Should I Travel by Plane or by Train?

This book contains testimonials from more than 40 international students from 30 countries across five continents， sharing their real life experiences and thoughts on six main aspects of life in China： study， daily life， travel， food， entertainment and shopping. Through vivid stories and descriptions， prospective students and travelers can quickly gain insight on life and culture in China， aiding them in future endeavors.

101 Tips of Living in China

Compiled by the Editorial Staff of the Book

Beijing Language and Culture University Press

January 2020

58.00 （CNY）

Which is better， by plane or by train when you travel in China？ Indeed， the high-speed trains are convenient， which is universally accepted. Traveling in China， you can get just about anywhere by high-speed trains and if there is not a train going to where you want to go， there will be one that stops close by. They are especially convenient if you are traveling to smaller cities， such as those without airports. Living in China you will find there are lots of places you want to see， though some may not have airports or flying there may be quite expensive. In cases like this， trains are a great alternative to planes.

While you may be questioning whether taking high-speed trains is actually faster， then you have to consider where it is you are going to. If you are traveling to a relatively close location， then high-speed trains are your best bet. They will get you there relatively fast， without the hassle of all the airport security screening. You can also take an overnight train; it takes a bit longer but saves money and time from your day. Arriving at the train station about half an hour before your train departs， you often get enough time to catch your train， though you may want to arrive a bit earlier if unfamiliar with train stations in China. When arriving at your destination you can also exit the station quickly， without having to wait for your baggage to arrive or going through any formalities.

While you may save all this time by passing through procedures such as those at the airport （train stations still have security checks， though relatively quicker than that of airports）， if you are traveling to a distant location， then taking a plane may be more comfortable and faster. China is a large country with many places of interest， and some of those places may be quite far. While taking a flight may not often save you money， it may save you time. Depending on the time of the year， the flights may even be a bit cheaper than the trains as well.

I recently went to Hangzhou over the New Year’s， taking a plane there and the high-speed train back. In all honesty there was not a large difference in the time I spent going both ways; after all the airport procedures， it takes about the same time as the high-speed train. Apart from the time spent being similar， the price did not differ much either. Though if you are going to a smaller location and have to take a plane and then a train ride， I would recommend sticking to the train the whole way. In many cases the airports are far from the train stations， it is a waste of time and money having to make a transfer from plane to train.

Here are some tips to keep in mind when choosing between traveling by plane and train：

Be sure to consider the distance of where you are going before deciding on whether to take the plane or the train. You will want to check the prices of tickets and times of departure when deciding as well.

Check the location of the airport and train stations in the cities you are traveling to. "A plane ticket may sometimes be cheaper but the taxi ride into the city may be the difference in cost.

Consider where you will be going upon arrival to figure out what mode of transportation is most convenient for you.

If you are traveling during the holidays， train tickets often should be booked at least half month in advance. If you are not sure of travel dates or did not purchase a train ticket in time， then traveling by plane may be your best or only option.