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Train from Beijing to Shanghai 9/23/07 We just completed the round-trip from Shanghai to Beijing and back. We took the Z14 train there and the Z13 back (although it was the exact same train). We traveled with 3, but wanted privacy, so we bought all 4 beds in our compartment both times. Y499 for each bottom bunk, Y478 for one adult top and Y337 for a child top bunk. They no longer print a brochure for these trains. Also, the ticket agents said that all the Z-trains only offer the 4-bed soft sleepers. 2 person soft sleepers are only available on the T-trains for about Y900 per bunk including a private sink (no toilet). But we heard that the Z-trains were cleaner, faster and more luxurious. We booked both trips about 5 days in advance and many trains only had top bunks available. We had to adjust our dates to find trains with 4 open bunks in 1 cabin. The train is generally clean and comfortable. All of the pictures and comments above are accurate. However, the bathrooms become a challenge. Each car has a small washroom at the front with 2 small sinks. Also, each car has 2 toilet rooms at the rear. The right room has a standard toilet while the left room has one of those “kneeling” units which is basically a hole in the floor. The bathrooms all start out clean, but as the trip wears on, the men tend to cover the toilets and floors with urine and spit. Even so, these are still 100X better than the train station bathrooms as they were complete disasters. Remember, China is still a developing country with many uneducated peasants. Cleanliness is no consideration for most locals. But i'm sure this is the best train you can get in this country. There is plenty of hot water available but you need your own cups and napkins. Almost everyone brought a bowl of instant noodles with them. They did sell little “lunch box” meals for dinner and breakfast you could eat in your cabins. They were surprisingly good. Car #9 is the dining car with a little bar area. We had dinner one night and the food was very good. However, it was crowded and you have to share your table with other people, also, they ran out of several dishes early. They served dinner from boarding until 9:30pm when "midnight snack" time started. I think breakfast started at 6am. Overall, an enjoyable experience much cheaper than flying and saving a hotel stay each night. |