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Travel guide

Trains beat planes inside China

China's high-speed network is the largest on Earth — and for most tour legs it is faster door-to-door than flying, with the country rolling past the window instead of an airport queue.

A high-speed train at the platform of Zhangjiajie West station
A Fuxing bullet train at the platform — the fastest way between most of the cities on our routes, and part of the sightseeing.

The legs our tours use

  • Beijing → Xi'an: about 4.5 hours (vs. a 2-hour flight plus airports at both ends).
  • Xi'an → Shanghai: about 6 hours by train, or a 2-hour flight — we quote both and recommend by schedule.
  • Chengdu → Chongqing: about 1–1.5 hours — barely time to finish your tea.
  • Chengdu → Xi'an: about 3–4 hours through the Qinling mountains.
A Fuxing high-speed train pulling into a station in China
Boarding is closer to an airport than a railway station — your guide handles the tickets, platforms and seat classes.

Classes, simply

Second class (our standard inclusion) is comfortable airline-economy-plus with big windows. First class buys wider 2+2 seats and quiet. Business class on flagship routes is a lie-flat treat. Tell us your preference when you ask for a quote.

Good to know

  • Tickets are tied to your passport — you board with the document, not a printout.
  • Stations work like airports: security check, departure boards, gates closing minutes before departure. Your guide gets you there with time in hand.
  • Luggage travels with you (racks and car-end shelves); keep it to a manageable case per person.
  • Trains are punctual to the minute. Build the day around them, not against them — our itineraries already do.

Every tour page on this site lists which legs are by train. If you'd rather fly a leg, say so in the inquiry form and the quote will show both.

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