Traveling on the Chinese green trains requires a bit of foresight: online booking, a passport is essential, seats are often spartan and the comfort is rudimentary. But with a few smart moves and the right accessories, the experience remains simple and transportive. Here is the essential to know before boarding.
Old Trains but Dematerialized Tickets
Reservations are made via the app or the website 12306.cn of the Zhongguo Tielu (the national railway company). The interface is available in English, and you must register your passport (note, the verification can take up to 24 hours). Your passport is your ticket: it will be scanned at the station and on board.
Choosing a Seat in China… Soft or Hard?
For comfort lovers… opt for the high-speed trains! On the green trains, the vast majority of seats are yingzuo (hard seats) and yingwo (hard sleepers), with compartments of six beds opening onto the corridor. Lights out at 21:30 or 22:00; bring a flashlight!
The ruanzuo (soft seats), more comfortable and more expensive, have become very rare on these lines with a social mission. And the soft berths, four bunks in a compartment with a door, have almost disappeared.
Eating on Board the Train
A thermos, a stainless-steel cup and instant noodles will help you wait between stations. If a stop lasts more than five minutes, do as everyone else: rush to buy local specialties (boiled ears of corn, braised chicken…). Sold through the windows or on the platforms, they are often much fresher and tastier than the boxed rice served on board by the carts that also offer cigarettes, beer, sunflower seeds and fruit.
The Essentials for Travel Well
Plan for toilet paper, a power bank (outlets don’t always work and are hotly contested), earplugs and a deck of cards, the best ice-breaker for meeting people if you don’t speak Mandarin!
Would you like to take the time to travel across China aboard a green train? Discover our article : https://www.geo.fr/voyage/la-chine-au-ralenti-voyage-a-bord-des-trains-verts-233288
➤ Article published in GEO magazine no. 571, “The Hidden Italy, from Marche to Calabria”, of September 2026.
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