In this Shenzhen, Guangzhou trip, I was impressed by the CRH train between Shenzhen and Guangzhou. The train is the same, but the schedule, and the train station, and the process are very different.
Schedule
Look at this schedule! There are train from Guangzhou to Shenzhen every few minutes from as early as 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM.
D7001 06:08 -07:26
D7013 06:40 -07:46
D7069 06:41 -08:01
D7091 07:10 -08:16
D7047 07:12 -08:31
D7135 07:40 -08:52
D7025 07:46 -09:06
D7113 07:50 -08:42
D7157 08:10 -09:16
D7037 08:25 -09:31
D7059 08:32 -09:51
D7081 08:35 -09:41
D7103 08:55 -10:01
D7125 09:05 -10:11
D7003 09:18 -10:24
D7147 09:30 -10:36
D7071 09:40 -10:46
D7015 09:46 -11:11
D7169 09:50 -10:56
D7093 10:15 -11:21
D7049 10:25 -11:31
D7115 10:35 -12:01
D7137 10:35 -11:41
D7027 10:45 -11:51
D7159 11:05 -12:11
D7039 11:18 -12:36
D7083 11:20 -12:26
D7061 11:40 -12:46
D7105 11:47 -13:06
D7127 11:50 -12:56
D7149 12:10 -13:16
D7005 12:16 -13:36
D7073 12:20 -13:26
D7171 12:45 -13:51
D7017 12:55 -14:01
D7095 13:05 -14:11
D7139 13:15 -14:21
D7051 13:19 -14:41
D7029 13:25 -14:31
D7117 13:45 -14:51
D7161 13:55 -15:16
D7085 14:00 -15:06
D7063 14:20 -15:26
D7041 14:23 -15:46
D7129 14:30 -15:36
D7151 14:50 -15:56
D7107 14:57 -16:16
D7075 15:00 -16:06
D7007 15:23 -16:41
D7173 15:25 -16:31
D7097 15:45 -16:51
D7019 15:52 -17:11
D7141 15:55 -17:01
D7031 16:15 -17:21
D7119 16:25 -17:31
D7053 16:27 -17:46
D7087 16:50 -18:02
D7065 17:00 -17:52
D7163 17:03 -18:26
D7131 17:10 -18:16
D7153 17:30 -18:36
D7043 17:32 -18:56
D7077 17:40 -18:46
D7109 18:00 -19:06
D7175 18:15 -19:21
D7009 18:20 -19:41
D7099 18:25 -19:31
D7143 18:45 -19:51
D7021 18:55 -20:01
D7121 19:05 -20:11
D7033 19:08 -20:26
D7055 19:30 -20:36
D7089 19:57 -21:16
D7165 20:00 -21:06
D7079 20:30 -21:36
D7111 20:40 -21:46
D7045 20:42 -22:01
D7101 21:15 -22:21
D7011 21:25 -22:31
D7145 21:35 -22:41
D7123 21:45 -22:51
D7023 21:47 -23:06
D7057 22:20 -23:26
D7035 22:22 -23:41
D7167 22:50 -23:56
Ticket
At the Guangzhou East Railway Station, they have separate ticket purchasing process. Passengers just need to go into the station without buying ticket. There are many automatic ticket vendor machines lining up. At the machine, you can buy train tickets of any future train of the day. The machine automatically assign the nearest train to you. The idea is, it is almost for sure that you can catch up a train in the next 10-20 minutes – something very like the metro system in Shanghai.
Shenzhen Station
At the Shenzhen train station, you can directly transit to the Hong Kong metro system, and the Shenzhen metro system.
Wow. I love this experience. Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Suzhou are not that connected, yet.
Shanghai – Hangzhou definitely needs more trains. Lately it’s been hard getting tickets to the D train 1 day in advance. This evening I had to take a bus back to Shanghai because all the train tickets had sold out when I checked yesterday.
Despite my griping about the GZ train station, I have to agree that the trains are good.
The HK-SZ train is basically the metro. While it’s fast and cheap, it doesn’t have train amenities (like the little cart with the coffee and stuff).
You’re right that nobody even books the SZ-GZ train. You just walk in and take the next one, like catching a bus!
The GZ-HK train is a little less regular — you might have to wait 30-60 minutes for one. And the train to Donnguan only comes every few hours. That said, it is all very convenient.
Recently, I traveled HK-Shenzhen-Guangzhou-HK over two days, and it was very comfortable. It’s amazing how many factories you see on the way.
You are right. It’s convenient. And I believe that Hangzhou & Shanghai can do better if they want to.
Keep up the good work. Best of luck. From http://www.a1flowersahmedabad.com.
Good job. Thanks for your info posted.
Hi, grateful if you could inform where to caught a train in Shenzhen for Guangzhou? Thanking you in advance for the info.