Finding local train ticket agents/offices in China.
I am in China and want to buy a train ticket neither online nor at the station but from a travel agent that is able to issue such tickets.
How do I find a travel agency that issues Chinese train tickets? (At a resonable price, see example below.) Is there a map or listing of such agents?
I am aware that train tickets are best bought in advance in China. The window to buy advance tickets is larger when buying those tickets from an agency instead of at the station and that is what I need.
I am further aware that such resellers exist (I have personally used their services) but I found them hard to locate. Despite having lived in Shanghai for quite some time, I know of only one such place and it took me half a day to find it. It is also just a hole in the wall in a side street that I would not typically pass by. The commission was only RMB5 or something like this and I got my ticket right away, which is why I prefer this way over ordering the ticket online.
Assume that I
- already know the precise train ticket I want
- also know there are still seats available for this train and class
- have my passport with me
- know enough Chinese to communicate at the agency
Best Answer
I don't know about an online resource for these places, but I actually found them pretty easy to find in bigger cities. While walking around I often saw them, even randomly in Shanghai.
What I would do is, copy this photo onto your phone and then show it to locals, or even better your hotel reception. Even without speaking any English, people were always able to point me in the right direction.
Pictures about "Finding local train ticket agents/offices in China."
How do I collect train tickets from China?
Collect at Railway Station Ticket Window (\u706b\u8f66\u7ad9\u552e\u7968\u7a97\u53e3) Tickets can be collected at any working train stations in mainland China. If you book via phone, you have to collect your tickets at train station, no other selection available. No service fee is needed whether you collect it at your start station or other stations.How do I book a ticket to China?
There are five ways to buy train tickets in China:How much are train tickets in China?
From Beijing to Shanghai, a soft sleeper non-bullet rail ticket costs around CNY500, a second class seat China high speed rail ticket costs around CNY550, while the full airfare of an economy class is over CNY1,000.How do you catch a train in China?
How to Take a Train in ChinaChina Train Travel Tips - How to pick up train tickets in China
More answers regarding finding local train ticket agents/offices in China.
Answer 2
Good idea to check with your hotel receptionist about where to find the nearest railway ticket agency if you live in a hotel in China which is allowed to host foreigners.
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: zhang kaiyv, Angela Roma, Zbigniew Bielecki, Samson Katt