Riding the Iron Rooster
March 11, 2011 10:57 AM Subscribe
ChinaFilter: How to best get from Shanghai to Wuhan by train and is it a good idea to travel around China during first week of May?
I'll be in China for a month and ten days starting in April. For most of April we will be working and attending classes in Wuhan. I have three questions:
1. We've booked a flight to Shanghai Pudong Airport and figure we will catch a train to Wuhan from there. Is it advisable to buy train tickets in advance or is that something we can do easily get tickets once there? Is there high-speed rail link between the two cities now?
2. We originally planned to use the first 10 days of May as vacation time to travel around the country. But I heard that first week of May is Labor Day holiday when a lot of Chinese people take vacations. Given the notoriety of crowded conditions in China, do you think it's advisable to shift our vacation time to last week of April to avoid it?
3. Any general tips for staying in Wuhan? Any local sights or sounds or tastes we shouldn't miss?
FYI, I speak fairly fluent Mandarin so don't anticipate too much problems communicating with locals if that's a concern.
Thanks!
I'll be in China for a month and ten days starting in April. For most of April we will be working and attending classes in Wuhan. I have three questions:
1. We've booked a flight to Shanghai Pudong Airport and figure we will catch a train to Wuhan from there. Is it advisable to buy train tickets in advance or is that something we can do easily get tickets once there? Is there high-speed rail link between the two cities now?
2. We originally planned to use the first 10 days of May as vacation time to travel around the country. But I heard that first week of May is Labor Day holiday when a lot of Chinese people take vacations. Given the notoriety of crowded conditions in China, do you think it's advisable to shift our vacation time to last week of April to avoid it?
3. Any general tips for staying in Wuhan? Any local sights or sounds or tastes we shouldn't miss?
FYI, I speak fairly fluent Mandarin so don't anticipate too much problems communicating with locals if that's a concern.
Thanks!
Unless you are ready to manage large crowds and potentially stressful travel, I would not recommend traveling during the first week of May.
This is not to say that traveling in China during a national holiday is devoid of positives (e.g. standing on a jam-packed train for countless hours can be an unforgettable experience), just that it may not be advisable during a short-term stay.
posted by WaspEnterprises at 2:42 PM on March 11, 2011
This is not to say that traveling in China during a national holiday is devoid of positives (e.g. standing on a jam-packed train for countless hours can be an unforgettable experience), just that it may not be advisable during a short-term stay.
posted by WaspEnterprises at 2:42 PM on March 11, 2011
Train tickets cannot be purchased online or anything, so if you're not in China you can't get them in advance unless you have friends in SHanghai that can buy them for you.
Travel during the first week of May is likely to be very very crowded so if it's not too much of a hassle I'd advise moving your visit time. It will also be easier to get tickets, not in advance.
posted by bearette at 8:57 PM on March 11, 2011
Travel during the first week of May is likely to be very very crowded so if it's not too much of a hassle I'd advise moving your visit time. It will also be easier to get tickets, not in advance.
posted by bearette at 8:57 PM on March 11, 2011
1. Based on my trip to China a few months ago, I'd say buy your tickets in advance (at least a week or so in advance to be safe)!! You absolutely do not want to do a standing ticket for a trip that's >2-3 hours because it will be miserable.
I found high speed rail tickets were easier to buy than normal tickets since they're a bit pricier. I went from Nanjing-Shanghai on a high speed train. I don't know if there's a line running out to Wuhan yet.
I don't know if it's the same way with train tickets, but I know for airplane tickets, you're able to call in to a travel company, buy the tickets from them, and they'll deliver it to you. Some of the bigger companies even had stands at the airports where you could pick up tickets from. Since you say your Chinese is pretty good, I'd call and ask. I'm sorry but I don't remember any names of the travel companies :(
2. It'll be a good idea to avoid this rush. Travelling during non-rush periods is pretty crowded as it is. You do not want to be stuck in a car with people of questionable personal hygiene, lots of cigarette smoke, and crying young children (Hangzhou-Nanjing on a normal train during non rush period experience for me), unless you think that'd be a very great experience (it is very China...)
posted by astapasta24 at 10:19 PM on March 11, 2011
I found high speed rail tickets were easier to buy than normal tickets since they're a bit pricier. I went from Nanjing-Shanghai on a high speed train. I don't know if there's a line running out to Wuhan yet.
I don't know if it's the same way with train tickets, but I know for airplane tickets, you're able to call in to a travel company, buy the tickets from them, and they'll deliver it to you. Some of the bigger companies even had stands at the airports where you could pick up tickets from. Since you say your Chinese is pretty good, I'd call and ask. I'm sorry but I don't remember any names of the travel companies :(
2. It'll be a good idea to avoid this rush. Travelling during non-rush periods is pretty crowded as it is. You do not want to be stuck in a car with people of questionable personal hygiene, lots of cigarette smoke, and crying young children (Hangzhou-Nanjing on a normal train during non rush period experience for me), unless you think that'd be a very great experience (it is very China...)
posted by astapasta24 at 10:19 PM on March 11, 2011
Best answer: The high-speed trains from Shanghai to Wuhan (Hankou) will get you there in a little over five hours. First class is 327rmb (US$50), second class is 273rmb (US$41). In my opinion, first class is much more comfortable and definitely worth the extra $9. Here are the train numbers: D3002, D3006, D3010, D3014. Tickets can be purchased up to ten days in advance, but if you're travelling at any time other than the first week of May, first week of October, or Chinese New Year, there will probably still be seats available as close as 1-2 days in advance.
posted by twisted mister at 10:48 PM on March 11, 2011
posted by twisted mister at 10:48 PM on March 11, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by brozek at 11:57 AM on March 11, 2011