China
China covers 9.6 million square kilometres of East Asia — the third-largest country in the world by area — and holds more than 1.4 billion people, second only to India. Beijing is the capital and Shanghai the most populous city by urban area. Between them the land takes in almost every kind of terrain a railway can meet: the Central Plain, the Yangtze and the Yellow River, subtropical and temperate forest, desert, high plateau and the Himalaya.
China has built more railway, and built it faster, than any country in history, and the result is the largest high-speed network on earth — clean, punctual, astonishingly cheap trains linking almost every major city at up to 350 km/h. Underneath it the older system still runs overnight sleepers out to the deserts, the south and the roof of the world, including the highest railway on the planet. For simply getting around a very large country, it is the best rail system in the world to be a traveller in.
Rail journeys in China
Good to know
What are China's iconic rail journeys?
Above all the Qinghai–Tibet Railway to Lhasa — the highest railway in the world, crossing a 5,072 m pass in oxygen-enriched carriages (foreign visitors need a Tibet permit and an organised tour). Beyond it, China's high-speed lines are a journey in their own right: the fast, scenic runs between the great cities are among the best everyday train travel anywhere.
Is China easy to explore by train?
Very. China Railway operates the largest high-speed network in the world, linking the major cities at up to 350 km/h on clean, punctual, inexpensive trains, and sleeper services reach far beyond. The train is an excellent way to cover this vast country — with the one big exception that Tibet requires a permit and a tour for foreign visitors.
How do I buy tickets, and do I need my passport?
Tickets are sold through official apps, websites and station counters, and your passport is required both to buy them and to board. Book ahead for busy routes, and avoid the Spring Festival and the October Golden Week, when trains sell out nationwide. For the train to Lhasa, the Tibet Travel Permit must be arranged through an agency before you can board.
When is the best time to visit China?
Spring and autumn are generally the mildest and clearest across most of the country. The Tibetan Plateau is best from May to October; winters are bitterly cold at altitude and some Tibet tours pause.