TravelChina · HSR planner
Plan a China train journey — in English, before you book.
An editorial take on China's high-speed rail network. Focused on the 24 cities travelers actually visit — which station to use, how long it takes, what it costs, and whether the train beats flying.
24 cities · 36 HSR routes · updated monthly · data from China's national rail system
Start with a popular route
The six city-pairs most first-time visitors book. Click any to see the fastest train, the price range, and whether to fly instead.
Beijing → Shanghai
via Beijing South → Shanghai Hongqiao
The京沪 benchmark — every 30 min, Forbidden City to the Bund.
- Fastest
- 4h 18m
- 2nd class
- ¥626 – ¥695
- Trains / day
- 51
Beijing → Xi'an
via Beijing West → Xi'an North
Forbidden City to Terracotta Army. Half a day, no flight needed.
- Fastest
- 4h 10m
- 2nd class
- ¥515 – ¥578
- Trains / day
- 32
Shanghai → Hangzhou
via Shanghai Hongqiao → Hangzhou East
Shortest worthwhile HSR — a train every few minutes to West Lake.
- Fastest
- 45m
- 2nd class
- ¥34 – ¥87
- Trains / day
- 328
Xi'an → Chengdu
via Xi'an North → Chengdu East
Over the Qinling mountains — the best-looking HSR journey in China.
- Fastest
- 3h
- 2nd class
- ¥263 – ¥300
- Trains / day
- 80
Chengdu → Chongqing
via Chengdu East → Chongqing North
Every 15 min, under ¥100 in 2nd class — pandas to hotpot.
- Fastest
- 1h 15m
- 2nd class
- ¥85 – ¥191
- Trains / day
- 143
Guangzhou → Hong Kong
via Guangzhou South → Hong Kong West Kowloon Station
Co-located immigration — 50 min downtown-to-downtown, no airport.
- Fastest
- 47m
- 2nd class
- ¥185 – ¥215
- Trains / day
- 60
What this tool decides for you
Trip.com and 12306 will sell you a ticket. We answer the questions that come two months before that.
Which station to use
Beijing has three HSR stations; Shanghai has two. We tell you which one actually runs your train, and which metro line reaches downtown in 20 min vs. 50.
Train vs flight, honestly
Every route shows door-to-door time and price against the flight. Under 5 hours the train usually wins; we flag the exceptions (Beijing → Guangzhou is one).
Book in English
A step-by-step walkthrough of 12306 — the official app — with foreign passport support, paperless boarding, and the orange passport-scanner gates.
Dig deeper
Long-form references that back up what the tool tells you.
Book a China train on 12306 in English
Register, pay with a foreign card, board with a passport — the whole walkthrough.
China HSR network — the overview
38,000 km, G / D / C train classes, station etiquette, and how the system works.
Browse all guides
Booking, route guides, and before-you-travel basics — the full written-content index.
Frequently asked questions
- How long is China's high-speed rail network?
- China's HSR network is over 38,000 km long (2026), the largest in the world. It connects more than 50 major cities at speeds of 250–350 km/h, and continues to expand by 2,000–3,000 km per year.
- How fast is China's high-speed rail?
- The fastest services — G-class 'Fuxing' trains on the Beijing–Shanghai and Beijing–Guangzhou corridors — run at up to 350 km/h. D-class trains run at 200–250 km/h, and C-class intercity trains at around 200 km/h.
- Can foreigners book high-speed rail tickets?
- Yes. You can book with your passport via the 12306 English app, Trip.com, or Klook. Seats open about 15 days in advance. Collect your ticket — or go paperless — at the station using the orange passport-reader gates.
- Where do I pick up tickets at the station?
- Most stations now support paperless entry: just tap your passport at an orange automated gate. If you booked via an agent and the ticket was not bound to your passport, use the manual ticket window (英文/English窗口 usually available at major stations).
- What is the difference between G-, D-, and C-trains?
- G-trains (高速动车) are the fastest HSR, typically 300–350 km/h, used for long corridors like Beijing–Shanghai. D-trains (动车) run at 200–250 km/h on slightly older or regional lines. C-trains (城际) are short intercity shuttles, e.g. Beijing–Tianjin.
- How early should I arrive at the station?
- For domestic HSR, arrive 30 minutes early; allow 45 minutes at Beijing West and Shanghai Hongqiao, which are enormous. For Hong Kong West Kowloon (cross-border immigration), arrive at least 60 minutes early.
- Is the map updated in real time?
- No. Schedules and pricing are compiled from Trip.com and 12306 and verified in person monthly (last verified 2026-04-19). Use the linked booking sites for live fares and live-sold-out checks.
About China's HSR network
China's high-speed rail is the largest network in the world — over 38,000 km connecting more than 50 cities at 250–350 km/h. It's grown from essentially zero in 2007 to the combined scale of Japan and Europe, and continues to add 2,000–3,000 km each year.
Three train classes run on the network: G-trains (高速动车) are the fastest, 300–350 km/h on corridors like Beijing–Shanghai; D-trains (动车) run 200–250 km/h on regional lines; C-trains (城际) are short intercity shuttles like Beijing–Tianjin. All three accept foreign passport bookings through the 12306 English app or through Trip.com / Klook.
TravelChina narrows this network down to the 24 cities foreign travelers actually visit — with real prices, durations, and daily schedules for the 36 city-pair routes between them. When you're ready to pick one, the interactive HSR map has the full numbers. For how the data is compiled and what this site is (and isn't), see the About page.