I didn’t have the chance to take D Train yet. Well. Although I wrote a lot about Shanghai, I am still not a full time report so I can try every new thing and report the first hand experience on my blog. So let me quote China Mike’s experience. This is the first detailed note about D Training on my blog.
Hi Jian Shuo,
First of all, I love your site! I remember the first time I discovered it when I was trying to find out information about the Maglev train to the Shanghai airport. Your site was very helpful.
I wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed the D Train from Tianjin to Beijing last week. It was very comfortable, and the inside of the train was very different than the other trains. Actually, it looked like the inside of the maglev. It was very clean, all the seat were facing the same way, there were tray tables for each seat, and there was a screen that showed how fast we were going. On the outside of the train, it said that the top speed was 200 Km/hr, but we only got to 163 km/hr. But I noticed that they were building new tracks, so I suspect that they may be for the D train in the future. The trip used to take 1hr 25min, but now it’s 1hr 9min, and I was told that once the new tracks are done, it will only be 40 min. that’s terrific!
Posted by: China Mike on August 20, 2007 11:37 PM
I’ve written two posts about the CRH ( D train ) in my blog. The CRH is not so good as it seems, I think, sigh…
http://islet8.cn/blog/2007/05/07/experience-of-crh-trains-from-tianjin-to-beijing/
http://islet8.cn/blog/2007/06/28/take-a-pique-against-crh/
I’ve taken it as second part of 北京 -> 南京 -> 上海 trip, which is a reasonable way to go to Shanghai when there are no direct tickets. I was even able to sleep, like on the plane. Really nice.
My comment’s blocked again…
@islet8, it is released from my spam jail… It was caught by the spam filter because it contains too links. I check the spam folder to rescue some mis-filtered comments, like yours.
@Wang, yes I know the reason, but I’m toooo impatient yesterday :(
great site…. thanks for all the info.
I plan to take a train from shanghai to suzhou on a midweek morning. which train do you recommend, and do i need to buy tickets in advance?
thanks
There are so many trains from Shanghai to Suzhou (these two cities are almost merging with each other). You don’t need to buy ticket in advance. Any train is OK since the trip is so short.
Hi!
I’m visiting Hangzhou from abroad. Need to go to Shanghai on the 31st October. How much does the D train cost from Hangzhou to Shanghai? Is there only 1 kind of seating area or there is an economy/VIP area?
Hi,
I am going to travel from abroad to Hangzhou and then from Hangzhou to Shanghai by train on 15 Nov, just wonder if I need to buy ticket in advance and where can I buy the tickets? Thanks.
There is no very good online train ticket system. Anyone has any advice?
Thanks for your wonderful blog on the China trains. We have just returned from China. We took the Ztrain (soft sleeper) from Beijing to Suzhou then the Dtrain(2nd class) from Suzhou to Shanghai.
My hubby was happy with the train services BUT very unhappy with the train station, esp the Beijing Train Station. We need to lug our stuff up and down the stairs to get to the boarding platform. It was better at the Shanghai station as there are no stairs.
I would recommend the trains over flying.
first , thanks for this website very intresting,D train is excellent , and very comfortable, but some time have dificults regarding the D train tickets, mustbe available in major city or china post we are foriegner, we have somany dificulties to buying the tickets
Dear Jian Shuo,
My name is Yvonne and living in Hong Kong. I am now planning a 4 days short trip to Shanghai
and Hangzhou with my family, I hv a boy six years old and would be interested to let him
see something in China.
As my flight wl stop at Pudong airport, I would like to try the Maglev and after that take
a taxi to Shanghai South station. And also would like to take the D train which is faster
way to Hangzhou. Do you know the ticket price for Maglev, and also roughly taxi cost
fm Longyang road to Shanghai South station.
I wl arrive in Shanghia 10:30 am in the morning, right after go with Maglev and take
the D train to Hangzhou . 1 1/2 days spend in Hangzhou. As I hv friend in HZ, so
it would be easy to arrange the tour.
Besides, it would be grateful, you can give me some idea for 2 days short tour in Shanghai.
I also like to see Zhou Zhang, is there any other place suitale for kids?
Your favourable cmnts wl help me a lot, thank you.
B. Rgds
Yvonne Chiu
From Pudong airport to Shanghai South Railwaystation there is a direct-bus line 7.
I took D Train from Beijing to Taian ( Mount Taishan ), clean, fast, comfortable.
My trip to Shandong starts with Mt.Taishan. There are many trains to Mt. Taishan from Beijing. I choose D Train ( CRH ) to Mt. Taishan instead of Z Train. The train I take is Number D31, a train running from Beijing to Shanghai. My destination is Mt. Taishan, one of 5 stops on the way from Beijing to Shanghai. It is first time for me to take D train ( CRH ). The main reason I take the D train is that D trains run faster and all the D trains run during the daytime while Z trains run during the night. Below is the timetable for D31 Train from Beijing to Shanghai:
http://www.tour-beijing.com/travel_blog/beijing_china_sightseeing/beijing_mount_taishan_travel.php
Now all trains from Beijing to Tianjin have already upgraded to C Train, run faster than D Train, at 350km/h. Beijing to Tianjin only takes 30 mins.