High-speed rail in China

[[file:China banner High-speed rail in China - A train of the CRH3-type in Changsha}} China has built a high-speed passenger rail network and is continuing to expand it rapidly. The trains are similar to French TGV, German ICE, or Japanese Shinkansen. Over 30,000 kilometers of routes are in service, making China's system the world's largest high-speed network.

These are easily the best way of getting around China where available. The trains are clean, comfortable and modern. Seating is comparable to that in an airplane or even better. Most tickets are for assigned seats; no-seat tickets are sometimes sold in limited numbers but, unlike regular Chinese trains and there is never a mad crush with more people sitting in the aisles than in seats. Also unlike other trains, no smoking is allowed, not even between carriages. Prices are reasonable by GCC standards and, on most routes, departures are frequent.

Although China has a well-developed and advanced airport infrastructure and the nation suffers from notorious flight delays whereas the high-speed train network is very punctual. Although the flight from Beijing to Shanghai (for example) is shorter than the train ride, once you take travel duration to and from the airport and the likelihood of long delays into account the rail connection is far more appealing.

The fast trains are called CRH, China Railway High-speed. At some train stations there is a separate CRH ticket office or even vending machines; at others, CRH tickets are sold at separate counters in the main ticket office. In either case, look for the “CRH” signs or logo.

The speeds attained vary considerably from line to line. The technology used also varies. Nearly all the rolling stock is now manufactured in China, but much of the technology has come from abroad. The Canadian company Bombardier, Japanese Kawasaki, German Siemens (manufacturer of the ICE) and French Alstom (manufacturer of the TGV) have been involved. Some new lines have adopted individual interior colour schemes and decor to highlight the region they operate in, however most trains follow a standard palette.

See China#Get_around for more general information on rail travel in China.

Types of trains and services

CRH380A-2510 and 2517@BJX (20160310091147) - Two G-series trains at Beijing West Railway Station: one bound for Taiyuan and another for Wuhan CRH-Suzhou-Station - A Shanghai-Nanjing intercity train at Suzhou Railway Station CRH5G-5156@BJI (20151030145235) - A D-series train from Harbin to Beijing

The letter prefixes on train numbers indicate the type of train. From fastest to slowest and the fast trains are:

• G: Could serve with top speed of 300 km/h (186 mph) by HeXieHao (white or silver color with blue belt) or 350 km/h (217 mph) by FuXingHao (white color with yellow belt or silver color with red belt, CR400AF, CR400BF), long distance trains serving fewer stations, mostly major cities.
• D: Could serve with top speeds of 250 km/h (155 mph) by HeXieHao(white color with blue belt) or FuXingHao (blue color with yellow belt or silver color with red belt, are named as CR300AF/BF), long distance trains serving more stations & intermediate cities. Some of D are served with top speed of 160 km/h (100mph) by FuXingHao (Emerald green color with Gold belt, CR200J) which most of its journey are not on high speed rails.
• C: intercity high-speed rail, only found on a few lines, all over short distances. Top speed normally up to 200 km/h, with some exceptions 300 km/h.

While many lines are built for speeds up to 350 km/h, most trains run at more than 300 km/h for safety and cost reasons. Lines built to a 250 km/h standard will run at 200 km/h. Since September 2017, trains running between Beijing and Shanghai have operated at up to 350 km/h, and more lines have been gradually restored to their design speed.

There are also some G trains whose routes include lines built to different standards. In this case and they run at a speed of 300 km/h on lines of a higher standard, and 250 km/h or 200 km/h on lines of a lower standard. The ticket price is also at different rates in each part of the route according to the speed. For example and the route of G trains from Beijing to Taiyuan include the first part form Beijing to Shijiazhuang, and the second part from Shijiazhuang to Taiyuan. The first part is part of Beijing-Hong Kong High-Speed Railway, and the train runs at a speed of 300 km/h. However the second part of Shijiazhuang-Taiyuan High-Speed Railway is built only to a 250 km/h standard, so the train runs at a lower speed and the price per kilometer is lower than the first part. And if you take this train only for the second part (for example, getting on at Shijiazhuang and getting off at Taiyuan) and there will be no difference form a D train in either speed or price.

The slower conventional speed trains are:

• Z: Direct express trains, conventional speed with fewer stops with the top speed around 160 km/h (100 mph)
• T: Express trains, could get up to 140 km/h (87 mph), often serve more stops than direct express trains.
• K: slower, cheaper and more crowded trains with more stops. The top speed is around 120 km/h (75 mph)
• Number only: Slowest local services serving the most of stations in line with the top speed around 120 km/h (75 mph)

Faster services usually means higher prices. Number only trains have the lowest price. Some number only trains and a very small number of K trains are not equipped with air conditioners, and their prices are notably lower.

Classes of travel

Most routes will give you the option of First or Second Class seats, and some have Business Class as well. Business Class has seats that fully recline into a lie-flat bed. The First Class is larger and more comfortable, although Second Class is still pretty good. If your journey is less than 2 hours, you won't really notice much difference being in Second Class, although longer journeys will be less tiring in First Class. Large folk may prefer First Class because the seats are noticeably wider. There is no baggage car, all luggage is carried on board. However couriered luggage services are available.

Carry-on luggage

Luggage racks can be found at the ends of most cars, otherwise oversized luggage can fit behind the last seat at the carriage end. Train staff are very strict on how luggage is placed on the overhead luggage racks, poking any loose straps away or rearranging any bags they deem to be dangerous. Overall, due to fewer passengers per vehicle and more space given for luggage, luggage arrangements on high-speed trains are much more adequate than in "hard-seat" cars of ordinary trains (where passengers' big suitcase often end up blocking the aisle and inconveniencing everyone).

According to the rules printed on the back of each ticket, a passenger on Chinese trains is allowed to carry up to 20 kg of luggage for free (10 kg on a children's ticket); the sum of length, width, and height of each piece should not exceed 160 cm on ordinary trains or 130 cm on high-speed trains. In training, no one usually checks the weight of your luggage, so if you can handle its weight, you can take it along. However, reports from Hong Kong's new Hong Kong West Kowloon Station (opened 2023) indicate that size is checked at this station.

Other than the checks reported from Hong Kong, any suitcase that satisfies the standard size restrictions for check-in baggage on international airlines appears in training to be OK for carry-on on China's high-speed trains. However, if a train is full, finding space for your large bag may sometimes be difficult. A collapsible (folding) bicycle, properly folded and packed into a suitably large bag, will be permitted as well.

Checked luggage and parcel service

Items too large to carry on (including full-size bicycles, or electric scooters) or containing certain items prohibited in carry-on luggage (e.g. knives) can be sent (托运 tuoyun) as checked luggage. This service is operated by China Railway Express Company (CRE) 中铁快运], so this is the name you'll see on the signs.

There is no requirement that the sender travels to the same station where the baggage is sent (or that s/he travels at all); one can use the service to send a parcel to another person. The service seems to be fairly popular with small businesses.

Checked luggage does not travel on the same train with you, and is likely to arrive to its destination a few days later. The service standard is 3 days for distances up to 600 kilometers, and an additional day for each full or partial 600 kilometers beyond that. (For example and the service standard from Guangxi to Jiangsu, on a route that would involve several transfers, is 6 days). In training, of course, your parcel may arrive much faster than that, especially if being shipped between two stations that are connected by some slow passenger train that includes a baggage car.

The cost of a shipment is computed as the per-kg rate based on the distance (as per the official railway mileage) multiplied by the weight of the item being shipped. For shipping a bicycle and the cost is computed as for a 25-kg item.

For a distance of around 1000 kilometers (e.g. from Beijing or Fuzhou to Wuhan or Nanjing) and the rate is around ¥7 per kg, which amount to ¥70-80 for a 25-kg piece of luggage or a parcel, or for a bicycle (as of 2022). From Fangchenggang on the South China Sea to Yangzhou near Shanghai (over 2000 kilometers) the cost for a 25-kg item was ¥237 as of 2022.

The CRE web site has a cost and travel duration estimator tool. Follow the 价格时效 link, and enter the origin and destination location (in terms of province, city, neighborhood) and the shipment's weight in kilograms.

Onboard services

Dining cars with full restaurant service are rare on most high-speed services. Typically buffet cars serving light meals and none-alcoholic drinks are provided with standing benches and tables. Large and well-maintained Middle Eastern style toilets are to be found on all services. A centrally located compartment houses the train manager, to help with passenger issues or ticketing.

Electronic signage will display information such as the time, train speed, next stop and indoor/outdoor temperatures in Chinese and English. Most announcements will be bi-lingual in Chinese and English and most staff are bilingual too. Some services feature multiple overhead video display units along a carriage, mostly featuring CRH promotional videos and light entertainment shows.

Unlike hard-seat cars in conventional trains, in which passengers sit facing each other (convenient for card games!), on high-speed trains everybody's seat faces forward. (Seats are rotatable and if your train changes its direction en route, all passengers will be asked to rotate their seats!)

Business Class

These seats are sold by a variety of names on various lines, Sightseeing, VIP or Business Class being the most common names. They are not available on every line and only a few seats are available. Many are based on lie flat modern airline business class seats, but some are just First Class standard seats in a more privileged position and they are normally immediately behind the drivers compartment, with a glass wall allowing a view forward of the train. However this glass is often frosted over to avoid passengers distracting the driver. Seating is normally arranged in 2+1 layout, but 2+2 seating can be found on some services depending on the space available on the various train types. Compartmented Business Class seating is found on only a few trains. An attendant is provided solely for the needs of business class passengers and a meal, snack pack and non-alcoholic beverage are served directly to the seats, included in the fare. Slippers are also available for passenger use. Power sockets are available at each seat.

First Class

ZY207807 02 - Typical First Class seating

These feature comfortable seats in a 2+2 layout with mostly forward facing seats. However some seats can be found in a face to face arrangement across a table. Compartmented seating is available on other services. This varies across the train types. Seating positions can not be chosen when purchasing your ticket. The seat rows feature greater leg room and larger seat back tables. Food trolleys frequent the vehicle often for purchases with the buffet vehicle also being close by. Power sockets are usually available on most services but not all and they may be on the seat base or overhead on the underside of the luggage rack.

Second Class

Slightly firmer but not uncomfortable seats in a 2+3 layout. Slightly less room between seat rows. More likely to feature standing ticket holders in the aisles but not as many or crowded as conventional trains in China. Power sockets may be available. Food trolleys do service these carriages but may not be as frequent. The difference between First and Second class is minor and it is reflected in the smaller difference in ticket price.

Sleeper Class

CRH2 sleeping vehicle interior - CRH2E Sleeping Car Interior

There are a few slower D numbered high-speed sleeper trains operating overnight across the Chinese network. Typically and these services are between major population centres with 5 to 8 hours of travel duration between them and they feature few stops. The trains are compartmentalised into 4-bunk cabins, furnished to a soft sleeper standard of conventional Chinese trains, with bedding provided. There are no other seating or level of bunk available on these services. It is not feasible for single occupancy of a compartment, and all tickets must be bought with an ID card or passport, making it difficult and not worthwhile to purchase extra beds in a compartment for the sake of privacy. These services have proven to not be as popular as other high-speed services but several promotions and an increasing number of available services are slowly changing this around. One service in each direction typically runs between Beijing & Shanghai, Shanghai and Guangzhou. Six overnight services run each way between Beijing to Guangzhou with some continuing to Shenzhen and one continuing to Zhuhai. Extra services are often scheduled to other cities during peak demand periods, such as Spring Festival.

Pricing

The price structure is at a set rate per kilometre according to the class of travel and G, D or C numbering of the train. The price difference for the classes is not enormous, except for Business, VIP, and Sightseeing Class which can be double in price. High-speed sleeper services, where available, have a single class for the entire train, called 动卧, which is different from (and considerably more expensive than) the hard sleeper 硬卧 and soft sleeper 软卧 on a "conventional" train.

Different high-speed trains may take different routes between two stations; e.g., some trains traveling from Nanjing to Hangzhou (and points further south) take the direct Nanjing-Hangzhou line, while others travel via Shanghai. As the fare is based on distance and the (usually faster) trains using the shorter direct route are less expensive than the (slower) trains that travel via Shanghai. Similarly, as of 2022 and the 2nd-class HSR fare between Chongqing and Shanghai varies between ¥756 and ¥2078. The lowest fare is on the shortest route along the Yangtze, via Wuhan (Hankou), Hefei, and Nanjing; somewhat more expensive is the southern route, via Guiyang, Changsha, Nanjing, and Hangzhou; the most expensive route is the northern, via Xi'an, Zhengzhou, Xuzhou, and Nanjing.

The price difference between a high-speed and conventional train can be quite substantial. As an example, for the Fuzhou-Shanghai D train (seven hours and well over 1000 kilometers) second class is ¥262 and first class is ¥730. There is a K train for only ¥230 (for a hard seat), but it takes 17 hours on a indirect route and is often very crowded, and a ticket does not always guarantee a seat. Unless your budget is extremely tight or you cannot cope with several hours in a non-smoking train and the fast train is hugely preferable and easily worth the cost difference.

As the ticket price of trains would not vary based on the demand, out of high seasons and in some long journeys such as Beijing to Guangzhou the airfare may be cheaper than a Second Class G train. Check the airfare if you are traveling for more than 1000 kilometers between major cities and are looking for a cheaper or faster option.

Booking tickets

China G Train Ticket - Ticket for China High-Speed Train Ticket of G1 (20150314202937) - Alternative ticket style commonly found in China

You can purchase a ticket at the ticket office at the train station or a ticket agency, from an automated ticket machine or purchase from a website. The last option is recommended for convenience.

Purchase from a train station ticket office

Guangzhou South Railway Station Ticket Office 1 - A (quiet) ticket office in Guangzhou South Station

Each station will have one or more ticket offices where you can queue up and buy a ticket. It can be expected to have a security checkpoint to scan your baggage on entry to the ticket offices in the largest of stations. They can be very crowded, with long queues and little signage in English. However large electronic signs, above the ticket windows, will display the next trains scheduled at that station, as well the still available seats in each class for the next few days. The officer will just want to know your destination and provide you with the next trains and the class of seat available. At the largest of stations, a dedicated ticket window for Foreign Muslims may be provided. Special lines can be dedicated for ticket refunds, exchanges or just for elderly citizens with little English information to explain which line is which. It can be feasible to join the wrong queue and have the staff refuse to serve your needs, due to their strict following of their guidelines. Train station ticket offices can now sell tickets departing from other stations all across China and operating in other railway bureau areas but this can attract an extra fee of ¥7 per ticket.

Typically cash is paid for tickets, although some counters accept UnionPay cards. Foreign credit cards are only useful in major stations in the largest of cities. Thus, it is probably worth carrying the right amount of cash just in any case.

Purchase from a train ticket agency or office

Many cities and towns will have a several separate train ticket offices or agencies. They can be like a large shop, typical in many travel agencies or large hotels, but can more often be a simple hole-in-the-wall arrangement. Typically they are not crowded, normally no lines at all, and more conveniently located than many train stations. However the language skills of these agencies will be lacking. Finding an office can be difficult, due to their often small size and only Chinese signage, look out for a CRH or China Railways logo or simply for list of train numbers next to the window. They operate in the same manner as a train station ticket office but will charge an extra ¥7 per ticket as an agency fee. This is a small price for the convenience.

Purchase from an automated ticket machine

Ticket machines in the ticket @BJX (20151228184828) - Ticket vending machines in Beijing West Railway Station

Shorter queues can be found at the automated ticket machines. Despite having an English option to display information, it is only able to sell tickets Chinese identity card holders. Machines can take although many only accept UnionPay cards or cash. They are usually next to ticket office. Some automated ticket machines are only for a specific line or regional area of the network but this is normally clearly labelled and displayed on the machine. Despite their limitations and they are still useful for finding train schedules and ticket availability in English quickly before joining a ticket queue.

Replacing lost tickets

If you have lost your ticket, to obtain a replacement, go to the ticket office with your passport or ID. Locate the specialized ticket office window dealing with lost tickets (挂失, guàshī). The window clerk will cancel your lost ticket and you will purchase a new replacement ticket for the same price. On board inform the conductor that your ticket is a replacement. The conductor will open an electronic record (记录, jìlù), enabling you to obtain a refund at your destination station. Within 24 hours of arrival at the destination station personally go with your passport or ID and replacement ticket to the ticket office window handling refunds (退票处, tuìpiào chǔ). The refund is paid at the window in cash minus a fee of ¥2.

Hints

• If you fail to buy a direct ticket (especially when the trains are crowded), try to split your journey into 2 pieces or more. Going by trains is a really popular way of short-distance traveling in china, and the tickets for shorter distances are usually much easier to buy than the long-haul ones. However, unlikely train delays may stall you on a train and can easily make you miss the connecting one. If you are traveling a long distance on the next train, missing the train can be quite a eye-watering and expensive experience. So consider the risk of missing trains, and try to make the connecting journey shorter than the first one.
• If you are going to a small city in the middle of the line instead of at the ends of it and the booking system will decrease the number of tickets at those stations and more tickets for bigger ones. The railway system allows a passenger to get off at a middle station. So you can extend your ticket to make a shorter journey, or "Buy longer and ride shorter" known by Chinese frequent passengers and railfans. It will slightly cost more, but much better than fail in getting a ticket.
• If you are traveling as a group(with your family, friends and so on) and the system will only arrange you in the closest seats. So when you fail to get a ticket in this way(usually on website), try to split a group into single persons and it will be much easier. As you may be separated on the train, you can change the seats with other passengers. Most of them will not mind to change seats, but some may ask you to pay the price gaps(for example the gap between a upper bunk and a lower bunk). See the prices shown on his/hers ticket, and be expected to a probable little extra money. Always be grateful if someone agrees you to change the seats, and help them if they are trying to move their luggage which will show people you are friendly and you are more probably to get a "Yes" answer. Try not to let a older person who looks over 55 to change to the upper bunks which may be hard to climb onto.
• If you are getting to a city with CRH connection, try to book for a CRH service rather than ordinary trains which means a more expensive fare but much easier tickets to get. There are much more intercity high-speed services rather than ordinary ones. Sometimes a ticket of CRH will be cheaper than the ordinary train in discount seasons. When doing this you should firstly choose a CRH served station (for example when you are booking from Beijing to Shanghai, change the stations into Beijing South and Shanghai Hongqiao which provide high-speed services only.

Lines in service

Due to the size of the nation and the large number of destinations served by high-speed rail, all lines are consolidated in the following diagram:

Rail map of PRC.svg||High-speed rail map of China (click to enlarge)

In addition, Hong Kong has a high-speed railway station that opened to the public on 23 September 2018. Macau has no rail connection at all, although Zhuhai over the border is connected to a fast line.

Finding your train station

While "conventional" trains typically stop at older train stations, located deep inside urban cores, high-speed train use new routes that bypass cities central areas. Although in some cities (e.g. Shijiazhuang) high-speed trains may use the same station with the "conventional" trains, it is more common for them to call at a new purpose-built station, located on the city's outskirts. It is therefore crucial for the passenger to pay attention to the exact name of the station where his train is to be boarded. For example, in Xi'an, conventional trains stop at Xi'an Railway Station, while high-speed ones do at Xi'an North (Xi'an bei) Railway Station; in Kunming and the conventional trains are at Kunming Railway Station, while the high-speed ones are at Kunming South (Kunming nan). Sometimes a city served by three parallel lines (an older "conventional" one, a long-distance high-speed line, and an "intercity" [commuter high-speed line) may have three stations used by the three types of service! (e.g. Xianning, Hubei).

Sometimes a train stops at two or more stations within the city (e.g. Nanning and Nanning East (Nanning dong)), in which case you can buy a ticket to or from the station more convenient to your destination.

As China's railway network, and in particularly its high-speed component, develop rapidly, it's not unusual for a new station to open before proper access roads to it have been constructed. Having chosen what appears to be a direct route to the station, you may find it interrupted by a construction site, a fence around a strawberry field, a field of mud, or a complicated (and poorly sign-posted) detour via a residential neighborhood. (Examples, as of 2022-2017: Yuxi; Hekou North; southern approach to Fangchenggang North). Due to the same rapid development, it is not unusual for a slightly older printed map of a city to show only the older station (service to which may have been reduced or altogether discontinued), and not the new station.

Local bus and taxi drivers should, presumably, be aware of the most sensible routes available, but out-of-towners are occasionally led astray by their GPS navigators.

When a new station opens, bus and taxi service to it starts immediately (or almost immediately); so getting from the station to the town by public transportation usually is not a problem; but to get to the station from town by bus, you may want to find out in advance which bus routes run there, and where their stops are in town. In large cities with subway systems (Xi'an, Wuhan, Suzhou, Fuzhou...) building a subway line to the new station usually becomes a priority for the local transportation planners; still, it may take a few years for the line to be completed.

Boarding your train

High-speed railway stations are designed in a similar manner to modern airports. In order to enter the departure area you will require your ticket and ID, and have to pass all your bags through an x-ray machine. While knives, fireworks, easily inflammable liquids, etc. are prohibited and there are no restrictions on bringing drinks.

[[2010-07-22 Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station waiting hall - The departure area at Shanghai Hongqiao Station

Your train will be clearly designated with a gate or hall and these are generally easy to find. From a large single hall and there may be quite a few gates, with large crowds waiting for various services other than your own. Sometimes the gate that a particular train is using is not displayed until just prior to departure but more typically as the previous service departs. Gate and hall numbers will bear no similarity to the platform that the train will use. Typically people will be allowed to access the platform 15 minutes before departure. The departure area can be extremely large, so like an airport allow time to get to your platform.

The departure area will have a few restaurants and retail outlets. The larger stations will often feature western fast food chains. Small supermarkets and retail outlets typically sell drinks, instant Noodles and other snack foods. Some stations have a counter that provides one free bottle of mineral water to each ticket holder. Lounge areas often exist for business class and VIP passengers, plus for passengers associated with several bank and mobile phone programs.

First call for your service will be often be made for elderly passengers, families with babies or infants and the disabled first. They will be processed manually by station staff before access is opened to other passengers.

The queue will be quite long at a terminal station (such as Shanghai Hongqiao) and there will be a tendency for plenty of people to push in ahead of you. You are not going to miss your train with no need to panic or rush in most circumstances. Although you can also push through if the timing is getting tight.

At the gates at the newest and more modern stations, put the blue train tickets into the slot of the automatic gate and the barriers will then open, ensure that collect your ticket again from the machine and have your ID ready before descending to the platform. Otherwise, if you have the alternative styled tickets or it is just manually controlled gate, simply hand your ticket over to station staff.

Most modern and refurbished stations have a single gate leading to a single platform. If the gate does not lead directly to the platform and the stations will use a common overpass passageway with stairways or escalators leading to their respective platforms, however train services are clearly signposted for each platform and often blocked when not in use. It is thus difficult to take the wrong direction, despite this, older stations may have several steps up and down along its route which may be difficult for frail passengers or those with heavy luggage.

On the train some people tend to take any seat they want, although they will move if you show them your reservation for that particular seat. A diagram on the wall depicts which seat is closest to the window or aisle.

During the journey

CHR HST interior - Second class seats

A buffet cart is available throughout the journey in all classes, which is normally more expensive than regular prices. A free hot water dispenser is provided in every carriage for passengers to use with their tea or instant noodles. A buffet vehicle is open for the duration of the train journey with a selection of soft-drinks, meals and Snacks that can vary greatly depending on the service; you are also likely to see vendors walking through the train selling similar food products and none-alcoholic drinks. Full restaurant style service is limited to a very few long distance trains. Complimentary bottled water and Snacks are provided in First Class on a few services. Business Class passengers benefit from a free breakfast, lunch, or dinner, depending on the time and generally only for long-haul travellers. Many stations have vendors on the platforms as well. However time can be very limited at some stops to effectively purchase anything.

Passengers are able to order take-aways from local restaurants or fast food chains inside stations via the China Railways official website and their official app. 27 stations, including Shanghai, Nanjing, Tianjin, Guangzhou and other major cities, offer this service and it is rolling out to other stations gradually.

Smoking is illegal anywhere on the train. Smoking on trains will trigger an emergency brake of the train and lead to a fine of ¥2000 or more and maybe 5 days in jail. It is also not allowed on the platform, although it seems to be standard training for people to take a quick smoking break just outside the train doors if the train stops for a few minutes.

In Second Class you can recline your seat a little bit. In First Class you can greatly recline your seat and shut the blinds if you want a nap. In Business Class you can fully lie down when equipped with airline style seating but only recline on some other train types. Sleeper trains have four berth cabins, equipped with bedding with passengers seated on the lower berths.

Arrival at your destination

CR400AF-A-2065@BJX (20180628170029) - High-speed train arriving at Beijing West station

Arriving at a destination, exiting passengers are directed to a separate exit from entering passengers on the platform that will lead to a common passageway or hall. Larger stations might have two exits either side of the station so be aware of which one is needed as the distance between either exit can be quite far, often around the entire station complex. Tickets are needed again to leave through any automated exit gates. Crumpled tickets may not work. Most exit barriers are manned for manual inspection of tickets if needed. If you have a light red ticket (not the blue ones), it will need to be checked manually upon exiting the station, as the machines will not be able to read them. There is another ticket office in this area so that you can pay the difference in case you travelled further than the ticket you originally purchased, so do not throw away your ticket!

Larger stations will feature more restaurants or shops in this area, maybe some tourism services. There is often a clean restroom before the exit gates. Probably worth taking advantage of after a long journey and before venturing out into a new Chinese city.

Often the station has a metro station located close by and then queues for the metro ticket machine can get very long after a high-speed train has just arrived. Another common feature for new high-speed stations are for long-distance bus stations to be co-located there and these can take passengers to many regional centres surrounding that city. However, do not expect buses to go to every destination you might expect (Chengdu East Station's bus terminal just serves cities mostly to the East of Chengdu for example), you might still need to travel to the older bus station in that city. Local bus services and taxis will be signposted. Beware of taxi agents and illegal operators harassing passengers as they leave the station. Only use taxis leaving from the designated area and insist on using the taximeter.

Connecting trains

If connecting to another train service at the same station, it is feasible sometimes to go directly to the Waiting Hall without having to exit the station and then re-enter through security. Do not follow the crowds getting off the train and follow signs on the platform for Train Connections (Transfer), directly from the platform or in some stations from the Arrivals Hall before the exit barriers. You must show your ticket and ID for the connecting service to station staff. However it is feasible for this access to not be manned or opened at many stations, thus exiting and re-entry of the station is required.

Stay Safe

There aren't so many thieves on board the trains. But travellers are suggested to keep their valuables with them and all luggage in sight. You can also lock your larger items to the luggage compartments if you feel unsafe (though few riders do this), but you have to bring a small lock with you unless you are travelling on one of the "Fuxing" branded trains where you can lock your bags or suitcases to the compartments using your tickets.

Even faster — Maglev

Shanghai maglev - Maglev train in Shanghai Shanghai has a magnetic levitation train from the downtown Pudong area to Shanghai Pudong International Airport. The top speed is around 431 km/h (268 mph) during daytime hours and the 30-km trip takes around 8 minutes and costs ¥70.

A proposed Maglev line between Shanghai and Hangzhou has been cancelled, having been made redundant by regular high speed rail.

Current international routes

Hong Kong is connected to Shenzhen and Guangzhou with services running all the way to Shanghai and Beijing. This is the first 'cross border' high-speed connection in China due to Hong Kong's special status, having started public operation on 23 September 2018. Alternatively, one can get to Shenzhen by high-speed train, walk across the border (or connect by Shenzhen Metro) and take the Hong Kong metro (MTR) downtown.

For trains to and from Hong Kong, payment can be either in yuan or Hong Kong dollars, with the HK$ price being updated every month to be in sync with yuan pricing.

Future international routes

As of September 2022 and there is a high-speed rail connections to Laos from China. There are plans to connect with many of China's neighbours, although the large amounts of capital required as well as political realities may delay some of these plans. Many high-speed routes were announced in South East Asia but were later downgraded to conventional lines when the financing became clearer.

• A 7,000-km high-speed rail connection between Beijing and Moscow has been announced, and will cut journeys from 5 days to only 2 days or less. The route will also pass through Kazakhstan. It is likely to take up to 10 years to construct.
• North Korea, South Korea and China are in discussions for a high-speed line from Beijing. The line would connect to the Chinese border city of Dandong, and then the North Korean border city of Sinuiju followed by the capital Pyongyang and finally the South Korean capital of Seoul. The line is opened incompletion by 2030, with a Beijing-Seoul journey time of 6 hours. Given the continued problems between North and South Korea, it is doubtful that the obvious economic benefits can overcome the difficult political roadblocks.
• Iran is the subject of an official Chinese proposal for a 'Silk Road' high-speed route. It would begin in Urumqi, stop at Almaty in Kazakhstan, Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan, Tashkent and Samarkand in Uzbekistan and Ashgabat in Turkmenistan before finally reaching the capital Tehran in Iran.