8 Most Scenic Train Rides in China
China’s most beautiful train rides take passengers to not only metropolises, but also countryside and even areas off the beaten track. On the way, one can appreciate not only skyscrapers rising up to the sky, quiet villages dotted among paddy fields, but also woody or snow-capped mountains, running rivers, peaceful lakes, endless deserts and isolate gobi, etc, somehow making these China best train trips discovery of China in depth. If coming to China, you should enjoy at least one of these best train trips in China.
Here below are the 8 best train journeys in China, covering large tourist destinations such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Lhasa, Chengdu, and Kunming, as well as small featured towns like Lijiang and Dali.
1
Beijing-Shanghai: Urban Landscapes and Countryside Scenery
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This ride reveals China’s urban areas, including two of the most popular and prosperous metropolises, Beijing and Shanghai. When passing by the fertile Central China Plain, you will find the vast fields “weaving” up and down, resembling green oceans in spring and summer, colorful oil paintings in autumn and pure white blankets in winter. Dotted with small villages, they look so peaceful and beautiful!
Duration: 4.5-6 hours
Ticket Price: CNY526-667 for a second class seat, CNY 884-1,066.5 for a first class seat
This ride reveals China’s urban areas, including two of the most popular and prosperous metropolises, Beijing and Shanghai. When passing by the fertile Central China Plain, you will find the vast fields “weaving” up and down, resembling green oceans in spring and summer, colorful oil paintings in autumn and pure white blankets in winter. Dotted with small villages, they look so peaceful and beautiful!
Duration: 4.5-6 hours Ticket Price: CNY526-667 for a second class seat, CNY 884-1,066.5 for a first class seat 2
Beijing-Guangzhou: Four-season Scenery in One Trip
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Scenery:
As a super long high speed rail route running in a north-south direction, it offers passengers a chance to appreciate the scenery of four seasons during this one trip. Starting from Beijing, the high speed train first travels through the flat agricultural area. If in winter, it may be a white fairyland. After running over the Huaihe River, it enters bountiful southern China decorated by green plants all year round. Passing by Changsha, the scenery changes again and you will see hills one after another.
Duration: 8-10 hours
Ticket Price: CNY914.5 for a second class seat, CNY1,464.5 for a first class seat
Recommended Guided Tours:
3 Days Private Guangzhou Tour from $339
As a super long high speed rail route running in a north-south direction, it offers passengers a chance to appreciate the scenery of four seasons during this one trip. Starting from Beijing, the high speed train first travels through the flat agricultural area. If in winter, it may be a white fairyland. After running over the Huaihe River, it enters bountiful southern China decorated by green plants all year round. Passing by Changsha, the scenery changes again and you will see hills one after another.
Duration: 8-10 hours Ticket Price: CNY914.5 for a second class seat, CNY1,464.5 for a first class seat Recommended Guided Tours: 3 Days Private Guangzhou Tour from $3393
Shanghai-Kunming: A trip along Mysterious 30 Degrees North
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Scenery: 
Traversing four ancient civilizations, 30 degrees north has been mysterious and unique for long, akin to the Bermuda Triangle, the Pyramids, the sunken Atlantis, and the nearby world’s highest peak, Mt. Everest. Hopping on and off the train between Shanghai and Kunming, you will know what the 30 degrees north has left to show in China. Is it the modernized cities, tranquil water towns, rippling lakes and rivers, green mountains, dense stone forests, or profound historical relics? Well, it's all!
Duration: 11-12.5 hours
Ticket Price: CNY1,475 for a first class seat and CNY879 for a second class seat
Recommended Guided Tours:
3 Days Shanghai Tour from $409
Traversing four ancient civilizations, 30 degrees north has been mysterious and unique for long, akin to the Bermuda Triangle, the Pyramids, the sunken Atlantis, and the nearby world’s highest peak, Mt. Everest. Hopping on and off the train between Shanghai and Kunming, you will know what the 30 degrees north has left to show in China. Is it the modernized cities, tranquil water towns, rippling lakes and rivers, green mountains, dense stone forests, or profound historical relics? Well, it's all!
Duration: 11-12.5 hours Ticket Price: CNY1,475 for a first class seat and CNY879 for a second class seat Recommended Guided Tours: 3 Days Shanghai Tour from $4094
Hefei-Fuzhou: China’s Most Beautiful High Speed Railway
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Scenery:
This railway is famous for mountain and countryside scenery, including Yellow Mountain famous for green pines, strange rocks, Cloud Sea and hot springs; Mt. Wuyi, a typical Danxia landform bounded with waters; and Wuyuan, China’s most beautiful countryside with white walls, grey tiles, and terraced fields covered by yellow rape flowers.
Duration: 4-4.5 hours
Ticket Price: CNY357-362.5 for a second class seat, CNY601-611 for a first class seat
This railway is famous for mountain and countryside scenery, including Yellow Mountain famous for green pines, strange rocks, Cloud Sea and hot springs; Mt. Wuyi, a typical Danxia landform bounded with waters; and Wuyuan, China’s most beautiful countryside with white walls, grey tiles, and terraced fields covered by yellow rape flowers.
Duration: 4-4.5 hours Ticket Price: CNY357-362.5 for a second class seat, CNY601-611 for a first class seat 5
Lanzhou-Xinjiang: Most Majestic High Speed Railway along Silk Road
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Scenery:
Running in northwest China, scenery along the way is unique and diverse. You will for sure not feel bored, rewarded with the roaring Yellow River, boundless rape flowers, snow covered Qilan Mountains, desolate desert and vast windmill forests. If you by chance know some China history, you will be more interested in this trip, as it follows the Silk Road.
Duration: 11-11.5 hours
Ticket Price: CNY548.5 for a second class seat, CNY658 for a first class seat
Running in northwest China, scenery along the way is unique and diverse. You will for sure not feel bored, rewarded with the roaring Yellow River, boundless rape flowers, snow covered Qilan Mountains, desolate desert and vast windmill forests. If you by chance know some China history, you will be more interested in this trip, as it follows the Silk Road.
Duration: 11-11.5 hours Ticket Price: CNY548.5 for a second class seat, CNY658 for a first class seat 6
Xining-Lhasa: A Ride to “World’s Roof”
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Scenery:
This ride will take you to highland Tibet, passing by the blue Qinghai Lake, vast grasslands, grand snow covered mountains, mysterious river origins and the deserted Gobi, like a painting scroll gradually opening in front of you. On this scroll about Chinese natural scenery, you may also see Tibetan antelopes, yaks, and wild donkeys every now and then. A majority of the residents along the way are Tibetans, so you can also see some scenic features about this minority group, like Mani Stones, prayer flags, golden-roofed temples, and the Tibetan style folk houses.
Duration: 21-22 hours
Ticket Price: CNY594 for a hard sleeper, CNY937 for a soft sleeper
This ride will take you to highland Tibet, passing by the blue Qinghai Lake, vast grasslands, grand snow covered mountains, mysterious river origins and the deserted Gobi, like a painting scroll gradually opening in front of you. On this scroll about Chinese natural scenery, you may also see Tibetan antelopes, yaks, and wild donkeys every now and then. A majority of the residents along the way are Tibetans, so you can also see some scenic features about this minority group, like Mani Stones, prayer flags, golden-roofed temples, and the Tibetan style folk houses.
Duration: 21-22 hours Ticket Price: CNY594 for a hard sleeper, CNY937 for a soft sleeper 7
Chengdu-Kunming: Diverse Geographical Landscapes
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Scenery:
Traveling between the Sichuan Basin and Yungui Plateau via Hengduan Mountains, Jinsha River, Dadu River and many other complicated terrains, the rail route was “born” to be dangerous but undoubtedly charming. Trains go over numerous raging torrents and through tunnels, but mostly they travel along the mountain feet or slopes with rivers or villages on one side and high mountains on the other. Sitting in the front carriages, one can even see the following carriages being dragged out from the tunnel and snaking forward.
Duration: 5.5-6.5 hours
Ticket Price: CNY 809-841 for a first class seat, CNY 494.5-515 for a second class seat
Recommended Guided Tours:
3 Days Kunming Tour from $369
Traveling between the Sichuan Basin and Yungui Plateau via Hengduan Mountains, Jinsha River, Dadu River and many other complicated terrains, the rail route was “born” to be dangerous but undoubtedly charming. Trains go over numerous raging torrents and through tunnels, but mostly they travel along the mountain feet or slopes with rivers or villages on one side and high mountains on the other. Sitting in the front carriages, one can even see the following carriages being dragged out from the tunnel and snaking forward.
Duration: 5.5-6.5 hours Ticket Price: CNY 809-841 for a first class seat, CNY 494.5-515 for a second class seat Recommended Guided Tours: 3 Days Kunming Tour from $3698
Kunming-Lijiang: Escape to Fairylands
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Scenery:
The clear Erhai Lake, snowcapped Mt. Cangshan and blue sky make you feel like you are entering a fairyland. The Tashan Tunnel exit is the best site to view Mt. Cangshan on a train. If looking afar, the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain will come into your view, which is believed by the local Naxi people to be where the gods live.
Duration: 3-3.5 hours
Ticket Price: CNY307-367.5 for a first class seat, CNY192-230.5 for a second class seat
Recommended Guided Tour: 8 Days Yunnan Tour to Kunming, Dali, Lijiang, Shangri-La from $1109
The clear Erhai Lake, snowcapped Mt. Cangshan and blue sky make you feel like you are entering a fairyland. The Tashan Tunnel exit is the best site to view Mt. Cangshan on a train. If looking afar, the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain will come into your view, which is believed by the local Naxi people to be where the gods live.
Duration: 3-3.5 hours Ticket Price: CNY307-367.5 for a first class seat, CNY192-230.5 for a second class seat Recommended Guided Tour: 8 Days Yunnan Tour to Kunming, Dali, Lijiang, Shangri-La from $1109- Last updated on Jul. 23, 2024 by Brenda Lian -