Train from Beijing to Xian

 

Plan your Beijing Xian tour by train?  Visiting Xian from Beijing by train is a fun and interesting travel experience. But travel China by train is more complicated than by flight mainly due to the less internet connectivity pertaining China's train schedules, train types, train fares and etc. My post today may be a little helful for planning your train travel from Beijing to Xian.

 

Which railway station in Beijing for the trains from Beijjing to Xian?

At the time of my writing, all the trains from Beijing to Xian start from Beijing West Railway Station. There are mainly four railway stations in Beijing, namely Beijing Railway Station ( the oldest one), Beijing South Railway Station ( mainly for bullet trains), Beijing West Railway Station and Beijing North Railway Station ( for Badaling Great Wall).  So make sure you are on the right train station – Beijing West Train Station - from Beijing to Xian.  

 

Beijing Xian train schedule

In the process of planning your Beijing Xian train travel, you'd better first check Beijing Xian train schedule. There are a few online China train timetables including the Beijing Xian Train Schedule provided by tour-beijing.com.

  

How many daily trains from Beijing Xian?

At present, totally 11 daily trains go between Beijing and Xian. 10 of the 11 Beijing Xian trains are overnight trains while only one daytime train goes to Xian, which is also the only bullet train from Beijing to Xian.

 

Among the 11 daily trains from Beijing to Xian, there are 6 direct trains with their final destination being Xian and 5 passing trains which final stops are not Xian. If you buy a passing train from Beijing to Xian, please make sure you get off at the station of Xian.  

 

Which train station in Xian for the trains from Beijing?

All the 10 daily trains from Beijing to Xian arrive at Xian Railway Station. Only the bullet train D131 from Beijing stops at Xian North Railway Station which is mainly designed for high-speed and bullet trains in and out.  

 

How long for the train from Beijing to Xian?

Of all the 11 trains from Beijing to Xian, averagely it takes approx. 12 or 13 hours for the train trip from Beijing to Xian and vice versa. The fastest is the bullet train D131 from Beijing to Xian, taking 9 hours and 7 minutes.

 

All the 10 trains are overnight trains, leaving Beijing in the afternoon and arriving at Xian in the early morning. If you prefer to take an overnight train, you will benefit from saving one night accommodation on the train and more daytime for sightseeing either in Beijing and Xian; of course, taking a daytime bullet train offers you more time for daytime sightseeing along the train route from Beijing to Xian. Make sure which train you like for your train travel from Beijing to Xian.

 

Train fares, coach classes and train types from Beijing to Xian?

There are four kinds of trains from Beijing to Xian: D train (bullet train), Z train (thorough express train), T train (Express Train) and K train (fast train). Basically there are two kinds of coaches on the train – hard speeper and soft sleeper. A hard spleeper coach has open cabins with 6 beds; a soft sleeper coach has cabins with 4 beds.

 

In addition to 4-beded cabins, three trains also have 2-bed cabins - Train Z53, Train T43 and Z19.

 

The Beijing Xian train tickets cost between CNY 400 and CNY472 which depend on the specific train you are going to take. The bullet train D131 is the most expensive – CNY494 (first class) and CNY357 (second class)

 

Please check China Train Ticket Classes for more information.

 

Tips for taking a train from Beijing to Xian
1) For taking the overnight trains, you should prepare some food, or snacks and drinks for dinner and breakfast.
2) Beijing Western Railway Station is very busy and crowded. Keep an eye on your ticket and belongings.

 

3) Check with a huge train schedule board with timely information on the trains in and out.
4) A clerk from the waiting lounge will check your train ticket before you go to your platform.

 

5) At the entrance to the train, passengers must give the tickets to the conductoress of the rail car to exchange for a boarding card. The card shows your berth number same with the ticket. Once you are on the train and the train is moving, the conductress will walk to you again to check your passport or ID card for security reason. When the train is about to arrive, the conductress will approach you to exchange the card back for the ticket.

 

6) Four people in one compartment – two upper berths and two lower berths. Most people prefer lower berth. So lower berth are harder to get than upper berths. The sheets, one pillow and quilt are very clean and tidy. High up there is a big luggage rack. Well, you will find some portable window seats.

 

7) There is always hot water available on the trains in flasks. If you have your own glass and tea, you can use the hot water to make the tea.
8)  Each sleeper is with a LCD TV. i.e. 4 LCD per compartme
9) The train is well equipped with some useful facilities on both ends of the car – a three-basin wanshing room, two clean toilets, one free hot water cooker. If you have your own glass and tea, you can use the hot water to make the tea.

 

10) All the compartments are non-smoking. But for heavy smokers, please don't be dissappointed. On each linked area between two rail cars, you can smoke! One ashtray is hung on the wall of the linked area.
11) When the train is about to arrive, the conductress will approach you to exchange back the card back for your ticket.

 

Any questions, just drop a line.

 

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