China Travel Forum

[Tony]

We're going to be in Xi'an, to see the Terra Cotta Army of course, and afterwards we want to see the Three Gorges Dam. Can any one give me some travel details. Is there an all night train and exactly which city do we go to.

Many thanks for any info.

[Mark]

Wife and I took the cruise (Chinese ferry) last year. We flew from Xian to Chengdu for a couple of days then caught the Bus for about 5 hours to Chongqing. No doubt you could fly from Xian to Chongqing. Not sure of the price but last year we paid $A85 (approx $us70.00) for the flight Xian to Chengdu. We booked with China Travel Service in Aust and price seemed ok and at least we knew what flight we were on etc. The major/popular Yangze Cruise route is now Chongqing to Yichang. 1st Class 920Y (approx $US110.00 ea) for a two berth cabin with ensuite bathroom. Depending on how busy they are we negotiated down to 750Y at the main Ferry Booking St in Chongqing. This is about 10 minutes from centre of city in a taxi. 2nd class is 560Y but usually 450/500Y. for this you share a 4 berth cabin with ensuite. Chinese ferries (appears to be plenty of them) tend to leave in the late afternoon. Trip is 3 nights and 2 full days. The ship/ferry stops very often like about every 3/4 hours to visit a temple or village etc. Just get off and follow the Chinese tourists. The tour of the 3 Lesser Gorges was VERY interesting and recommended. It costs a separate 150Y ea. You get off the Ferry walk about 4/500 metres and join a string of small but fast junks/speedjunks and off you go around 8.00. stop for lunch (of sorts) and arrive back around 4.00PM. Ship sails shortly thereafter. Many Western tour groups leave the Cruise around 11.00PM on the last night to have a tour of the "Great Dam" then go to Yichang to catch a bus/train etc. We stayed on the ferry to watch literally hundreds of ships of every size form up in the lock to be processed to the lower side of the Yangze. Ship actually arrived in Yichang between 3/4am however you can sleep until 6.00am when they BANG ON THE DOOR and order you off.