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xue39
Newbie
Joined: July 14, 2007
Posts: 7
Status: Offline
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 Posted:
July 14, 2007 - 08:22 PM |
 
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| Post subject: Going to Beijing |
Hi,
that could have been already discussed, but - what's the most reasonable way of going to Beijing for several days?
I would think trains are the simplest way. I know there are faster night trains, but I don't mind cheaper and slower - are they clean? How to buy the ticket?
As for the air, Elong.net seems to display special for 340+130 one way. I wonder if this could be coupled with hotel deals? Does Beijing airport have good transportation? Is there a way to bypass taxi queue at Shanghai?
Thanks. |
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horsemandk
StreetBeater
Joined: Mar 23, 2006
Posts: 2241
Location: Shanghai
Status: Offline
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July 15, 2007 - 08:44 AM |
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Train is slow and sometimes more expensive than the plane. Trains can also be pretty dirty and especially the toilet gets disgusting pretty fast. Transport to and from the airport is pretty good.
Good hotel deals can be found on the internet and we often use Home Inn as they're cheap, clean and have good service.
Bypassing the taxi queue is only possible by taking a black taxi, limo or walking a little away from the Station, Airport etc. |
_________________
Those parts of the system that you can hit with a hammer (not advised) are called hardware; those program instructions that you can only curse at are called software. |
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mswp
Rocker
Joined: Mar 06, 2005
Posts: 724
Status: Offline
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July 15, 2007 - 09:58 AM |
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Bypass the taxi queue by making arrangements with an independent driver. They'll park nearby at your arrival time, then you call them, and they will come pick you up curbside. The cars are cleaner, drivers friendlier, and in my limited experience, equal to or less than a metered taxi.
I've booked three trips through uniquelychina.com (English speaking). In each case, the trip involved tourists who wanted the experience of the train. UniquelyChina booked the train, plus rooms at the Jianguo Hotel which was about 500rmb/night with a nice east/west breakfast buffet.
Trains have four classes of seating, the first class bunks (four to a room, tv's, a door that closes) that ticket is around 500rmb. Then hard bunks, which are six bunks, with no door (harder beds), then soft seats and then hard seats. Cars start clean and get progressively dirtier as you go down in price. |
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greenmark
Ranter
Joined: July 28, 2005
Posts: 556
Location: Location Location
Status: Offline
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July 15, 2007 - 10:11 AM |
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Most of the time you will find trains to BJ are cheaper than airplanes. If you are able to sleep on board they are also more convenient. You wake up at Beijing in the morning and you have the whole day in which to explore the city. You don't lose time dealing with travel to/from airports, checking in, security checks and so on.
Plus you don't contribute so much to global warming. |
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rgeczi8
Reacher
Joined: July 23, 2005
Posts: 318
Location: Hefei
Status: Offline
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July 15, 2007 - 11:16 AM |
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I second Home Inn. I stayed in one in Shanghai, and they had everything you needed, all in a clean environment. |
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waingro
Reacher
Joined: Nov 06, 2006
Posts: 217
Location: Downtown, People's Square
Status: Offline
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July 22, 2007 - 10:16 PM |
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I just got round-trip soft-seat tickets for 575rmb including the service charge at WuGong Hotel on Fuzhou Lu; they have a train ticket counter. The trip is overnight 11.5 hours. For those who don't know, soft-seat class is like an airplane seat. I'll bring ear plugs, sleeping pills, a neck pillow and see how it goes. If it's not pleasant, next time I'll upgrade to a soft-sleep at 1000+rmb round trip.
Like greenmark said, you save a LOT of time and hassle not going to/from the airport.
Oh and I'm staying at the JJ Inn www.jj-inn.com for 199rmb. I have stayed at Home-Inns and JJ-Inns; same standards, but JJ Inn is cheaper in BJ. |
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Mon_Mon
Rocker
Joined: Oct 07, 2005
Posts: 662
Status: Offline
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July 22, 2007 - 11:09 PM |
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Yes at times discount tickets could be cheaper than train but summer is high season so few discounted tickets available so single journey may cost around 1K.
Just took train to/back from Beijing and the ride is great. Soft bed, 4 bed in a room and with air-con and non-smoking within compartment (except designated smoking area between cars). My kid just loved it and had a lot of fun in the train. I think depends on the train which (for me) one ride is a bit noisy but the other ride is fairly quiet and comfortable. Ticket is around RMB 500 for lower beds and around 470 for upper beds. Buying ticket is also convenient. There are online site to book ticket and do delivery for extra 20 per ticket. There are also quite a few outlets all over town in addition to the train station to sell ticket. I was able to buy my ticket in the Pudong outlet on Saturday afternoon for Sunday train. Furthermore I think the benefits is also that the train always runs on time (departure and arrival) and that when reaching the terminus then it is already well connected to underground train which avoid the hazzle for taxi - have to add that the traffic jam in BJ is really awlful.
I think there are 3 trains every night from SH/BJ. (Z6;Z8;Z22)
Below is the links for info. and for online booking (chinese), if anyone interested:-
http://www.shrail.com/ |
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xue39
Newbie
Joined: July 14, 2007
Posts: 7
Status: Offline
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July 23, 2007 - 03:24 AM |
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Yes, indeed I have taken the train. It works well.
It also appeared to me later that BJ rail station is so close to the center that there's no need to take metro, could just walk  |
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mswp
Rocker
Joined: Mar 06, 2005
Posts: 724
Status: Offline
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July 23, 2007 - 08:42 AM |
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Plus, it seems like a lot of the Shanghai-Beijing flights run late. Trains seem to keep to an amazingly precise schedule. Even during Spring Festival -- it was a zoo, but the trains were on time. |
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Juan_Tamad
Board Royalty
Joined: Jan 29, 2007
Posts: 6230
Location: Smoky Mountain
Status: Offline
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July 23, 2007 - 08:46 AM |
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If you plan to go to beijing this month or next month, take the train. Minimal plane discounts during the summer season which is the peak season of travel.
The night train trip is very comfortable. (I compare it to a moving hotel, with comfort rooms thar are clean too!!) You wake up and you cfan start a whole day seeing the city.
JJ Inn, Home Inn...cleanand cheap
Enjoy!! |
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