Transcript
Train Travel Instruction by China Highlights Quick finds: Part-1 How to collect train tickets Part-2 How to board a train Part-3 Travel tips
Part-1 How to collect train tickets 1. Timing for ticket collection Be prepared. Boy Scout’s motto applies here, too. Keep in mind that you have paper ticket(s) to collect while packing up. It is much wiser to get your paper ticket(s) at least 3 hours prior to the departure time than doing it the last minute. And mind the business hours: windows for ticket collection at railway stations are open from 08:00 to 22:00. Ticket agents (代售点) are not for collecting.
2. Two things in hand Each successfully-issued booking comes with a certain pick-up number. If you have multiple bookings coming up, you will receive different pick-up numbers for each booking. You will find it at the beginning of this email. With the pick-up number and your passport, you can go and collect your ticket(s) at any railway station or ticket office. Writing down the pick-up number on a paper or a printed-out copy will be helpful.
3. Find the ticket collection window at a railway station There will be a lot of ticket windows at a railway station. This might sound surprising but only a few of them are open for ticket collection. So firstly you need to find the right window for ticket collection. This kind of windows are often signed as “电话订票、 网络订票取票窗口 (Ticket collection window for telephone and online bookings)”. Show your passport(s) and pick-up number(s) to the counter clerk and she/he will hand over the paper ticket(s). Always keep your passport(s) and ticket(s) safe. Note: China Highlights has manual checking during the issuing of the tickets as a way to prevent mistakes. However, as slight as it can be (perhaps 1 in 10,000), there can still be a chance that you cannot collect train tickets at the ticket counter (reasons can be China Rail’s system being upgraded, or rookie ticket clerk etc). In such case, the best move that we suggest is to show the screenshot of ticket issued to the clerk (Screenshot of ticket issued can be found in the confirmation email); or contact us immediately by phone and we will talk to the clerk for solution. To avoid unnecessary loss, this situation shall be fixed right away before the departure time. Please understand there is nothing that we can do if you contact us after the train’s gone. China Highlights shoulders no responsibility for failed ticket collecting due to improper handling beyond our account. To find the right window, show this sentence to any station staffer or by-passer:
请问网络购票的取票窗口在哪？
Pinyin: qǐng wèn wǎng luò gòu piào dí qǔ piào chuāng kǒu zài nǎ ? ( I have booked online, would you please tell me where I can collect my ticket(s)? )
Part-2 How to board a train 1. Make sure you have everything ready Your passport(s) and paper ticket(s) are the two essential things for boarding, coming along with your luggage and other stuff. You will need to present paper ticket(s) twice before boarding: firstly at security check and then at ticket checking. Only once for your passport(s), at security check. Putting your passport(s) in a fanny pack or mini bag can be handy; however, you shall always keep it safe after checking’s done. Dining on train, no matter a bento or made-to-order meals in the dining car, is hardly the same as eating in a restaurant. For longdistance travel, we suggest you bring some food, cookies, instant noodles, fruits or some drinks. What’s more, there’s no toilet paper, disposable toilet seat cover or flip-flops offered on train, better pack them up if needed.
2. Pass the security check Security check is required before entering the waiting hall, which at some stations even happens before entering the station building. Station staffers will scan you with an X-ray device and your luggage will go through a scanning machine. Comparatively, security check is less hassle and tough than that at the airport. For example, common liquid items will not be banned and lighters can be brought onto the train. Things that are not allowed to take in: firearms (guns, knives, ammunition of any caliber in any quantity etc), explosives (including fireworks and pyrotechnics) and imitation explosives or devices, items containing incapacitating gases, liquids or other substances (including CS gas sprays), inflammable substances except in minimal quantities (eg. lighters), butane gas, any items that are prohibited or limited by the government, live animals and insects and anything that can do harm to other passengers and public hygiene. Luggage that exceeds the limitation of the regulation shall not be brought onto train either.
3. Find the right place to wait The waiting hall is the place to wait for boarding. Most stations have divided waiting sections for different trains, some have all the passengers waiting in a big hall with just the ticket check specially signed differently. For most high speed trains, the appointed waiting section are stated on the paper tickets (see picture of example).
Otherwise, you will need some direction for the right waiting place. A LED screen will have waiting section of each train displayed on a scroll. When you get to a certain waiting section, there will probably be a sign saying “XXX train waiting section (xxx次列车 在此候车) ” (See picture of example)
To find your waiting section, show this sentence to any train staffer or by-passer, along with your ticket(s): 我搭乘这趟火车，请问我的候车室在哪里？
Pinyin: wǒ dā chéng zhè tàng huǒ chē, qǐng wèn wǒ de hòu chē shì zài nǎ lǐ? (I am taking this train; would you please tell me where the waiting hall is?)
4. Have your ticket(s) checked Ticket checking stops 5 minutes before the departure time. Make sure you get everything at the ready before checking. Ticket barriers at the exit of every waiting section link to the boarding platform. Normally there is a LED screen above the barrier telling what the current situation is: waiting (正在候车), ticket checking (正在检票), ticket checking over (停止检票). People tend to get antsy once “ticket checking” is on but knowing where you are heading is important: holding blue-colored paper ticket, you shall pass through the automatic checking machine; the red-colored ones are to those ticket inspectors and get pinched by a pair of ticket scissors. Put away your ticket(s) once checking’s done. At some railway stations, waiting sections are not always divided. In this case, show this sentence to any station staffer or by-passer, while showing your ticket(s), to find your waiting line: 我搭乘这趟列车，请问我在哪里候车？
Pinyin: wǒ dā chéng zhè tàng liè chē, qǐng wèn wǒ zài nǎ lǐ hòu chē (I am taking this train; would you please tell me where the waiting section is?)
5. Get onto the platform Under some special circumstances, you might need to walk up and down stairs to get onto the platform. At some recently-built or renovated stations, escalator and elevator will make this walk easier for senior travelers or ones with large luggage. A LED screen will show direction of your designated platform by highlighting the train number, indicating which stair to walk down or which way to head.
Unlike that in Europe, boarding platforms in China don’t have gates. Keep an eye on your children while traveling with kids. There will probably be two trains by both sides of one platform. Board the one that its number matches your paper ticket. Ticket inspectors who stand by the gates of different cars will request for ticket check, ID checking is not necessary. Double check with them in case you are not sure if it’s your train.
6. Officially on board To find your designated car and seat, you will need to check the details on the paper ticket. Below is an example picture telling you how to read a ticket.
If you are taking large luggage, the first thing after boarding shall be finding a place for your stuff. There is a luggage place at the
connected parts of two cars on a high speed train, which can store 2 to 4 suitcases on its two-leveled shelf. This public shelf is not for reservation, rather like first-come-first-served. You can also stow luggage on the upper shelf by the seat (See below )
if the public shelf is fully occupied. Valuable belongings shall always be with you. You might need these sentences when looking for your seat or would like to change seats with others: (1) 请问我的座位在哪里？ Pinyin: qǐng wèn wǒ de zuò wèi zài nǎ lǐ ? (Where is my seat, please? (While showing your tickets) (2) 对不起，我和我的同伴座位不在一起，请问你是否愿意和我们换一下座位？ Pinyin: duì bú qǐ, wǒ hé wǒ de tóng bàn zuò wèi bú zài yī qǐ, qǐng wèn nǐ shì fǒu yuàn yì hé wǒ men huàn yī xià zuò wèi ? (Excuse me, my friends and I are in separated seats, would you mind changing seats with us?)
Part-3 Travel tips 1. Safety Traveling by train in China is fairly safe. However, like other travel styles by air or barefoot, this advantage can be blunted if safety awareness doesn’t come a priority. Here are some tips for train travel safety. (1) Be advised that you shall always keep your belongings within your eyesight and never leave valuable items out in the open. Your cash, credit cards, travel documents and other important items shall be separated and keep them safe. Normally, a small amount of cash, about 100RMB, is far beyond enough for needs on the train (e.g. food and other stuff). Have some small bills handy so that you don’t have to grub in your bags or luggage. (2) Traveling with young kids, it is the adults’ job to restrain them from getting too excited about everything, for they may run around on the platform and the car, or fiddle about the bathroom doors or water faucet. Normally the stations don’t have special pass or boarding platforms for senior travelers, but it is unlikely a senior will be jostled and pushed. Aside from the high speed trains that are galloping steadily, senior travelers may avoid walking around on the train as sometimes harsh jarring and sudden braking can happen. (3) Tapping water is not for drinking. Always drink bottled water or get water at the drinking pantry. Let your children know this before they ask for a drink. (4) Keeping your wits about you might be easy during daytime or short routes. There are chances that things get stolen or lost for some overnight train rides. Use the code lock on your suitcase. If your bag or rucksack has a strap, clip it up onto the railing by the bunk or your arm before you go to sleep. This will wake you up at every single movement of the bag or rucksack. Stash your money, cards and travel documents inside your jacket and zip it up. Of course, lock up the compartment if possible.
2. Dining on board Superior Class Seat, Business Class Seat and First Class Seat have complimentary food, mini muffins, buns and some snacks, which falls far behind the standard of a proper meal. You can get to the dining car (usually on Car 5) to order or purchase one when the
bento cart passes by (usually lukewarm and tasteless). Prices different on different types of trains: one made-to-order meal on regular trains might cost 30 to 50RMB per dish, bento meals range from 15RMB per box on regular trains to 45RMB per box on high speed trains. Most high speed trains don’t have made-to-order services on the dining cars. Pack yourself a picnic. Fruits, instant noodles, crackers, soft drinks and snacks can all be good choices. Many train stations have McDonalds and KFC nearby; grab a Grazing Bucket before you go. Be aware that liquid food, drinks or gravy can spill over during security check.
3. The loo All the regular non-high-speed trains are equipped Japanese-style squat toilets while all the high speed trains are western-style. The bathrooms are located at both ends of every car. Note that they will be temporarily closed 10 minutes before the train reaches a station and during the time it stays at that station. So just go whenever nature calls coz you don’t know when it’s going to reach a station. And there will probably be a long waiting line, too. On high speed trains, used tissues and other wastes shall be put into the trash can. However, on non-high-speed ones, tissue and other wastes can be flushed down by treading on a pedal. Always taking valuable things with you, you can put them at the hook of the back of the door while using the toilet. Bathrooms on high speed trains have disposable paper seat cover and tissues. In the washroom, there are soap (or liquid soap) and wiping paper. Ask a steward for refill if they are used up. None of these things are offered on those regular non-high-speed trains. Be mentally prepared since the squatted toilets can be really nasty for those long-haul trains. Thus, a pack of baby wipes or hand sterilizer and some tissues should be in your packing list. Young kids and senior travelers are advised to have guardian around while using the toilet. Senior travelers shall use the hand railing inside the bathroom. And be careful of the slamming door pinching fingers. Floors can be slippery at times, watch your steps and walk slowly.
4. Ready to get off It is better to get ready in advance when the train is slowly pulling off at the destination. Ask for help from the steward, you can use this sentence: 请在到站前 10分钟提醒我准备下车，谢谢！
Pinyin: qǐng zài dào zhàn qián 10fèn zhōng tí xǐng wǒ zhǔn bèi xià chē, xiè xiè! (Please remind me 10 minutes before arrive my destination, thanks!) Gather your stuff before getting off and don’t forget your ticket(s) because you might encounter another ticket check at the exit.
5. Helpful sentences Not speaking Chinese? No worries, you might find these sentences helpful for your train travel: (1) Go to the Train Station 请问去火车站的公车 /地铁在哪里乘坐？
Pinyin: qǐng wèn qù huǒ chē zhàn de gōng chē /dì tiě zài nǎ lǐ chéng zuò ? (Where can I take the bus/subway to the railway station?) 请带我去火车站，谢谢！ (For taxi) Pinyin: qǐng dài wǒ qù huǒ chē zhàn, xiè xiè ! (Please take me to the railway station, thanks! )
(2) At the Train Station 请问去哪里退票？
Pinyin: qǐng wèn qù nǎ lǐ tuì piào ? (Where can I return the train tickets, please?) 请问候车大厅在哪里？
Pinyin: qǐng wèn hòu chē dà tīng zài nǎ lǐ ? (Where is the waiting hall, please? ) 请问卫生间在哪里？
Pinyin: qǐng wèn wèi shēng jiān zài nǎ lǐ ? (Where is the bathroom, please? )
(3) On the Train 请问餐车在哪里？
Pinyin: qǐng wèn cān chē zài nǎ lǐ ? (Where is the dining car, please? ) 请问去哪里补票？ (For those who lost their tickets after boarding) Pinyin: qǐng wèn qù nǎ lǐ bǔ piào ? (Where can I pay the excess train fare, please? ) 请问有盒饭吗？多少钱？
Pinyin: qǐng wèn yǒu hé fàn ma ? duō shǎo qián ？ (Do you have bento? How much is one, please?) 请问有矿泉水吗？多少钱？
Pinyin: qǐng wèn yǒu kuàng quán shuǐ ma ? duō shǎo qián ？ (Do you have bottled water? How much is one, please?) (4) After the Journey 请问这是我的终点站吗？ (while showing the ticket)
Pinyin: qǐng wèn zhè shì wǒ de zhōng diǎn zhàn ma ? (Would you please tell me if this is my destination?) 请问出站口在哪里？
Pinyin: qǐng wèn chū zhàn kǒu zài nǎ lǐ ? (Where is the exit, please? ) 请问公车站怎么走？
Pinyin: qǐng wèn gōng chē zhàn zěn me zǒu ? (Where is the bus station, please?) 请问地铁站怎么走？
Pinyin: qǐng wèn dì tiě zhàn zěn me zǒu ? (Where is the subway station, please?) 请问这附近有 ATM取款机吗？
Pinyin: qǐng wèn zhè fù jìn yǒu ATM qǔ kuǎn jī ma ? (Where is the nearest ATM, please?)
