Z-Series of trains are fastest and among the best trains in China. Z means “Zhida” in Chinese, or “Direct Express”. Typically they don’t stop in the middle, and is very effecient to travel for long distance, like from Shanghai to Beijing, without stopping in the middle.
These are all Z Trains in China (data is updated on July 2006)
| Train # | Seq | Station Name | Arrive | Depart | Distance |
| Z1 | 1 | Beijing | – | 1935 | 0 |
| Z1 | 2 | Wuxi | 0638 | 0649 | 1337 |
| Z1 | 3 | Shanghai | 0747 | – | 1463 |
| Z10 | 1 | Hangzhou | – | 1803 | 0 |
| Z10 | 2 | Beijing | 0733 | – | 1664 |
| Z11 | 1 | Beijing West | – | 2049 | 0 |
| Z11 | 2 | Wuchang | 0714 | – | 1225 |
| Z12 | 1 | Wuchang | – | 2049 | 0 |
| Z12 | 2 | Beijing West | 0714 | – | 1225 |
| Z13 | 1 | Beijing | – | 1907 | 0 |
| Z13 | 2 | Shanghai | 0705 | – | 1463 |
| Z14 | 1 | Shanghai | – | 1900 | 0 |
| Z14 | 2 | Beijing | 0658 | – | 1463 |
| Z15 | 1 | Beijing | – | 2030 | 0 |
| Z15 | 2 | Harbin | 0710 | – | 1248 |
| Z16 | 1 | Harbin | – | 2032 | 0 |
| Z16 | 2 | Beijing | 0707 | – | 1248 |
| Z17 | 1 | Beijing West | – | 1800 | 0 |
| Z17 | 2 | Changsha | 0740 | – | 1587 |
| Z18 | 1 | Changsha | – | 1748 | 0 |
| Z18 | 2 | Beijing West | 0728 | – | 1587 |
| Z19 | 1 | Beijing West | – | 2028 | 0 |
| Z19 | 2 | Xian | 0758 | – | 1200 |
| Z2 | 1 | Shanghai | – | 1847 | 0 |
| Z2 | 2 | Wuxi | 1946 | 1949 | 126 |
| Z2 | 3 | Beijing | 0651 | – | 1463 |
| Z20 | 1 | Xian | – | 1923 | 0 |
| Z20 | 2 | Beijing West | 0653 | – | 1200 |
| Z21 | 1 | Beijing | – | 1900 | 0 |
| Z21 | 2 | Shanghai | 0658 | – | 1463 |
| Z22 | 1 | Shanghai | – | 1907 | 0 |
| Z22 | 2 | Beijing | 0705 | – | 1463 |
| Z29 | 1 | Beijing | – | 2137 | 0 |
| Z29 | 2 | Yangzhou | 0804 | – | 1227 |
| Z3 | 1 | Beijing West | – | 2042 | 0 |
| Z3 | 2 | Hankou | 0652 | – | 1205 |
| Z30 | 1 | Yangzhou | – | 2010 | 0 |
| Z30 | 2 | Beijing | 0620 | – | 1227 |
| Z37 | 1 | Beijing West | – | 2035 | 0 |
| Z37 | 2 | Wuchang | 0700 | – | 1225 |
| Z38 | 1 | Wuchang | – | 2035 | 0 |
| Z38 | 2 | Beijing West | 0700 | – | 1225 |
| Z4 | 1 | Hankou | – | 2111 | 0 |
| Z4 | 2 | Beijing West | 0721 | – | 1205 |
| Z41 | 1 | Tianjin | – | 2040 | 0 |
| Z41 | 2 | Shanghai | 0740 | – | 1326 |
| Z42 | 1 | Shanghai | – | 1942 | 0 |
| Z42 | 2 | Tianjin | 0641 | – | 1326 |
| Z49 | 1 | Beijing | – | 2144 | 0 |
| Z49 | 2 | Nanjing | 0722 | – | 1160 |
| Z5 | 1 | Beijing | – | 1914 | 0 |
| Z5 | 2 | Shanghai | 0712 | – | 1463 |
| Z50 | 1 | Nanjing | – | 2106 | 0 |
| Z50 | 2 | Beijing | 0644 | – | 1160 |
| Z6 | 1 | Shanghai | – | 1914 | 0 |
| Z6 | 2 | Beijing | 0712 | – | 1463 |
| Z61 | 1 | Beijing | – | 2240 | 0 |
| Z61 | 2 | Changchun | 0702 | – | 1006 |
| Z62 | 1 | Changchun | – | 2235 | 0 |
| Z62 | 2 | Beijing | 0700 | – | 1006 |
| Z7 | 1 | Beijing | – | 1921 | 0 |
| Z7 | 2 | Shanghai | 0719 | – | 1463 |
| Z73 | 1 | Beijing | – | 2130 | 0 |
| Z73 | 2 | Hefei | 0725 | – | 1110 |
| Z74 | 1 | Hefei | – | 2035 | 0 |
| Z74 | 2 | Beijing | 0630 | – | 1110 |
| Z77 | 1 | Beijing West | – | 2056 | 0 |
| Z77 | 2 | Luohe | 0342 | 0344 | 829 |
| Z77 | 3 | Xingyang | 0501 | 0503 | 991 |
| Z77 | 4 | Xiaogan | 0640 | 0642 | 1135 |
| Z77 | 5 | Hankou | 0721 | – | 1205 |
| Z78 | 1 | Hankou | – | 2029 | 0 |
| Z78 | 2 | Xiaogan | 2110 | 2112 | 70 |
| Z78 | 3 | Xingyang | 2251 | 2253 | 214 |
| Z78 | 4 | Luohe | 0010 | 0020 | 376 |
| Z78 | 5 | Beijing West | 0707 | – | 1205 |
| Z8 | 1 | Shanghai | – | 1928 | 0 |
| Z8 | 2 | Beijing | 0726 | – | 1463 |
| Z85 | 1 | Beijing | – | 1928 | 0 |
| Z85 | 2 | Suzhou | 0648 | – | 1379 |
| Z86 | 1 | Suzhou | – | 2000 | 0 |
| Z86 | 2 | Beijing | 0719 | – | 1379 |
| Z9 | 1 | Beijing | – | 1853 | 0 |
| Z9 | 2 | Hangzhou | 0823 | – | 1664 |
It may be a little bit hard to read, since if a train passes two stations, there will be two rows in this table, and the return train has a different number as the other way train.
Look at this page to check out some pictures of one of the Z-train:
To answer Amanda’s question at October 11, 2006 11:17 PM:
First, Jian Shuo Wang, this is a great source of information! Thank you for keeping this up!!!
My family and I (4 people) are hoping to travel from Suzhou or Shanghai to Beijing on 10/26 and return to Suzhou or Shanghai on 10/30.
My main questions are:
1. We want to get on the Z trains (cleaner, newer, more comfort–we will have our 3 1/2 yr. old son) what is the best Z train to book for Suzhou/Shanghai to Beijing and Beijing back to Suzhou/Shangai?
2. We need a 4 bunk room, do the 4 bunks have doors that lock?
3. Do all 4 bunk cars share a communal bathroom? Or do the 4 bunks have private baths?
4. Another person on another forum suggested bringing bed bug spray…honestly that suggestion freaked me out!! Are the trains clean….are bed bugs something we should be concerned about?
5. Is it best to buy tickets in China or online through a website?
Also, if you have other suggestions please feel free to share!
Thank you!
Amanda
Here are my answers:
goes from Suzhou to Beijing (the only Z train in Suzhou) and there are many Z train from Shanghai to Beijng. It is easy.
There are 4 beds in a cub, and they have door, so leave it private room perfectly for a family. But check with the people selling the ticket to you, and make sure you are in the same room.
They have public bath room – shared by the same train cart, but it is as clean as hotel – at least by my standard.
Personally, I don’t think a sleeping bag is neccessary for a Z train. It MAY be needed for other very old style train, but not on Z train. Check out the picture thought to see if your standards need a bag.
You can buy the ticket either online or in China. Online price typically are more expensive (since they typically are travel agents and there is no website for the train company), and if you can get a ticket, the ticket price is the same everywhere in China. There is no discount, no different whether you buy it one month in advance or just buy it the same day.
Have a good trip.
Where did you get this information from? How about train schedules for other destinations? I am interested in taking the Tibet Express.
Давид
Tibet express is not in this table yet. The schedlue is update on July 2006.
The Z-train belongs to Shanghai Railway Office are Z13－14、Z5－7、Z7－8.
These six trains provide a free lunch.
My family just came back to Shanghai from Beijing yesterday on a Z train. It’s comfortable enough for an overnight train, but I must say that the bathrooms become rather smelly during the course of the evening. It seems that some people (probably men) confuse the drain hole on the floor with a urinal.
You will find train information here, use Google to translate the page if necessary;
http://www.huoche.com.cn/
also here;
http://www.oklx.com/cn/train/search_station.asp
and here was working a few months ago but doesn’t seem to be up now.
http://www.e-shrailway.com/
I prefer to travel by hard sleeper. The “compartments” have no doors so you can see out equally on both sides without being trapped inside a room. The soft sleepers have compartments with end walls (no windows) and a narrow door, in the main, yuck.
The hard class is more friendly and communal. If you are concerned about toilet hygiene then you should not be in China at all.
Z22 belongs to Beijing Railway Office, no lunch. :(
Z22 –NO FREE DINNER.
Yes. Some train provides dinner, and some don’t:
Z14 19:00 6:58 with Dinner
Z22 19:07 7:05 without Dinner
Z6 19:14 7:12 with Dinner
Z2 19:21 7:19 without Dinner
Z8 19:28 7:26 with dinner
Train From Beijing to Shanghai
Z13 19:07 7:05 with dinner
Z21 19:00 6:58 without dinner
Z5 19:14 7:12 with dinner
Z1 19:21 7:19 without dinner
Z7 19:28 7:26 without dinner
Jian:
Your information is very usefull.
The ticket in Z8 Shanghai-Beijing cost 478 RMB in a soft bed (top bed). The train is very clean and the timetable is very strisct.
I hope return to Shanghai by same way
Remark:
If you travel alone, like me. The high bed is preferable to sleep and not to be bothered by the people whom it loves to eat and to take some tee.
heyya..jian shuo wang how r u doing..u have a very nioce blog here and very informative..i have a question here for..im going to harbin by next january for the ice sculpture festival i need to know what are the best train to go to harbin..there’s a few type train Z,T and K series which one of these is the latest/newer train and which is the most comfortable train
im going to harbin frm Tianjin station because im studying here in Tianjin..but there’s no Z train here in Tianjin to go to harbin..please advise me..Thank you
Hey buddy .. Thanks a lot..
As i am new in beijing .. this info is very useful for me. I am from india working in s/w company.
Heartly thanks..
Hello Mr Wang
It looked like your site is the place to visit to get information. I want to go to Beijing on 1st October. I was impressed by the 2 birth sleeper train. Can you tell me how I can get a cabin without spending too much money getting it. I am an english teacher in Wuxi and would get to Shanghai to catch the Z train as this is the one recommended by your fellow travellers. I will be returning on the Saturday 6th Oct to arrive in Wuxi on Sunday any chance of getting a return ticket?
Thank you for your help
@manawar, the price is fixed and everyone gets exactly the same price. There is no discount for Z train (I heard there are some for D trains). I am afraid I have to warn you that Oct 1 to Oct 6 is the holiday seasons and it is very hard to get train tickets at that time.
hello. am so lucky that i chance upon this very concerns/comments very useful because my family plans to go to shanghai and beijing this dec 19-26. am looking of travelling via train from shanghai to beijing.am planning to buy train tickets via internet.
by the way, may i know if there will be snow in beijing during our visit in dec 19-26?thank you so much
please help me on how to purchase train tickets via internet. is it safe? i’ll be travelling from shanghai to beijing next month. i’ll like to travel via z train. please email me.
thanks!!!!
are there fast z trains from Chengdu to Beijing? where can I find out the prices and time it takes? Our family of 5 will go there for part of the Olympics. Do you think trains will be extra crowded at that time? I have checked out airline tickets but am surprised they are $200+ each way and am looking for a cheaper option.
Hi,
This is a very useful site. Thanks for all the info !!!!!
I am planning to fly into Beijing and then travel by train to Shanghai. Are there two bed compartments too on the Z trains – as we are honeymooners? Thanks