Overnight Trains

I really like traveling by train in Asia where I've had good experiences traveling up and down Thailand, Malaysia and China. Yet not all trains are the same and sometimes obtaining a ticket can be complex.

I like the feel of a train ride and the possibility of good conversation with fellow travelers.

In Thailand, it's easy to get a ticket. The main station is easily accessible by the metro and the agents speak English. You can easily get tickets without much advance notice. The second class cars have bunks that are roomy enough and have curtains that give you some privacy.

The Malaysian service connects with Thailand and Singapore. Again it's easy to get tickets and you can even buy them online now. The trains from Kuala Lumpur can get you to Butterworth, near Penang or to Singapore overnight saving you on accommodations. It's an efficient, affordable system that provide a fun experience.



In China getting a ticket is harder. You can't buy a ticket more than 5 days in advance and you can't buy a ticket that originates in another city. So if you're in Beijing, you can purchase a Beijing - Shanghai ticket, but you can't buy the Shanghai - Xi'an ticket till you're in Shanghai. There are agencies online that will buy all the tickets for you, but the commissions seem excessive to me and delivery and payment are problematic. Credit card acceptance isn't widespread.

Another problem is travel agencies. I've gone to agencies in Beijing looking for a ticket to Jinan. I knew there were several trains a day to Jinan and wanted one for an average Wednesday, not a holiday time. The agent said there were no tickets available for days. He could sell me an airline ticket. "Yeah, I bet you can," I thought. I walked out and went to the south train station where I got a ticket myself. There were loads available. I saved $70. I lived in China and knew the ways of some merchants. Most travelers don't have time to mess around so I suggest working with your hotel or hostel to avoid such problems.

The easy route is to book through your hotel or hostel. Usually, the booking fee is 5 rmb. The second class bunks going between Shanghai and Beijing are fine. The restrooms will get dirtier as the ride goes on, but they aren't horrible. The bunks are three high and the lower bunks are more expensive. Sometimes there are video monitors in every section. They're blaring some ads. Look around for a volume control. You can turn these off.

The routes between Shanghai and Chengdu or Chengdu or Chongqing and Chengdu have second class cars that are quite old. Here you might want to splurge on first class. Those first class cars are on par with the Shanghai/Beijing route. It's all a matter of your comfort level. There are fast trains and flights between the eastern coast cities and the west, but they are pricier.