Ticket Booking

Enjoy the pleasure of travelling by train in China

Dear sir/Madam,
Do you enjoy travelling by train? It’s a good choice to do the sightseeing and it is also very economic, convenient and fast.
Joe’s Ticket Agency provides domestic train ticket booking service for any journey within China in any class or type of train. Give us your name and passport number. You do not need to pay in advance. We will send you the E ticket and you can pay me afterwards. I will provide detailed information and tell you how to get the ticket. It is safer, easier and cheaper! 
Safer: We just need your name, nationality, and passport number .You need not pay in advance.
Cheaper: We only charge you $10 for each ticket (except tickets to or from Tibet ), much cheaper than most other agents.
Easier: We send you E tickets. All you need is to pick up the real tickets at the train station and start your journey.
 

The steps of booking the tickets

Step 1: You fill in the following form and write down your information. ( You can also tell me your travelling plan and then I can give you some advice.)
                         The information about the passengers

Passenger	Full Name (exactly as it appears on the passport)*	Nationality	Sex	Passport Number*	Child under 1.5m**
1
2
3
4
5

The information about the train

From	To	Date (mm-dd))	Preferred departure time	Preferred Seat	Please write down your special request.

Step 2: We send you an estimate.
Step 3: You email us back to confirm your order
Step 4: We purchase the tickets when they become available then send you an invoice.
Step 5: You pay via PayPal to my account.
Step 6: We send you the e ticket and send bilingual instructions for you to pick-up the tickets.
Step 7: You collect the tickets and get on the train!
 
I loving travelling a lot and have been to many places around China. We not only provide ticket booking service, but also plan the best travelling route for you.
 

Tips  

Children Tickets.
A child less than 1.2 meters can travel for free if sharing a seat or bed with an adult or can have a seat at a 50% discount.  Children between 1.2 meters –1.5 meters must have a seat and get a 50% discount for the seat. In the case of a sleeper, the child discount depends on the train and is up to 25%.
Classification of China's Trains.
G Train: means bullet high-speed train, which is the most modern and fastest train in China. Only available between main cities. It provides business seats, first class seats and second-class seats. The washrooms are quite clean.
 
C Train: is the fastest speed train only between Beijing and Tianjin; it provides first class and second class seats. The washrooms are quite clean.
 
D Train: means "China Railway High-speed (CRH)". It is only available between main cities. First-class seats (soft seats) and second-class seats (hard seats) are available. The washrooms are relatively clean.
 
Z Train: means "Express Train". It doesn't stop or stops very few stations before arriving at the destination. It's good to travel for an overnight distance if you want to save hotel expense. There are usually only sleepers (hard/soft) available, while some only have soft-sleepers and deluxe sleepers.
 
T Train: means "Superior Fast". It always stops in provincial capital cities and big cities. The ticket classes include hard seat, soft seat, hard sleeper and soft sleeper.
 
K Train: means "Fast”. The ticket classes include hard seat, soft seat, hard sleeper and soft sleeper.
 
Ordinary Train: it is named by 4 numbers, such as train 1461 (Beijing-Shanghai). It is the slowest and the cheapest in all train types as it stops at every little town. There are hard seat, soft seat, hard sleeper and soft sleeper available. Most of them don't have air conditioning.
Classification of Seats.
Luxury Soft Sleeper: It is the top-level sleeper, only available in a few trains. Each enclosed compartment contains only two clean and comfortable bunks (upper/lower), a western washroom, and sometimes even has a shower cubicle. The ground is carpeted, and other facilities include sofa, LCD TV, table and wardrobe.
 
Soft Sleeper: It is sort of a luxurious train travel. Each compartment is enclosed by a door, and contains four bunks, with two to a side. The sleepers are wider and more comfortable, the washroom is relatively clean but not in the compartment. Smoking is not permitted in the coach, but you can smoke between cars. It is advisable to buy soft-sleeper tickets for overnight and long-distance travel.
 
Hard sleeper: It is the basic accommodation for overnight or long-distance train travel. The coach has open compartments, in which six sleepers are arranged, with three tiers of bunks (upper/middle/lower) on both sides. There is a small difference of price between the bunks, with the upper bunk being the cheapest and the lower bunk the most expensive. A pillow and a quilt are provided for each sleeper. The washroom is tolerably clean. Smoking is not permitted in the coach, but you can smoke between cars.
 
First Class Seat: Only available in G, C and D train. Four seats are arranged for a row. The seats are similar to soft seats, but are wider, more modern and comfortable. Smoking is not allowed. 
Second Class Seat:  Only available in G, C and D train. Five seats are arranged for a row. It is a level below the first class seats with relatively smaller sitting area, but is still comfortable. The level of comfort and space would be similar to business class on a plane. Smoking is not allowed.
 
Soft Seat: It is one level above the hard seat. The seats are relatively clean and more comfortable. Smoking is not allowed in the coach, but you can smoke between cars. Soft seats are ok for a ride lasting a few hours.
 
Hard Seat: It is the cheapest option and the most common kind of tickets. The seats are actually thinly padded. The coaches and the toilets are not very clean. It is very uncomfortable for overnight trips. It is generally overcrowded, noisy and maybe stinky. There are frequent thefts of baggage.
 

Tips on the train

Toilet.
Except for modern fast trains, most toilets on the train are squat style without any toilet paper.

Luggage.
The baggage allowance is not very strict for trains in China as long as you can carry it by yourself. Nevertheless, the official policy requires the maximum carry-on baggage allowance for each adult passenger is 20 kg and 10 kg for each child. The total length of each item can’t exceed 160 cm. The above limitation is not applicable to wheelchair, which can be brought onto the train for free. Baggage space is limited and must be stored in your coach.

Restaurant.
A restaurant carriage is available for long distance trains.  It only provides Chinese food. Also there are trolleys to sell water, instant noodle or snack food on each train frequently. However we suggest that you bring your own food and snacks.

English speaking.
Most train staff does not speak English. Generally there will be announcement in English when the cities are approaching. However, if the arrival city is not the terminal, show your ticket to your neighbor asking them to remind you.

Arriving at your destination.
You generally need to show your ticket when exiting the station. Make sure to keep it handy.