Beijing Transport - Train

As the railway hub of the nation, Beijing offers trains to most provincial capitals and neighboring cities. There are four train stations in Beijing, of which Beijing Railway Station and Beijing West Railway Station are the most frequently used. Trains from Beijing Railway Station (Beijing Zhan)  travel to Baotou, northeast China, and Shanghai, with international trains to Moscow and Ulan Bator. Beijing Railway Station offers express trains to Harbin (8 hours), Tianjin (1.5 hours), Shanghai (10 hours), Shenyang (4 hours), Beidaihe (2 hours), Qinhuangdao (2 hours) and Changchun (6 hours). Beijing West Railway Station (Beijing Xi Zhan) has the reputation of the largest railway station in Asia (although the newly-renovated Beijing South Station may rival it when it re-opens in August 2008; trains from Beijing West station travel to every province, most major and medium-sized cities and autonomous regions (excluding Hainan and Taiwan). In 2007, Beijing West Railway Station began to operate trains to Tibet (48 hours). Since 2006, Beijing South Station has been closed for renovation and will resume operations in August 2008. The South Station will surpass Beijing Railway Station and Beijing West Railway Station in function and utility. Beijing North Station offers trains that travel to neighboring provinces such as Hebei province and Inner Mongolia.

In April 2007, Beijing West Station and Beijing Station began to offer HST (High Speed Trains) that travel at record speeds. Destinations include Tianjin (from Beijing Zhan) and Shijiazhuang (from Beijing Xi Zhan).

Train tickets can be bought at ticket offices in Beijing Station, Beijing West Station and Beijing North Station. Tourists can buy tickets and reserve seats up to one week in advance (or about 11 days in advance during national holidays) and tickets are refundable (minus a twenty percent cancellation fee). Passports or other regulated documents are required when buying or booking tickets.

Railway Station

Beijing Railway Station (Beijing Zhan)
Destinations: Tianjin, Shanghai, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Suzhou, Sifang, Baotou Moscow, Ulan Bator
Add: A13 Maojiawan Hutong, Dongcheng District, Beijing
Inquiry Tel: 010-51019999
Ticket reservations: 010-95105105
Website: www.bjrailwaystation.com.cn/ (Chinese)
Bus routes: 24, 39, 52, 59, 122, 403, 420, 434, 637, 638, 703, 729, 744, 808, 821
Metro line: 2

Beijing West Railway Station (Beijing Xi Zhan)
Destinations: Guangzhou, Xiamen, Changsha, Xi’an, Shijiazhuang, Kowloon (HK), Chongqing, Urumuchi, Kunming, Lhasa
Add: Lianhuachi Donglu, Beijing
Inquiry Tel: 010- 63216253
Bus routes: Te 1, 1, 6, 40, 42, 46, 50, 109, 323, 324, 339, 340

Beijing North Railway Station (Beijing Bei Zhan)
Destinations: Huhehaote, Hailaer, Zhangjiakou, Chifeng
Add: Xizhimenwai, Beijing
Tel: 010-65636223
Bus routes: Yuntong 104, 105, 106, 205
Bus 375
Metro line: 2