Beijing Train Schedule

Traveling by train in China is one of the cheapest ways to travel some of the long distances in China and is used widely by the local population. It is important to know what to expect if you decide to travel by train in China.

The restaurant carriage will be located in the 7th, 8th, 9th or 10th carriage, depending on different trains. The choice of food will be limited and only Chinese food will be available. Most local people buy food in advance or buy food from the vendors on board the trains.

English is generally not spoken by any of the staff on the trains or in the railway stations. Limited English sign is available in the railway stations.

In China, train numbers are usually indicated with a capital letter followed by several numerals. The letter indentifies the category of the train, which is often determined by speed and the number of stops the train will make during the journey. The better categories accordingly represent the higher level of price, speed, service, facilities and cleanness, and fewer number of stops along the way. The common used letters (categories) are as follows:

1. D trains – Bullet Trains (Dongche)
2. Z trains – Direct Express (Zhida)
3. T trains – Express Trains (Tekuai)
4. K trains – Fast Trains (Kuaisu)

There are three major railway stations in Beijing: Beijing Railway station, Beijing West Railway station and Beijing South Railway station. Trains leaving for most cities of China depart from the three stations. The Beijing North Railway Station, formerly known as the Xizhimen Railway Station, is now a small (Tier-III) station managed by the Beijing Railway Bureau that provides regular intercity train services to the north and northwest. It is also the southern terminus for the Beijing Suburban Railway.

1. Beijing West Railway Station
2. Beijing Railway Station
3. Beijing South Railway Station
4. Beijing North Railway Station