Quickest travel in Beijing

[lfputman3]

So I've come to a new quandary, how does one make it quickly from the airport to say...  Beijing West Station 北京西站？ Secondly, can you buy train tickets at the airport? Thus save part of the rush at the Station gate from making you looking like an insane westerner trying to shove through the insane other travelers at the train station.

I do have the Baidu train schedule lookup bookmarked, so knowing the schedule isn't the problem, I am just wondering how quickly one can get from the airport to the west station, do we have it posted anywhere on the site and can it be made more noticeable? I'm full of strange crap today....

Gotta go,
Lloyd

[mustfocus]

I'd hazard a guess (as I haven't had a chance to try yet), but I'd say the subway system is hopefully your best bet.  I didn't get a chance to try it last time I was there, but I do know it's at least a more direct route than the highways (which took forever)

[maxx]

Lloyd I would take the subway Like mustfocus suggested.How many hours are you expecting to ride the train? My concern is you can't just walk up to a ticket counter in China.And expect to buy a train ticket.The tickets are usually sold out a couple days in advance. you can probably buy a standing ticket that way.But you are not going to buy a bed.Or a seat.

If it is a high speed train.I wouldn't worry about it.But if it is the standard train.Like a over night train.You are going to want a bed or a place to sit.

[Buzz]

Subway to the train station is the fastest.  You change subway only once.  Go on line, get a map of beijing airport, it will show you the subway stations, and from there you can get the time and station change.  it takes just over an hour to do the same thing by bus.  You can get on outside terminal three and get dropped off just outside the train station, this february the cost was 28 RMB one way.    with a lot of luggage, the bus is by far the best.

Also in this day of computer.  You can buy the train ticket on line from  your home. 

http://www.chinahighlights.com/china-trains/search-result.asp?Txt_FZ=shenyang&SearchType=A&Txt_DZ=dalian&button=GO+%C2%BB&page=2

 will pull up the home page and give you the trains, the time, the cost, for any train in china.  i bought the tickets from here in the states, and had no problem when in china

I hope you can make it all happen, and i do hope you slow down and enjoy the journey. 

buzz 

[lfputman3]

buzz, you 'da' man, I've had some trouble locating online ticket sales, just find the time schedules.

As for the length of time on the train, depends, if I manage to get through customs fast enough I could make the express which is around 3 hours, otherwise, it's 5-7 hours.

I know I had little trouble getting a train ticket the same last time, but I also got in too late to make the last train out. Thank you Delta airlines, so much for that experience.

I'll have to talk with her and see.

Lloyd

[lfputman3]

Ok, so I am just under a month out from my next trip to China, dealing with how to get my train tickets b/c she can't be in Beijing, went through the site buzz linked, I have to achieve points. That is to say the least, obnoxious. I found a couple other tour group sites that offer train booking, they all have nasty little overages and delivery fees associated with their service, appears to be a form of extortion to me. So for $25 over the price of the ticket and delivery of the ticket to me at the airport, they will do a transfer to Beijing West, sorry, I'm not going east or North, so the main station is out of the picture as is the bus from the airport. The $25 is about the same as a cab fare, so I figure what the hell, won't have to fight my bags through the subway.

Now my "agent" is telling me that 3 hours is not enough time from deplaning to make a train at BeijingXi? What the ?  I have never had a cab take an hour from the west station to the airport or vice versa. Granted, I do not have a great number of trips through Beijing, but I've negotiated it more than once. The only long customs experience I had was at Terminal 2 with Delta, which a few folks know from my first trip and the Seattle incident, will be some time before I brave them again.

So for the guys in the Beijing area, advice. The comment she gave me is I am arriving on the summer holiday and the students are all flocking to the trains??  I'm landing August 27. I think the agent is trying to work me for another $20 in train ticket money, because she is "advising" I buy a ticket for a sleeper cabin. If my bride to be were meeting me in Beijing, this would probably be a good option to me, but... not the case.

Ok, so again, thoughts on traffic conditions and train schedules getting from Capital airport, to Beijing West train station, flight lands at 13:45 Beijing time, Train I want pulls out at 16:31.

Thanks
Lloyd

[shaun]

Lloyd, I think I might understand the sleeper cabin thing.  In my limited experience with riding trains in China I have noticed they overbook the trains and people stand or sit in the floor.  With the college students I think you will have to fight for a seat while the sleeper cabin you wont.

[mustfocus]

funnily enough, I was reading about something similar during my break.... Lloyd, do a search for Seat61 and Beijing.  There was some really good stuff there that you might be able to use.

[lfputman3]

I think there might be a misunderstanding, it's a question of time from the Airport to the train station.

What's the normal time by subway from the airport to Beijing west station? I have only had one cab ride that took an hour and that's because the cabbie kept wanting to take me to the wrong terminal. I know traffic in Beijing can be brutal, but I also know my last departure the ride only took 20 minutes and he never sped. I believe it's all in the route they take myself. That last 20 minute ride, was between 2 and 3 in the afternoon, which is when I would be traveling from the Airport to the train station.

I'm just wondering if someone living in the Beijing area could really verify that traffic is going to be "so bad" at that time on a Saturday afternoon as to create an issue getting to the train station and if the train station is really going to be so swamped with people. It's not Spring festival we're talking about.

I'm thinking she (my booking agent) is just trying to pump me for another $40-50 and that's all it is.

Lloyd

[maxx]

Your looking at a hour to get threw customs.Another 10 minutes to find a cab.And then you say it is a twenty minute drive to the train station.So you should be alright.Yes the traffic is going to suck.But it wasn't that bad last time.I was in Beijing on a Saturday night..

Here is what I suggest.Pm Arnold and get the contact info for his friend the tour guide.Work out a deal where the guy picks you up at the airport.And has allready bought your train ticket.Pay Arnold's friend for the ticket and his time.I think you will get a better deal.

look at Buzz's post to you on this thread.He tells you how to do it.

It is official I just asked the boss.She said that 3 hours is more then enough time.As long as the traffic isn't bad.She also said that she doesn't think the train station goes close to the subway.So your going to have to take a taxi anyway.Or change subway trains.

You must buy the train ticket at least a day before you are going to take the train in China.All trains in China.Are booked solid by the time the departure date comes around.

[Willy The Londoner]

Just a bit of info for travelling long distances in a sleeping carriage.

There are 6 bed in each compartment. ( there are 10 or more compartments to each carriage.) The first people on board choose their bunks. 3 on each side above each other. The bottom bunks are used by all as the seating area. The top bunk is not easy to get to unless you are a typical acrobatic lightweight Chinese.

The middle bunks are the first choices. So if you are lucky to be first on the train and I mean lucky then get to your bunk and claim it. It matters not that your ticket may be numbers 7 a or b c or whatever. The Chinese are only concerned with compartment 7. the rest is first come first take.

It is not a place for much sleep. There is movement, talking - (and you know how loud they talk), train staff coming along every couple of minutes trying to sell you everuthing under the sun.

If I have a choice between sleeper and high speed then then I take high speed every time.

Willy

[Jason B]

Just a bit of info for travelling long distances in a sleeping carriage.

There are 6 bed in each compartment. ( there are 10 or more compartments to each carriage.)

From my very limited experience with long distance trains in China, only caught one from Xi'an to Guangzhou, the 6 bed carriages are for hard sleepers, you can get a 4 berth soft sleeper cabin although it is about double a hard sleeper.  Even then it was not the most comfortable 27 hours on a train I have had.  Soft sleepers may only be on certain runs though.  When we go again I am going to put my foot down and say NO we are flying and that is all there is to it......provided the boss says yes of course

[maxx]

I have only seen the soft sleeper out of Beijing.All of the train trips I have taken in China.You buy the ticket and tell the cashier what bunk you want.Bottom,middle or top.If you buy a bottom bunk ticket.Then you get a bottom bunk.If somebody is trying to take your bunk.Then you need to go get the train conductor.And she will move the people out of your bunk.

I gave my bottom bunk up one time.To a elderly Chinese lady who couldn't climb to the middle bunk.Last time my wife took the train from Beijing to JiuJiang.Some man gave his bottom bunk to my wife.Because my wife.Had are oldest son with her.And it was easier for my wife to keep track of him on the lower bunk.

I don't mind the train at all.It is kind of interesting to see how the Chinese get along with each other.And how they get along with a foreignor.I have had Chinese people come up to me on the train.And try talking to me in German ,French,Dutch,And Chinglish.I have ran into more then one Chinese person on a train.who can speak perfect English.There was a girl one time who's English was perfect.She told me she was having a hard time learning German.

They have shared there cigarettes with me.There food.And more then a few laughs.The last time I rode the night train from JiuJiang to Beijing.The ladies in the two bunks bellow me.Were trying to teach me to play a card game.They didn't speak any English.And my Chinese still sucks.So it was interesting.So if you get a chance to take a train in China.I say do it.It is a good learning experience.And it will help you understand your ladies custom and culture.

[RobertBfrom aust]

And Lloyd , just hope that it is not some members of the 12 girl band in the other bunks , that may take some explaining  ,