Travelling by Train in China: Everything You Need to Know Before You Go

China – February 2026

The tickets

After spending a fair amount of time travelling around India by train, I think I have developed a certain confidence when it comes to railway travel. I know that stations can be chaotic, that “sold out” doesn’t always mean sold out, and that a journey rarely goes exactly according to plan. China, however, has its own set of rules. The country’s railway network is enormous, and travelling by train can be incredibly efficient. But before you get too comfortable, there are a few things worth knowing. From getting a ticket to finding your way through an enormous station and finally stepping onto the train, every part of the experience comes with its own little surprises.

Act 1: The Tickets

Much like in India, getting a train ticket in China can feel like a competition. Popular trains sell out quickly, especially around major holidays and festive periods. Luckily, being told that there are no tickets available doesn’t necessarily mean that your journey is over. China has a waitlist system that reminds me quite a bit of travelling by train in India. Instead of giving up when a train is sold out, you can join it and hope that somebody cancels or that additional availability appears. It adds a little uncertainty to the planning, but it also means that “sold out” isn’t necessarily the final answer. Also, the online ticket purchase is quite straight forward through trip.com. (Note that Chinese nationals use other websites with more seats available for sale).

And then there is another peculiarity: standing tickets. Generally you always buy a ticket for a specific seat. During particularly busy periods, you can sometimes buy a ticket even when there are no seats left. You won’t get your own spot, but you can still get on the train and find somewhere to stand. On multiple occasions while travelling during lunar new year, this meant that I was sitting on my backpack by the door. Next to people smoking in slower trains and making space for those with a seat reservation in highspeed trains. On the long journey from Guang’an to Xi’an, a couple without a seat reservation sat next to me for part of the trip when noone else claimed the seat. So over all it’s a nice option to have when booking on short notice and much more economical than regular highspeed train tickets.

Act 2: The Stations

The stations in China are absolutely enormous. Actually they often feel more like airports. There are multiple security checks (note that liquids may be checked and blades of any sort aren’t allowed), huge waiting halls equipped with shops and water fountains (hot and cold), giant departure screens and gates that only open shortly before your train leaves. And then there are the ticket gates themselves. Instead of simply scanning a paper or digital ticket, the automatic gates can scan your ID. Once the system recognises you, the doors open and you can continue towards the platform. However, for foreign passport holders this usually doesn’t work well and you have to go to a separate staffed gate. Over all, the system is efficient, but it also means that catching a train in China isn’t something you necessarily want to do at the last minute. I learn that the hard way in Datong.

The guy working at my guesthouse drops me at the station 6 minutes before departure. I know we’re cutting it close, but I still expect to have enough time to get to the platform. However, the ticket checking closes a few minutes before the scheduled departure. We’re talking about roughly three to five minutes. I don’t even make it past security and miss the train. There is no dramatic chase down the platform and no sympathetic conductor waiting for the last passenger. The train to Erlian simply leaves without me. With my visa expiring the next day, I’m desperate to reach the Mongolian border (still ca. 600km away). I spending another day in Datong and take a slow train to Jinnannan Station instead. From there, I catch a sleeper train coming from Hohhot towards Erlian. What initially feels like a frustrating mistake turns into a completely different travel experience. By the time I eventually reach Erlian, it is 6:50 in the morning and the next part of the journey is already waiting for me. Read about the rest of this adventure here.

Act 3: The Trains

China’s railway system is probably best known internationally for its high-speed trains, and seeing them in action makes it easy to understand why. But travelling around the country isn’t limited to sleek, futuristic trains connecting the biggest cities. There are also slow trains, overnight trains and sleeper trains, all serving different routes and different kinds of travellers. Also, the distances they cover are enormous. If you want, you can travel from Bejing all the way to Shenzhen by sleeper train (ca. 24h). While the trains do get very crowded during holidays, it’s still a fun way to find out more about how people live here. Returning home for a family visit with all the souvenirs and gifts in tow, fellow passengers were often eager to chat. And this is perhaps what I like most about travelling through China by train. Despite all the impressive technology, automation and sheer scale of the railway system, it still feels like travelling. You share a carriage with strangers and watch landscapes pass by outside the window.

China’s trains are efficient, but they aren’t completely predictable. Tickets can disappear, stations can be enormous and missing a train by a few minutes can send you on an entirely different route. Once you understand that, though, travelling by train becomes less intimidating and much more fun. Just make sure you’re at the gate before they close it.