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Old 30 Jul 17, 09:36 AM  
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BrightlyBob
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SLEEPER AND BULLET TRAINS

As part of the full Chinese experience these are great fun.

SLEEPER TRAIN - we went with Soft sleeper for the 1,000 mile 14-hour trip costing £55pp which is a private cabin with 4 bunks. We made sure we were at Shanghai station over an hour beforehand but there was no seating at all in our overcrowded and hot waiting area. Aircon is at a minimum in the station. If you're travelling in summer as we were you're likely to be very concerned when you step into the cabin that will be your home for the next 14 hours - it will be intolerably hot as the train will have been waiting several hours at the station before boarding. You'll find the Aircon dial at the bottom of the left bunk near the window. Switch it to 100 which means 100% Aircon. Some cabins are more effective then others and it took ours over an hour to cool down below unbearable and was just about tolerable after 4 hours. By 10 hours the creeping Aircon meant our cabin was frozen and hence every then started adjusting the 100 down eventually to about 40. Make sure you have eaten AND done a "number 2" before boarding as the shared toilets are appalling, grey airline loos stained deepest brown with urine soaked floors and an open sewer stench. Honestly, they are indescribably bad. The squat loos are very slightly better. If you must use them do remember the railway doesn't replace used looroll so you'll need to bring your own.

BULLET TRAIN - Here we chose First Class at £85pp for the 4-hour 800 mile joirney. And my, what a difference from the stop-start clackety-clack sleeper. Very comfy chairs watching the world zoom by this is very efficient, if not particularly cheap, travel. Toilet facilities are fine and trolley food is sold which is ok and not pricey by western standards.

We all really enjoyed our Chinese railway adventure and would definitely do it again!

Edited at 09:37 AM.
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