Although not in Central China, Beijing is probably the best-served city in China with train links. See our searchable timetable for details of over 200 services to and from Beijing. China is however a very large country, and train travel is much slower than by air. For example:
Beijing–Xi'an takes about 10 hours.
Beijing–Shanghai takes about 14 hours.
Beijing–Harbin takes about 20 hours.
Beijing–Guangzhou takes about 30 hours.
Train travel may be difficult for some and little English is spoken on most trains. There are four main railway stations in Beijing that serve the four directions: Beijing Railway Station (serving the east), Beijing West Railway Station, Beijing South Railway Station (also called Yongdingmen Station, not to be confused with Yongdingmen Long-Distance Bus Station) and Beijing North Railway Station (also called Xizhimen Station). Many buses stop at these stations, so you need not worry about getting downtown from these places.
Important tips for traveling by train in China
China Train Travel: Do you want to get "up close and personal" with China? Travel "Overland" by train and see a unique and fascinating view of China.
Visitors can buy train tickets in all of these stations, but the queue there is almost invariably long, since Beijing is the primary point of entry for travelers arriving in China from abroad. Travelers can opt to purchase train tickets at one of the alternative railway ticket offices in the city's suburbs. Click to find the list of Beijing train ticket offices.
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