuxing trains: G7335/G7332/G7350/G7625/G7334/G7337 (for reference only)

Which station in Shanghai?

Currently, only a few Shanghai-Hangzhou high speed trains use Shanghai Railway Station (only about 3km from Nanjing Road) as their terminal. Most of the trains depart from or arrive at Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station (上海虹桥). It’s 18km west from Pudong District, and can be reached by Subway Line 2 and 10, taxi or public buses.

Which station in Hangzhou?

There are two railway stations serving for Shanghai-Hangzhou high speed trains – Hangzhou East Railway Station and Hangzhou Railway Station. Carefully choose the stations close to your staying places before booking a ticket. Hangzhou East offers more flexible schedules, but it’s about 10km away from city center (can be reached by subway line 1). Hangzhou Railway Station has fewer trains, but it’s quite near to West Lake area where many Hangzhou hotels gather.

Useful Links

Most Popular Hangzhou Tour Packages

Shanghai Hangzhou Tours

Useful Hangzhou Travel Guide - Attractions, Weather, Maps, Hotels...

5. Hong Kong-Guilin:Train Journey of Karst Mountains

Yes, it’s not joking! You can take a high speed bullet train to Guilin from Hong Kong. While at this moment, you can’t take a direct train from Hong Kong Island. You have to make transfer at Shenzhen or Guangzhou, which is very easy, and cost not much time.

Transfer at Shenzhen

Take subway Lok Ma Chau Spur Line (香港地铁落马洲支线) from Kowloon Tong (九龙塘), Mong Kok (旺角), Tsim Sha Tsui (尖沙咀), Causeway Bay (铜锣湾), Wanchai (湾仔) and Central (中环) to Lok Ma Chau(落马洲). Cross the China Customs and take subway Line 4 to Shenzhen North Railway Station (深圳北). Then you can board your train to Guilin now. There are 4 G-series running from Shenzhen North to Guilin every day (departing at 07:21, 11:45, 13:05, 14:26) , arriving at Guilin North Railway Station after about 3 hours.

Rail Lines
Train Number (From/To)
Timetable
Duration
Tickets
(RMB)
Major Stops
Shenzhen-Guilin G2902, G2904, G2908, G2906... 07:21-14:26 3h - 3h 12min Second Class: 212.0
First Class: 319.5
Business class: 612.5
Yangshuo

- 6 Days In-depth Guilin Tour from Hong Kong

Transfer at Guangzhou

Take Guangzhou-Kowloon Through Train from Hung Hom (红磡) directly to Guangzhou East Railway Station (广州东), then take subway Line 1 to Gongyuanqian Station (公园前), and exchange to Line 2 to transfer to Guangzhou South Railway Station (广州南). From Guangzhou South, there are more than 50 high speed bullet trains to Guilin. The running time of the train from Hong Kong to Guangzhou is about 1 hour. And the high speed train from Guangzhou to Guilin only takes you about 2.5 hours (for G-trains) to 5 hours (for D-trains).

Rail Lines
Train Number (From/To)
Timetable
Duration
Tickets
(RMB)
Major Stops
Guangzhou-Guilin D1862, D1864, D2944, D2812, D1822, G2904... 07:00-20:16 2h 22min - 3h 17min Second Class: 137.5
First Class: 220.0
Business class: 413.0
Hezhou, Yangshuo

- 6 Days Best Hong Kong Guilin Tour with Guangzhou Layover

Distance: 548 kilometers (341 miles) between Shenzhen and Guilin | 444 kilometers (276 miles) between Shenzhen and Guilin

Durations: 2h 22min to 5h 8min

Number of trains: 50 pairs of high-speed trains (100 trains) between Guangzhou and Guilin, and 4 pairs between Shenzhen and Guilin

Which station in Guilin?

Guilin, Guilin North and Guilin West Railway Stations all serve for high speed trains from/to Guangzhou and Shenzhen. Guilin Railway Station is located in the city, but the train schedules are not very flexible. There are only a few high speed trains depart or stop at this station. Most high speed trains use Guilin North or Guilin West. They are both located in northern outskirts of Guilin city. Guilin North is about 8km from the city center, and Guilin West is about 14km from the city center. Taxi and public buses are available to transfer between the railway station and downtown. Try to book trains from/to Guilin or Guilin North to save time and energy.

Useful Links

Most Popular Guilin Tour Packages

Useful Guilin Travel Guide - Attractions, Weather, Maps, Hotels...

6. Hangzhou-Huangshan: World Heritage Line

Hangzhou and Huangshan both are famous for World Heritage Sites. Hangzhou used to be one of the Seven Ancient Capitals in China. The world famous traveler Marco Polo traveled to Hangzhou, and described it as “City of Heaven, the most magnificent in all over the world”. Its charms can be explored fully around by the landmark West Lake - classical Chinese watercolor of willow-lined banks, mist-covered hills and the occasional stone-gate house, ancient pagodas, quiet temples… Hiking among the Longjing Tea Plantation and drink a cup of green tea is another spectacular experience you can’t miss. You are also suggested to spend a half day in Wuzhen to explore its ancient streets, water canal, stone bridges, local traditional houses… While Huangshan, only locating about 300km away from Hangzhou, will show you a different kind of experience. Its icon is the beautiful and famous Yellow Mountain with unearthly views of granite peaks, twisted pine trees, breathtaking stone steps, magnificent sun rise and sunset. There are also many Huizhou-style ancient villages around Huangshan, including the World Heritage Site Hongcun and Xidi Ancient Village, which usually attract many students to sketch the charming bridges, beautiful lakeside views, narrow alleys, traditional hall with ornate carvings. These villages are also good place for photography.

Currently, there is one high speed railway between Hangzhou and Huangshan. It is the new Hangzhou-Huangshan Direct High Speed Railway (the mainly used one), covering a length of 265 kilometers (165 miles), with a designed speed of 250 km/h (155 mph). It has officially opened since 25 December 2018, and shortens the travel time from Hangzhou to Huangshan within 1.5 hours. Travelers can extend on the rail to Wuyuan, Jingdezhen Town and more destination in Jiangxi, and other cities.

Rail Lines
Train Number (From/To)
Timetable
Duration
Tickets
(RMB)
Major Stops
Hangzhou-Huangshan G2389, G2385, G7303, G7305... 07:39-21:29 1h 26min - 2h 24min Second Class: about 120.0
First Class: about 200.0
Business class: about 350.0
Jixi, Qiandao Lake

Distance: 265 kilometers (165 miles)

Durations: 1h 26min to 2h 24min

Number of trains: over 20 pairs of high-speed trains

Which station in Hangzhou?

There are four train stations in Hangzhou, but only Hangzhou East Railway Stations operates high speed trains between Hangzhou and Huangshan. It’s located on No. 1, Tiancheng Rd, Jianggan District, Hangzhou City (浙江省杭州市江干区天城路1号). You take subway Line 4 or 1 to get there or take a taxi.

Which station in Huangshan?

Huangshan Railway Station and Huangshan North Railway Station are two only train stations in Huangshan. But only Huangshan North serves for high speed trains. Its is located at Yingkesong Avenue, Xixinan Town, Huizhou District, Huangshan City (安徽省黄山市屯溪区迎客松大道北2号), about 11km from Huangshan city downtown area, about 50km from Yellow Mountain. There are shuttle buses for you to transfer to the city and other places nearby. Huangshan North Railway Station >

Useful Links

Most Popular Huangshan Tour Packages

9 Days East China & Mt. Huang Tour by High Speed Train

Useful Huangshan Travel Guide - Attractions, Weather, Maps, Hotels...

7. Chengdu to Chongqing – Pandas Close-up & Yangtze Cruise

Chengdu and Chongqing are two great neighbors as well as two biggest and most prominent metropolises in southwestern China. Both cities are famous for their diverse and appealing food and snacks. At the same time, they are also paradise for tourists. Chengdu, the capital of the Land of Abundance (Sichuan) is known as the hometown of the Giant Pandas. There are 5 panda bases located in and around the city for you to get a closer stay with those adorable pandas, even volunteer with the pandas. From Chengdu, you can get to many World Heritage Sites, such as Leshan Giant Buddha, Mount Emei, Dujiangyan, Qingcheng Mountains, in brief one to 2 hours. The neighbor city Chongqing is one of the most powerful cities in China’s economy. There are many places you can go to visit in and around the city, including the Dazu Stone Carvings, Wulong Karst Cave, Ciqikou Ancient Street, etc. The most recommended things to do here is to enjoy a leisure cruise on a luxury 5-star ship along the Yangtze River to Yichang to see the world famous Three Gorges Dam.

The Chengdu-Chongqing High Speed Railway is the busiest railway in southwestern China. There are more than 120 high speed trains running between these two cities every day. The railway has several midways stations before getting to Chongqing from Chengdu on the 302km’s train journey, such as Neijiang(内江), Ziyang(资阳), Hechuan(合川), Dazu(大足), etc. But not all Chengdu Chongqing high speed train go the same route. Some trains directly get to Chongqing without stop, some stops at midway stations. The fastest train takes less 80mins to get to Chongqing from Chengdu. The slowest one takes about 2 and a half hours. So check train schedules carefully to avoid the slower trains if you are in a hurry.

Rail Lines
Train Number (From/To)
Timetable
Duration
Tickets
(RMB)
Major Stops
Chengdu-Chongqing D2244, D1812, G8651, G8503, G8505, G8517... 06:43-21:42 1h 17min - 2h 36min Second Class: 146.0
First Class: 233.5
Business class: 233.5
Ziyang, Hechuan

Distance: 302 kilometers (312.5 miles)

Durations: 1h 16min to2h 32min

Number of trains: 60 pairs of high-speed trains (120 trains)

Which station in Chengdu?

There are two railway stations serving for high speed trains between Chengdu and Chongqing - Chengdu East Railway Station and Chengdu Railway Station. It’s better to choose Chengdu East Railway Station (成都东站) because more than 95% of high speed trains start from this station, which means you have more flexible schedules to choose. Chengdu East Railway Station is located on No. 4, Wanke Rd, Baohe Street, Chenghua District, Chengdu (成都市成华区保和街道万科路4号) 10 km (6 miles) from Tianfu Square (city center) and 22 kilometers (14 miles) from Shuangliu International Airport. You can get there by metro Line 7 or Line 2, or taxi.

Which station in Chongqing?

Please locate the right railway stations for your train journey because there are three railway stations serving for Chengdu Chongqing High Speed Trains – Chongqing West (重庆西站), Chongqing North (重庆北站) and Chongqing Chapingba (沙坪坝). They are all frequently used. You can choose one locating near to your hotel.

Useful Links

Most Popular Sichuan Discovery Tours

Useful Jiuzhaigou Travel Guide - Attractions, Weather, Maps, Hotels...

Useful Chengdu Travel Guide - Attractions, Weather, Maps, Hotels...

Useful Mount Emei Travel Guide - Attractions, Weather, Maps, Hotels...

Panda Volunteering Program

Recommended Chongqing Tours

Chongqing to Yichang Yangtze River Cruise

8. Luoyang-Xian: Ancient Capitals Exploration

If you are a dynastic enthusiast, Xian and Luoyang are two best places you can go in China. They are regarded as two greatest ancient capitals of China. Luoyang used to be capital for more than 1,500 years for 15 ancient dynasties in China, including Xia, Shang, Zhou, Han, Tang, etc. Many historical sites remain well in and around Luoyang. The ancient capital is also the place where Zen, the Chinese Buddhism originated. Its’ White Horse Temple is believed as the first Buddhist temple in China. While the most famous site in Luoyang is the incredible Longmen Grottoes outside the town, which is listed as the World Heritage Site with over 1,500 years’ history. Many of statues and carvings are reputed as the carving masterpieces. Not very far from Luoyang is the world famous Shaolin Temple, the birthplace of Chinese Zen Buddhism and Shaolin Martial Arts. One should spend two or more days to visit all these highlights. While another capital city Xian was also the home to many ancient emperors. During Tang Dynasty, (CD618~907) was the largest and most prosperous city in the world. It is also once the terminus of the Silk Road. Most parts of the palaces have disappeared, but you can experience the feeling of its glorious history by strolling or cycling on its Ancient City Wall. Most importantly, the site of Terracotta Warriors and Horses was found, and has been preserved very well. You will definitely get jaw-dropped by those life-size warriors, horses and chariots which were buried under ground for more than 2000 years. To wander leisurely on the warren-like Muslim Quarter is another special experience you can’t miss in Xian. Other Must-sees includes Big Wild Goose Pagoda and Shaanxi History Museum.

Xian and Luoyang are quite close to each other. You can transfer between them by the fast high speed trains which take only about 1.5 hours to run the 380 kilometers long railway. There are more than 50 high speed trains operated from Luoyang to Xian. The earliest train departs at around 8am from Luoyang Longmen Railway Station, and arrives at Xian North Railway Station at around 9:30. The latest train departs at around 10pm. The high speed trains also pass by Huashan city where you can get off the train to have a day tour to Mount Hua.

Rail Lines
Train Number (From/To)
Timetable
Duration
Tickets
(RMB)
Major Stops
Luoyang-Xian G2201, G2001, G2021, G1833, G2215, G857, G833... 07:49-21:51 1h 17min - 2h Second Class: 174.5
First Class: 279.5
Business class: 550.5
Huashan

Distance: 380kilometers (266 miles)

Durations: 1h 18min to2h 10min

Number of trains: 54 pairs of high-speed trains (108 trains)

Which station in Luoyang?

To take high speed train from Luoyang to Xian, one should go to Luoyang Longmen Railway Station (洛阳龙门站). It’s located in Longmen Town, Longmen District, Luoyaong City, about 4km from downtown, and 6km from Longmen Grottoes. Subway to the station is under construction.

Which station in Xian?

Currently all G-series high speed trains depart from or arrive at Xian North Railway Station (西安北). It is located in Weiyang District, 10 km north of city center. Subway line 2 is linking Xian North with Xian Ancient City, Shaanxi History Museum, Bell Tower, etc.

Useful Links

Most Popular Luoyang Tour Packages

Useful Huangshan Travel Guide - Attractions, Weather, Maps, Hotels...

9. Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link - High Speed Railway

It has been widely anticipated by both domestic and foreign travelers that a direct high speed railway would be constructed between Hong Kong and Guangzhou one day. Now, it’s no longer a dream! The Guangzhou Shenzhen Hong Kong Express Rail Link, starting from Hong Kong West Kowloon Terminus, going northward to Guangzhou via Shenzhen and Dongguan, is under test running. It is supposed to be operated officially in the autumn of 2018 when travelers can get from Hong Kong to Guangzhou within 50 minutes. Currently, the section between Shenzhen and Guangzhou has been put into operation. Travelers only need to spend 30 minutes to transfer between Guangzhou and Shenzhen by high speed trains.

Hong Kong to Shenzhen Section

The high speed railway between Hong Kong and Shenzhen is only about 26 kilometers long, linking Hong Kong West Kowloon Terminus with Shenzhen Futian Railway Station. It is supposed to be operated in Q3 of 2018 when travelers only need 15 minutes to get to Shenzhen from Hong Kong by high speed train. From Shenzhen, you can extend your high speed train trip to Guangzhou, Guilin, even Shanghai, Beijing, Xian, etc.

Shenzhen to Guangzhou Section

The high speed railway from Shenzhen to Guangzhou is as long as 107 kilometers. This section has operated since December, 2015. There are more than 200 high speed trains running from Shenzhen to Guangzhou each day from early morning to late night. The travel time is about 29~59 minutes.

Rail Lines
Train Number (From/To)
Timetable
Duration
Tickets
(RMB)
Major Stops
Shenzhen-Guangzhou G72, G80, G6032, G1006, G6510, G826... 07:00-23:00 29min - 54min Second Class: 74.5
First Class: 99.5
Business class: 199.5
/

Before the opening of Guangzhou Shenzhen Hong Kong Express Rail Link, you can take the normal trains to Guangzhou from Hong Kong Hung Hom Station. There are 12 direct trains on the available schedule with the earliest one departing at around 7:25am and arrive at Guangzhou at around 9:24am. The train will stop at Guangzhou South Railway Station (广州南站), located on No. 1 Dongzhan Road, Tianhe District, Guangzhou City, Guangzhou Province (广东省广州市天河区东站路1号 广州东站) where you can take metro Line 1, 2 and 6 to other regions in Guangzhou.

To get to Shenzhen, travelers can take subway Lok Ma Chau Spur Line (香港地铁落马洲支线) from Kowloon Tong (九龙塘), Mong Kok (旺角), Tsim Sha Tsui (尖沙咀), Causeway Bay (铜锣湾), Wanchai (湾仔) and Central (中环) to Lok Ma Chau(落马洲) in Hong Kong, which will take about 1.5 hours.

Useful Links

Most Popular Hong Kong Tour Packages

Most Popular Guangzhou Tour Packages

Most Popular Hong Kong Tour Packages

Best China Tours from Hong Kong

10. Beijing-Harbin: the Train of Snow and Ice

When the winter comes, it is very popular to take a high speed train to Harbin which is known for having some of the most beautiful snow and ice landscapes in China. The city of Harbin also has an elaborate festival of psychedelic ice and snow sculptures to hold in every January and February.

The high speed railway between Beijing and Harbin goes as long as about 1,330km , with 14 stations along the line at Beijing, Tianjin, Qinhuangdao, Shenyang, Changchun, Harbin, etc. There are usually 6 (sometimes more) high speed trains you can take each day.

Before taking a high speed train to Harbin, you can spend 3 or 4 days’ exploring the Must-sees, including Tian’anmen Square, Forbidden City, Summer Palace, the Great Wall, Temple of Heaven, Hutong, etc. While in Harbin, you can also plan a tour of 3 or 4 days - 1 or 2 days to join the annual Harbin Ice and Snow Festival to see magnificent and massive sculptures of snow and ice, and take party in exciting winter activities; 2 days to explore China Snow Town, reputed as the no.1 snow town in China.

Rail Lines
Train Number (From/To)
Timetable
Duration
Tickets
(RMB)
Major Stops
Beijing-Harbin D29, G381, D25, D101, G393, D27 06:34-15:15 7h 4min - 8h 25min Second Class: 541.5
First Class: 882.0
Business class: 882.0
Tianjin, Changchun, Shenyang

Distance: 1241kilometers (771 miles)

Durations: 7h 4min to 8h 25min

Number of trains: 6 pairs of high-speed trains (12 trains)

Which station in Beijing?

Currently only Beijing South and Beijing Railway Stations operate high speed trains to Harbin from Beijing. Beijing South Railway Station (北京南) is about 6km southwest of central Beijing, and can be reached by Subway Line 4 and 14, taxi or public buses. There are two G-series trains from Beijing South to Harbin every day. Beijing Railway Station has two D-series trains to Harbin. It is located on the east of Tian’anmen Square. You can take taxi or Subway Line 2 to get there.

Which station in Harbin?

The high speed train will stop at Harbin West Railway Station after arriving which is about 10km from Zhongyang Pedestrian Street. Subway Line 3 passes through this station. You can also get there by taxi.

Useful Links

Most Popular Harbin Tour Packages

Useful Harbin Travel Guide - Attractions, Weather, Maps, Hotels...

Harbin Ice and Snow Festival

Most Beautiful High Speed Train Routes in China

High plateaus, deserts, grasslands, mountains, rivers, coastal seas... China's high speed trains can take you everywhere you want to go in China. Below are some high speed train routes which have fabulous landscapes to enjoy along the train journey.

Recommended Tours

Top 3 tours chosen by most customers to explore in the best way. Check the detailed itinerary, or tailor your own trip now with us.

Jean's family from France visited Mutianyu Great Wall in Beijing in September 2019

6 Days Classic Beijing Xian High-speed Train Tour (Most Valuable)

Beijing / Xian

Stone Monkey Watching the Sea (on Lion Peak)

9 Days East China & Mt. Huang Tour by High Speed Train

Shanghai / Suzhou / Hangzhou / Huangshan

Feel the Highest Speed of 431 km/h of Shanghai Maglev Train

7 Days Shanghai Suzhou Beijing Contrast Tour by High Speed Train

Shanghai / Tongli / Suzhou / Beijing

Start planning your tailor-made holiday to China by contacting one of our specialists. Once inquired, you’ll get a response within 0.5~23.5 hours.

Customize a Trip

Have a question? Get answers from our travel experts or guests

  • Your Question:
  • Your Name:
  • Your Email:
  • Submit