China Travel Forum

[kamila]

Hi all,
A friend and I are travelling to Xi'an next week and we were hoping to arrive on Tuesday morning and leave on a Wednesday night train back to Beijing. In other words, we'll need to find sleepers on only a next-day timetable. Is that totally impossible - or do I have a good chance going midweek? Also, does anyone recommend a possible "miracle worker" type travel agent in Xi'an that might be able to do it if I strike out at train station (I speak Chinese, so that is no problem)?
Alternatively, has anyone ever had success buying return tickets from Beijing (i.e. a "round trip" ticket)? I've heard they exist but I've never been able to buy one.
Thanks for your advice!

[kamal]

As you arrive to tour in Xi'an and purchase your ticket for the next night. As deniz666uk says, you may end up in a soft sleeper. This is usually what the Chinese salesperson thinks you should have during the tour in China, it is more expensive, and the hard sleeper tickets are easier to sell. If you can't get one at the station then you hotel/hostel should be able to find a hawker for a ticket with a little fee tacked on.

[jhone]

if you do end up buying a softsleeper to beijing ,there is on the first floor as you come of the escalator on the left hand side a waiting room just for soft sleeper ticket holders... you also get to go on the train first. I saw the waitining room for hard sleeper tickets and its so crowded with room only to sit on the floor the soft sleeper waiting room is nice with plenty of comfortable seats. also the train has really nice private cabins :you had your own bathroom and plenty of room to put luggage .Also on soft sleeper you had a small Tv at the end of your bed..