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General Info

  

"Wonders Of Yunnan" provides you now, train tickets service, Simple, easy and fast!

What trains in China are like

Traveling by train in China is one of the cheapest ways to travel some of the long distances in China and is increasingly popular among foreign travelers. It is important to have a basic idea of what trains in China are like if you decide to travel by train in China. English is generally not spoken by any of the staff on the trains or in the railway stations. Limited English sign is available in the railway stations.

In China, there is no E-tickets for train yet. For trains in Yunnan, the tickets are open for sale 10-14 days before departure. The number of days of pre-sale tickets may be adjusted temporarily during the rush Chinese holidays or festivals, such as Chinese New Year, National Holiday and summer vacation. To avoid disappointment, it is suggested that you book tickets through an agency as early as possible.

Our train tickets service

We provides cost-effective and timely train ticketing services! You just need to book the train tickets on our website, we will bring the train tickets and meet you up in the Kunming airport (or your hotel in Kunming).

Schedule

Train Schedule	Year 2012
Train Numbe         Kunming - Lijiang / 518 Kilometers	Departure Time	Arrival Time	Duration
K9610/K9611 (Budget, standard, luxury class avaliable)	10.00AM	18.40PM	8hrs 40mins
K9606/K9607 (Standard, luxury class avaliable)	21.58PM	07.00AM (next day)	9hrs 2mins
K9602/K9603 (Standard, luxury class avaliable)	22.28PM	07.26AM (next day)	8hrs 58mins

Classes

Train Classes
There are three kinds of train tickets available in Yunnan, hard seats, hard sleepers and soft sleepers, "Wonders Of Yunnan" recommends booking a soft sleeper or a hard sleeper. The hard seat tickets are in compartments that are so crowded that even a short trip may be very uncomfortable. The compartments may be packed with people standing or sitting in the aisles. Also, foreigners may find it difficult to get a hard seat or a no-seat ticket since the ticket sellers may not issue these to foreigners. The best choices are soft sleepers or hard sleepers.

Luxury Class / Soft Sleepers
These are private compartments which are fitted out to a higher standard. Each compartment has four bunks and a double action door allowing separate access to the two upper and two lower bunks. Comfortable bedding and good quality pillows are provided. Each bunk is equipped with a small reading lamp. Temperature controls are installed alongside the door. Generally speaking, the facilities include a clothes rack, slippers, clothes brush, stainless steel thermos, fine porcelain teacup, a trash can and wall socket. Some of the trains may have a squat-style toilet together with a supply of toilet paper. The price is a little higher than the other kinds of seats.

Standard Class / Hard Sleepers
The so-called hard sleeper is generally less comfortable than the soft sleeper. The compartments are open and comprise six fixed bunks, arranged as an upper, middle and lower on either side. Basic bedding such as sheets, pillow slips, blankets and pillows are provided. The space tends to be cramped and inclined to be noisy at times. However, if you are obliged to take an overnight train trip, the hard berth is highly cost effective. For those who hold a sleeper ticket, the ticket should be handed in when getting on the train. The train conductor will keep the ticket for you and give you a card as a certificate instead. After you reach your destination, you need to change your ticket back. If there is still no passenger in a sleeper an hour after the train has started, the train conductor has the right to sell the berth to other passengers.

Budget Class / Hard Seats
This is the basic way to take a train trip, and has the lowest price. As the name implies it can be something of an ordeal, especially for a long or an overnight journey. The seat is less soft, roomy and comfortable than a soft seat. The carriages are always noisy and crowded with people, especially during peak times or the high travel season on the most popular railway routes. Usually, people holding standing-room-only tickets are arranged to stand along the aisles of hard-seat carriages. The toilets are usually unclean and cramped (only 1.2 square yards) and no toilet paper is supplied.

Price

Quotation Price in USD$ / Per single ticket	Year 2012
Train class	Budget (Hard Seats)	Standard (Hard Sleepers)	Luxury (Soft Sleepers)
1 Ticket	$28	$40	$52
2 Tickets	$25	$35	$45
3-6 Tickets	$22	$32	$42
Above 7 tickets	$20	$30	$40

- Price includes the train tickets cost and the service cost, our English-speaking agent will meet you up in Kunming airport upon your arrival and hand you the tickets (meeting up in the hotel in Kunming is also possible);

Important note:
Booking inquiries will only be accepted at least 15 days prior to the train’s departure time. The availability of tickets for collection will be advised 4-10 days before the travel date. (Tickets are usually available 10 days before travel but in peak times, including Spring Festival, Labor Day and National Day holidays, the period of availability will decrease). Issuing of tickets is under the total control of China Rail. Wonders Of Yunnan will purchase tickets as soon as possible but has no influence over the release of tickets. We will always try our best to get the tickets regarding to your request (for example: the class standards which you request, all family in a same cabin, etc), but in peak times, tickets are sold out very quickly. In order to make the issuing of tickets smoothly, we kindly require you to write down the answers to the following questions when filling in the requiry form:

Questions:

1) About train classes: If the required class of train tickets are sold out, would you like to take other classes? There are 3 type of classes in the train, hard seats, hard sleepers and soft sleepers. We will refund/charge the differences between the different classes according to our price list on the website.

2) About cabins: If you are travelling with your family or friends, and the tickets are only avaliable in the different cabin, would you like us to issue the tickets for you anyway? Or would you prefer to change into different class but sleep in the same cabin? Or would you prefer a refund?

Why do I need to ansnwer those 2 questions?

Since issuing of tickets is under the total control of China Rail, when we go to get the tickets for you, we will always try our best to get the tickets which required by you (first choice class, tickets in the same cabin, etc). But in case if your first-choice tickets are sold out, we will get the second-choice tickets for you if wanted. Without knowing the answers to those questions, we will need to get back to you with questions per email, and during those email time, the second-choice tickets might be sold out as well. Therefore, please do remember to answer the questions when filling in the requiry form.

Booking Procedures and Policies

Booking Procedures and Policies
Please read the Booking Procedures and Policies carefully. Placing a booking order implies that our procedure and policies have been read and accepted.

Wonders Of Yunnan is a great place for people to find comprehensive Yunnan travel information, Yunnan tours, travel advice, reviews and to share travel experiences and is owned by a very large and successful full service travel agency China International Comfort Travel Service (Kunming).  We make this expertise available to you to save your time, money and take away your hassle. All inquiries will be handled by our experienced travel advisors to ensure you get the best service.

Reservations
1. Select the train and class of seat that you require. Complete the booking form online.  

2. Submit the booking order. Our travel advisor will respond to your booking order within one business day. No contract between Wonders Of Yunnan and the purchaser shall come into existence until Wonders Of Yunnan issues a formal confirmation by email.

3. A payment form/link will be sent to the email address provided. Full payment for all tickets is required prior to the issue of the tickets.

4. Booking inquiries will only be accepted at least 15 days prior to the train’s departure time. The availability of tickets for collection will be advised 4-10 days before the travel date. (Tickets are usually available 10 days before travel but in peak times, including Spring Festival, Labor Day and National Day holidays, the period of availability will decrease). Issuing of tickets is under the total control of China Rail. Wonders Of Yunnan will purchase tickets as soon as possible but has no influence over the release of tickets.

5. Payments are refundable if we are unable to supply the required tickets.

6. It is advisable to avoid train travel during peak times, including Chinese New Year (2 weeks in January/February), New Year’s Day (January 1st-3rd), Labor Day (May 1st-3rd) and National Day (October 1st-7th), during which the tickets are often sold out.

7. Requests for bookings are not accepted during the Spring Festival period.

8. The selling period for train tickets may be as short as the 4 days before the travel date or as long as the 20 days before the travel date. (The selling period often changes.) It is preferable to book tickets with Wonders Of Yunnan before the selling period.

9. The tickets will be delivered by English-speaking staff from Wonders Of Yunnan at the nominated time to the nominated hotel provided. Please advise room number if possible. (Delivery to Kunming airport upon your arrival is also possible.)

10. Wonders Of Yunnan is not responsible for schedule changes by China Rail.

Changes to the Booking Order
Changes to the booking order can only be made before the selling period.

Payment
1. Payment includes ticket price, PayPal fee (4%) and service cost. The prices shown on the tickets is for train travel only and does not include the PayPal fee and service cost.
2. Payment is available via PayPal, PayPal accepts most credit cards.
3. If the purchaser is not a passenger, a fax copy of the purchaser's passport is required at the time of payment.
6. Payment is refundable if tickets cannot be supplied.

Cancellation Refunds
1. Bookings cancelled before the selling period attract no cancellation fee.
2. Bookings cancelled within the selling period, attract a cancellation fee of 100%.

Checking In and Checking Out
1. Passengers should arrive at the train station 30-60 minutes before departure and check in with valid ID.
2. After the train departs, a train attendant will walk through the carriages to collect tickets. The attendant will give each passenger a plastic card. Please keep the card safe. Passengers are required to present the card about half an hour before reaching the destination, when the ticket will be returned.
3. Retain the ticket as tickets are checked before exiting the train station.

Luggage
Baggage space is limited and must be stored in the sitting/sleeping compartment along with the other passenger’s luggage. It is wise to travel with limited baggage, which should not be left unattended.Most stations have a considerable number of stairs to climb to reach the platforms. Bags have to be carried up and down these stairs. Most stairs have a steep ramp so that wheeled bags can be dragged up as you walk up the stairs. The ramps are usually narrow and inconvenient to use. Some stations have porters who will carry luggage for RMB5-10 per piece of luggage. Follow them closely and keep eyes on your luggage. The new policy said: the external dimension (sum including the length, width and height) of every luggage taken by passengers should not be bigger than 160 cm (5.3 ft), and the bar-type article should not be longer than 200 cm (6.6 ft); while that for Multiple Unit Trains or Bullet Trains (Dongche) is 130 cm (4.3 ft) with the weight less than 20 kg.

Children tickets
The standard for a child getting half-price ticket will change from existing 1.1 (3.6 ft)–1.4 (4.6 ft) meters to 1.2 (3.9 ft)–1.5 (4.9 ft) meters. Every adult passenger only can take one child with the height less than 1.2 meters (3.9 ft) for free (if taking more than one child, the others need to buy child tickets), and the child taller than 1.5 meters (4.9 ft) need to buy full price ticket. Generally speaking, a child travelling by train individually is not allowed.

Tips

Notes:
1. The number of days of pre-sale tickets may be adjusted temporarily during the rush Chinese holidays or festivals, such as Chinese New Year, National Holiday and summer vacation. To avoid disappointment, it is suggested that you book tickets through an agency as early as possible.2. 'Real-name train ticket selling' policy in implemented in some cities during the Spring Festival Travel Rush of 2011 (January 19 - February 27). Do remenber to bring your valid ID certificate when buying train tickets. For train tickets within Yunnan, it's not required.
3. Ticket Scalper, Huangniu or Piaofanzi in Chinese, refers to those who buy tickets repeatedly and resell them at higher prices. They loiter at the railway station trying to sell their tickets for a profit. This practice is of course illegal in China and it is not recommended to buy tickets from them. Some sell fake tickets that are difficult to distinguish from the real ones.

How to board a Chinese train?
1. Make sure you get to the correct station
In some cities, there are 2 or several train stations, which are distant from each other. Before you start, please make sure from which station you are going to board the train. If you get to the wrong station, you probably won’t have enough time to catch the train. It is suggested that you get to the train station at least 30 minutes before the train departs, if during peak seasons, 1 hour ahead of time is better.

2. Pass security control
When you arrive at the station, you first need to go through the security control at the entrance. Please put your luggage through the X-ray machine and fetch them on the other side. Animals, knives, flammable, toxic and explosive goods are forbidden on the train.

3. Find the correct waiting lounge
The electronic message board will show the correct waiting lounge for each train. You will easily find which one is your waiting lounge as long as you know your train number and departure time. Or you can ask the staff for help. Tickets will be checked when you enter the lounge, so you can be sure you are in the correct lounge. A separate waiting lounge is available in the railway stations for passengers traveling in the soft sleeper section. Preferential boarding is available for those passengers.

4. Go to the platform
About 10 minutes before the train departs (30 minutes if you are departing from the train’s starting station), the announcements of check-in will be broadcast, and the conductor will direct passengers to the appropriate track to check in and go to the platform.

5. Board the train
You can easily find your carriage because the numbers are marked clearly on the carriage. A train attendant waits at the door of each carriage and checks the tickets. After you board the train, find your seat or bunk, and put your luggage in place. Please keep an eye to your belongings, and always keep your valuables securely close to you.

Kunming Railway Station Overview
Kunming Railway Station, also called Kunming South Railway Station, was finished and put to use in 1958. It is more than 2700 km (1677 miles) from Beijing, 1,100 km (683 miles) from Chengdu, and 811 km (504 miles) from Nanning, the capital city of Guangxi Province. Because of the complex terrain of Yunnan, it takes a comparatively longer time to travel by train. If you would like to take the opportunity to enjoy the scenery along the way, traveling by train will be an interesting experience. Compared with coach and airline tickets, train tickets will be a problem for tourists who want train travels during their visit in China, especially for those busy railway routes to popular travel destinations on public holidays. The situation will be worse during the long holidays, for example the two week-long holidays: China's National Day Holiday (Otc. 1 - 7) and Chinese Spring Festival. At present, train stations in China can not offer on-line booking. Telephone booking is available in several cities but only for local citizens. Tourists from other countries should purchase train tickets via a reliable travel agency like WondersOfYunnan.com. This is a very efficient and secure way. After arriving in China, tourists can buy train tickets from railway stations or authorized ticket offices if time permits.

Where the Trains Going to
Kunming Railway Station is an important one in the Yunnan Province traffic network. Kunming Railway Station provides passenger transportation to China's major cities, such as Beijing, Guilin, Shanghai, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Chongqing, Xiamen and Zhengzhou. Trains from Kunming Railway Station depart for cities within the province like Shilin, Yuxi, Dali and Lijiang every day.

Transportation to Kunming Railway Station
Public buses No. 2, 3, 23, 47, 68 and K1 can take passengers between the city center and the railway station. It is about 15 minutes to go by taxi from city center to railway station, and the cost is about 10 yuan (1.5 USD). By taking public bus No 2, you can take off at Zhengyi Road Station to visit and do some shopping at the flower market and the nearby pedestrian street. If you get off at Xiaoximen Station, the Green Lake is very close for you to take a walk.

Kunming Railway Station Information
Chinese Name: 昆明火车站
Address: The end of Beijing Road in Guandu District, Kunming City
Chinese Address: 昆明市官渡区，北京路尽头
Telephone: 0871-3511534
Number of platforms: 5

Useful information
1. A separate waiting lounge is available in the railway stations for passengers traveling in the soft sleeper section. Preferential boarding is available for those passengers. The restaurant carriage will be located in the 7th, 8th, 9th or 10th carriage, depending on different trains. The choice of food will be limited and only Chinese food will be available. Most local people buy food in advance or buy food from the vendors on board the trains.

2. Baggage space is limited and must be stored in your compartment so it is wise to travel with small baggage rather than large suitcases. Most train stations have a considerable number of stairs to climb to reach the platforms. Bags have to be carried up and down these stairs. Most stairs have a steep ramp so that wheeled bags can be dragged up as you walk up the stairs.

3. Trains between larger cities are always superior to those on lesser routes and will probably run close to schedule. If you choose to travel by train in Yunnan, "Wonders Of Yunnan" recommends booking a soft sleeper.

4. If you want to take a train trip across Yunnan, contact us and we will help you design a trip for you.