Hong Kong to Beijing 28/07 - sleeper or day train?

Hi all,

I'll be making a trip to Hong Kong and Mainland China in late July, and I need to get from Hong Kong to Beijing on the 28th July. Does anyone have any experience with either the sleeper or the day train? I am open to both but wondering which is best. Furthermore, can either train "sell out" or can I take a few days to consider both options? And what website would everyone recommend for booking this trip?

Thanks

Both will be decent high speed trains. Up to you if you prefer sleeping on the train or seeing the landscape change from your seat.

Trip.com is good for buying train ticket if you do not mind the fee. 12306 (i.e. the official railway app) does not have an extra fee, and is easy to use if setup, setting it up is a bit hit or miss in my experience.

Not sure if these trains often sellout. I imagine that especially the night train can sellout. I suggest to start checking trip.com to see how often that is the case, and read up about Chinese holidays. If the trains do sellout, trip.com is excellent to find connecting trains. In south china there are many places where you can connect to Hong Kong. You can buy the tickets separately in the 12306 app.

Note that the CR sleeper train is not the same experience as UK, you will be sharing a berth with other passengers.

Section 10 of the CR Conditions of Travel (https://mobile.12306.cn/otsmobile/h5/otsbussiness/info/transportationRules.html) prohibits using third party apps such as trip.com. In reality, that's not enforced, but you may face issues with in-person endorsements etc, where the railway staff will direct you to sort it out via trip.com instead.

It is significantly cheaper, and you will have more train options, to cross the border by land and start your journey from Futian or Shenzhenbei. Depending on where you'll be staying on Hong Kong, it may work out to be approximately the same time.

Feel free to message me for any translation/culture differences help.

Thanks, both, for your help! Having a look

The high-speed night train between Hong Kong and Beijing is suberb. However, you need to share the cabin with 3 strangers.

China Railways often releases a big chunk of capacity at the 48 hour mark before travel.

Next, if the HK-BJ trains get sold out, you can change in Shenzhen - plenty of one-stop connections are available via Shenzhen.

Thanks! And what's the best way to get from Hong Kong to Shenzhen?

Leogilbert007 said:

Thanks! And what's the best way to get from Hong Kong to Shenzhen?

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There are many many high-speed trains on this short distance, every few minutes.

Leogilbert007 said:

Thanks! And what's the best way to get from Hong Kong to Shenzhen?

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Would you mind giving more details? Where in HK will you be starting from? How much do you value comfort, time, and price? Will you need to get a visa on arrival?

kijeta said:

Would you mind giving more details? Where in HK will you be starting from? How much do you value comfort, time, and price? Will you need to get a visa on arrival?

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Of course, apologies. I'll be staying in East Tsim Sha Tsui. Priorities are: 1. Novel forms of transport we don't have in the UK, and (2) price. If it's cheap and cheerful i don't mind a longer journey. And I won't need to obtain a VISA.

Leogilbert007 said:

I'll be staying in East Tsim Sha Tsui.

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That is close enough to the High Speed Rail terminal where it would make sense time-wise. When in Hong Kong, I live far enough away from the HSR station that it isn't worth going south for the HSR, just to speed back up north again.

Leogilbert007 said:

Novel forms of transport we don't have in the UK

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We don't have international metro in the UK. The two northern termini of the East Rail Line both connect to Shenzhen Metro - and I personally would recommend Lok Ma Chau (which connects to Futian Port on the other side). Futian Port is newer and has a direct metro connection to both Futian and Shenzhenbei stations on the other side. There is a hefty premium in fares for cross border journeys, and until recently, it was very beneficial to split at Sheung Shui. That is now no longer the case, as splitting only saves $2.9 now - definitely not worth the effort. This costs $44.3, or $41.4 with a split. Futian Port does not offer Visa on Arrival, but as you've mentioned, you do not need that service.

Side note, for fun:
The cheapest method (that balances convenience) that I can think of to get from East TST to China is KMB 268B from East TST (outside the K11 Musea shopping mall) to Castle Peak Road - Yuen Long Section (colloquially known as "Yuen Long Main Road"), cross the road, and pick up the super-frequent B1 to Lok Ma Chau. This should cost $20.8 for the first tap (on 268B) and $0.0 for the second tap (on B1), due to interchange discount.
The absolute cheapest method that I can think of is Citybus 50 from Nathan Road (another exit of the TST station(s) complex) to Hung Kiu, then B3X to Shenzhen Bay. This costs $17.7 for the first tap and $0.0 for the second. However, it does drop you off at a different border crossing. While I personally prefer Shenzhen Bay more, it is further from, and more awkward to get to, Futian or Shenzhenbei stations.
Note that HK buses are entirely privatised, and only an extremely small number of cross-operator interchange discounts exist. You will be financially penalised for switching operators halfway through your journey.

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Based on your priorities, I think your best bet is trying out the international metro. It does cost twice as much, but as an occasional traveller, $44.3 is hardly anything.

Shenzhen Metro now accepts contactless payments, even with international cards.

kijeta said:

The two northern termini of the East Rail Line both connect to Shenzhen Metro - and I personally would recommend Lok Ma Chau (which connects to Futian Port on the other side).

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Forgive me for hijacking the thread slightly, but I will be visiting HK for the first time in December. I’d appreciate any public transport recommendations for when I have a free day. Also do you know if any rail traffic (of any kind) still crosses the border at Lo Wu at the end of the East Rail Line, or if it is even in use? Openrailmaps shows it as still active but I can’t any indication of traffic since the intercity through train was shut down in Covid in favour of the high speed link out of Kowloon.

TheWierdOne said:

Forgive me for hijacking the thread slightly, but I will be visiting HK for the first time in December. I’d appreciate any public transport recommendations for when I have a free day. Also do you know if any rail traffic (of any kind) still crosses the border at Lo Wu at the end of the East Rail Line, or if it is even in use? Openrailmaps shows it as still active but I can’t any indication of traffic since the intercity through train was shut down in Covid in favour of the high speed link out of Kowloon.

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As far as I know, since the KTT (Kowloon Through Train) stopped running in 2020, there hasn’t been any scheduled traffic over that link.
Happy to be corrected!