Xian by train · Xian by train
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Xian by train
Xian by train
There are plenty of trains transporting passengers to and from most of the major cities inside China. Keep in mind train tickets may only be available if booked far in advance (most ticket sales open 10-21 days in advance; an agent can help book but will probably charge significant commission fees). Traveling in a seat (hard or soft-class) means you will share the car space with lots of locals. You will most likely encounter smokers, loud noise, and constant activity in the aisle while you try to sleep. *Do not* travel hard class if you are uncomfortable with these settings. Sleeper cabins are limited to 4 people each (2 for deluxe soft sleepers, which are only on a few trains from Beijing); bottom bunks cost a bit more because they're a couple cm wider. If traveling alone, be especially careful of your luggage! Also note that bathrooms and washrooms may be closed (and locked!) 30-60 minutes before getting to the train station.
Trains run to several domestic cities including: Beijing (11-13 hours), Chengdu (13-18 hours), Chongqing (14 hours), Guangzhou (24 hours), Kunming (36-53 hours), Lanzhou (8-10 hours), Lhasa (36 hours), Shanghai (16-20 hours), Urumqi (31-56 hours), Wuhan (14-18 hours), and Zhengzhou (2 hours).
Xi'an Station is at the north end of Jiefang Road (解放路）, just outside the northeast city wall. As you exit, there will probably be lots of people offering cheap hotel rooms; just ignore them if you already have a room booked. Even if you don't, you probably don't want to get one from them anyway. Also, don't fall for the people who offer to exchange a Xi'an map for your used train ticket - they reuse them for some shady purposes, e.g. re-selling them to people who just want to get into the station or try to sneak on a train.
In Xi'an, it is very easy to get to the railway station by city bus from anywhere in the city. There are several stops within 200 m of the station (look for train station East or North on a bus route (火车站东/北). Many hostels also offer free pick-up if you arrive between 6 and 9 AM.
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Xian Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.