Transportation by
Rail
Railways provide the
principal means of transport for goods and people throughout
China. The major routes from Suzhou are to Shanghai, Nanjing
and Beijing.
4 Types of Train Fares
Hard Seat: Hard
Seat is used by a large percentage of the population as it
is probably the cheapest way to travel in China. These are
sitting only carriages and are usually crowded. Oftentimes,
more tickets are sold than the number of seats available.
So competition for a seat can be fierce. You will not want
to visit the toilet.
Soft Seat: Soft
Seat is available on the inter-city lines and provides a better
level of comfort. Soft Seat is quite comfortable and is an
inexpensive way to travel for a few hours. Don't be concerned
if people take your reserved seat. Just find another one.
Hard Sleeper: There are
six narrow bunks to a compartment which has no door, so there
is no privacy. They are usually very noisy. There is a squat
toilet at each end of the carriage. The condition of the toilet
will get progressively worse as the journey continues. Food
trolleys go up and down the aisle all the times and it is
possible to eat quitely cheaply. A blanket and small pillow
are supplied with each bunk.
Soft Sleeper: There are
four bunks in a compartment, which has a door for privacy.
Each bunk provides a blanket and pillow. Toilets are at the
end of the carriage and may be a western toilet. However,
they may not always be clean. No toilet paper is provided
in the bathrooms.
Fares include hard
seat, soft seat (only available for short distance travels
e.g. Hong Kong to Guangzhou/Canton), hard sleeper and soft
sleeper. Children under 1 m (3 ft) tall travel free. For online
train time tables, visit http://www.travelchinaguide.com/china-trains/index.htm |
