Islandgirl8600 has indicated that this thread is about China
Hi,
You'd better book it just in case,while I know travel agencies do charge a lot for tickets booking,I am wondering how many people do you have, if it is not a big group, I don't think it would be a big problem. I am a tour guide based in Beijing,I would be happy to assist you with other questions you have.You can view my profile at www.synotrip.com in Location "BEIJING",where you can see that I am reliable with the answers that tourists asked,my name is Julia Zhu. By the way, no charge for the consulting.
Julia Zhu
Generally I would say you can buy tickets for your travel the day of, especially if your are flexible. However being close to Chinese New Years it is a risk, tickets generally get scarce. Also consider that bullet train tickets will be easier to get day of than sleepers or other slower trains; this is due to the fact most of the migrants returning home don't make enough to justify a 1/2 month salary for a ticket.
Also consider these things: most train stations are very crowded and busy places. Line cutting and pushing and shoving are normal (increasing less tho) behavior. There is usually only 1 (maybe two) booths manned by English speaking attendants, and their English is barely passable.
Find a reputable ticket agent as well, counterfeit tickets are normal in China.
So how adventurous are you?
hello I am Carson,my hometown in Canton. jan 15th is near chinese new year ,it will be a little busy and a lot of college student back to their hometown.,you can click on -snip- to search the train you want and book it and pay it online ,but it is a Chinses web ,i do not know can you read chinese??
I think you want book the train tiket by yourself is very difficule ,so you had better book somethink by travel agent,if you have any more question ,reply me or send email to me ~help you try my best ~
thanks
Yes, because of the proximity of Chinese New Year, you should book with an agent, otherwise tickets may not be available. Di
I suggest you book tickets ahead, because January 18-21is among the busy time of railways, although it still has three weeks to go for the Chinese new year and its not the busiest time, it is a little risky for you to buy tickets in 15th, or , maybe you will get tickets but with no seat. your time is the peak time for college students going back home. There is an official website for people to book tickets online, if you speak Chinese or have some Chinese friend you can ask them for help.
Do chinese people even go through travel agents... millions of them won't and they managed.
The QUESTION is simply: 1. What is the period in which tickets will be so scarce... the answer changes every year. Last year, I had to FLY OUT of China, since no more tickets were available and it was on the 1st week of January....
Now can someone tell the rest of the world, when is this mad period starting and when will it end for 2013???? The New Year starts when exactly??? and How days before this party starts will hell begin? I mean when will the mass of people start traveling, assuming go back home to their families.... and how long does this HOLIDAY RUSH last???? They will all be going back home.... I assume few people will be going to the big cities, SO TRAINS to Shanghai and Guanzhou shoud not be a problem???
Chinese New Year will be held Feb 10, 2013. New year festivity starts about 15 days prior. Tickets will be bad all Janurary, early feburary and possibly late December.
Trains the Shanghai and Guanzhou are always busy. I've been on sleepers where I had to share a bed with my parents/grandparents/brother. Usually around new years, so I suggest prebooking if that's when you want to go.
Here's a good site http://education2.uvic.ca/Faculty/mroth/438/china/chinese_new_year.html
I said book before, but if you have someone who can speak fluent chinese with you, I've booked trains on the day. Sometimes there's a bit of a wait though, and they get boring.
I guess you had to. Being new to the place is quite a big difference. It's better to be ready ahead of time than being sorry later.
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