As China’s two biggest first-tier cities, the passenger flow volume between Beijing and Shanghai is huge. Among the different types of transportation, taking high-speed trains to travel between these two cities is the most popular way to travel.
In 2018, the Beijing–Shanghai high-speed railway handled 825 million passengers in total.
Here is some basic information about taking high-speed trains between Beijing and Shanghai, such as the schedules, prices, and which stations to take these trains from:
- 3 Basic Things to Know about Beijing–Shanghai Trains
- Beijing–Shanghai Train Schedules
- Shanghai–Beijing Train Schedules
- The Ticket Fares for Beijing–Shanghai Trains
- Beijing–Shanghai High-Speed Train Map
- How to Get to the Stations
- Beijing to Shanghai: Train Versus Plane
- Book Beijing–Shanghai Train Tickets Online
3 Basic Tips about Beijing–Shanghai Trains
1. Three main train types:
- High-speed G-trains: There are over 40 G-trains operating from Beijing to Shanghai and from Shanghai to Beijing daily. This is the fastest train type, only taking about 4–6 hours to finish the whole journey. It’s suitable for business travelers.
- Overnight high-speed D-trains: There are three D-trains running daily, offering both seats and sleepers. Compared to overnight normal-speed trains, the traveling time is shorter (about 12 hours) but you can still save a night’s hotel bill.
- Overnight normal-speed trains: There are three normal-speed trains operating daily. Their ticket fare is the cheapest (200–300 yuan for a hard sleeper ticket) but with a relatively long journey time.
2. Available train stations:
- Beijing: The high-speed trains (G- and D-trains) all depart from Beijing South Railway Station; other normal-speed trains depart from Beijing Railway Station.
- Shanghai: The trains depart from Shanghai Hongqiao and Shanghai Railway Station.
Fuxing Hao Series Train
3. Trains belonging to the Fuxing Hao series are the fastest ones: Among the G-trains, a few bullet trains belong to the Fuxing Hao series (the world’s fastest commercial train). The journey only takes about 4½ hours in these.
The Fuxing Hao trains are in great demand and tickets can be sold out in a few minutes, so we suggest you book them as soon as they are released.
You can also use our China Train Booking app to make your reservation for these tickets in advance, and we will buy them for you as soon as they become available.
Beijing to Shanghai Train Schedules
Beijing to Shanghai High-Speed Train Schedules
The high-speed trains from Beijing to Shanghai all depart from Beijing South Railway Station:
Check the online schedules now!
| Train No. | Departure and Arrival Times | Duration | Arrival Railway Station |
|---|---|---|---|
| G101 (the earliest) | 06:43–12:40 | 5 h 57 min | Shanghai Hongqiao |
| G5 | 06:53–12:48 | 5 h 55 min | Shanghai |
| G143 | 07:50–13:12 | 5 h 22 min | Shanghai Hongqiao |
| G1 | 09:00–13:28 | 4 h 28 min | Shanghai Hongqiao |
| G7 | 10:00–14:28 | 4 h 28 min | Shanghai Hongqiao |
| G123 | 11:05–16:50 | 5 h 45 min | Shanghai Hongqiao |
| G9 | 12:00–16:36 | 4 h 36 min | Shanghai Hongqiao |
| G135 | 13:05–18:59 | 5 h 54 min | Shanghai Hongqiao |
| G3 | 14:00–18:28 | 4 h 28 min | Shanghai Hongqiao |
| G11 | 15:00–19:28 | 4 h 28 min | Shanghai Hongqiao |
| G13 | 17:00–21:36 | 4 h 36 min | Shanghai Hongqiao |
| G15 | 18:00–22:43 | 4 h 43 min | Shanghai |
| G21 (the latest) | 19:08–23:36 | 4 h 28 min | Shanghai |
There are over 40 high-speed trains operating from Beijing to Shanghai daily. Check all the online timetables and book your train tickets via our China Train Booking app.
Beijing to Shanghai Overnight Sleeper Train Schedules
The overnight high-speed D-train
The overnight trains from Beijing to Shanghai include both high-speed trains and normal-speed trains. The high-speed trains are D-trains, and the normal-speed trains are Z-trains, T-trains, and number only trains.
D-trains all depart from Beijing South Railway Station and normal-speed trains all depart from Beijing Railway Station .
Here are the schedules of these overnight trains from Beijing to Shanghai:
Check the online schedules now!
| Train No. | Departure and Arrival Times | Duration | Departure/Arrival Railway Station |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1461 | 11:55–07:00 | 19 h 5 min | Beijing/Shanghai |
| Z281 | 18:58–09:53 | 14 h 55 min | Beijing / Shanghang South |
| D313 | 19:34–07:41 | 12 h 7 min | Beijing South / Shanghai Hongqiao |
| T109 | 20:05–11:00 | 14 h 55 min | Beijing/Shanghai |
| D321 | 21:04–09:09 | 12 h 5 min | Beijing South / Shanghai Hongqiao |
| D311 | 21:17–09:15 | 11 h 58 min | Beijing South / Shanghai Hongqiao |
Shanghai to Beijing Train Schedules
Shanghai to Beijing High-Speed Train Schedules
The high-speed trains from Shanghai to Beijing all arrive at Beijing South Railway Station:
Check the online schedules now!
| Train No. | Departure and Arrival Times | Duration | Departure Railway Station |
|---|---|---|---|
| G102 (the earliest) | 06:26–12:29 | 6 h 3 min | Shanghai Hongqiao |
| G8 | 08:00–12:24 | 4 h 24 min | Shanghai Hongqiao |
| G2 | 09:00–13:28 | 4 h 28 min | Shanghai Hongqiao |
| G10 | 10:00–14:28 | 4 h 28 min | Shanghai Hongqiao |
| G124 | 10:59–16:18 | 5 h 19 min | Shanghai Hongqiao |
| G12 | 12:00–16:38 | 4 h 38 min | Shanghai |
| G134 | 13:00–18:58 | 5 h 58 min | Shanghai Hongqiao |
| G4 | 14:00–18:28 | 4 h 28 min | Shanghai Hongqiao |
| G14 | 15:00–19:36 | 4 h 36 min | Shanghai Hongqiao |
| G16 | 17:00–21:36 | 4 h 36 min | Shanghai Hongqiao |
| G22 (the latest) | 19:00–23:18 | 4 h 18 min | Shanghai Hongqiao |
There are over 40 high-speed trains operating from Shanghai to Beijing daily. Check all the online timetables and book your train tickets via our China Train Booking app.
Shanghai to Beijing Overnight Sleeper Train Schedules
Both high-speed and normal-speed trains are available. Here is the schedule:
Check the online schedules now!
| Train No. | Departure and Arrival Times | Duration | Departure/Arrival Railway Station |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1462 | 12:18–10:50 | 22 h 32 min | Shanghai/Beijing |
| T110 | 17:57–10:08 | 16 h 11 min | Shanghai/Beijing |
| D312 | 19:10–07:07 | 11 h 57 min | Shanghai / Beijing South |
| Z282 | 19:30–10:22 | 14 h 52 min | Shanghai/Beijing |
| D322 | 19:53–07:54 | 12 h 1 min | Shanghai/Beijing |
| D314 | 21:07–08:55 | 11 h 48 min | Shanghai / Beijing South |
How Much Does a Ticket Cost?
Beijing–Shanghai High-Speed Train Ticket Fares
| Train Type | 2nd Class Seat | 1st Class Seat | Business Class Seat | New Soft Sleeper | Soft Sleeper |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G-Train | 558 CNY / 83 USD | 939 CNY / 139 USD | 1,748–1,762.5 CNY / 259–261 USD | N/A | N/A |
| D-Train | 386 CNY / 57 USD | N/A | N/A | 690 CNY / 102 USD | 740 CNY / 110 USD |
Exchange rate: 1 USD = 6.736 CNY
Beijing–Shanghai Overnight Train Ticket Fares
| Train Type | Hard Seat | Hard Sleeper | Soft Sleeper | Deluxe Soft Sleeper |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T-Train | 177.5 CNY / 26 USD | 304.5 CNY / 45 USD | 476.5 CNY / 71 USD | 879.5 CNY / 130 USD |
| Z-Train | 177.5 CNY / 26 USD | 304.5 CNY / 45 USD | 476.5 CNY / 71 USD | 879.5 CNY / 130 USD |
| Number Only Train | 156.5 CNY / 23 USD | 283.5 CNY / 42 USD | 455.5 CNY / 68 USD | N/A |
Exchange rate: 1 USD = 6.736 CNY
Here are what the second class, first class, and business class seats look like:
Beijing–Shanghai High-Speed Train Map
Beijing to Shanghai bullet train distance: It’s about 1,318 kilometers (819 miles) and the fastest speed reaches 390 kph.
>>> Check the online China train map
Download our China Train Booking app to check the online English map anytime and anywhere on your smartphone.
Beijing–Shanghai Train Stops
There are 24 stops in total along the Beijing–Shanghai high-speed railway:
Beijing South, Langfang, Tianjin West, Tianjin South, Cangzhou West, Dezhou East, Jinan West, Tai’an, Qufu East, Tengzhou East, Zaozhuang, Xuzhou East, Suzhou East, Bengbu South, Dingyuan, Chuzhou, Nanjing South
, Zhenjiang South, Danyang North, Changzhou North, Wuxi East, Suzhou North, Kunshan South, and Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station.
How to Get to the Train Stations
* Learn detailed transportation information about each station by clicking into the specific pages.
How to Get to Beijing Railway Station
- Location: 13 Hutongjia, Maojiawan, Dongcheng District
- Subway: Metro Line 2
- Bus: more than 40 buses to the station
How to Get to Beijing South Railway Station
- Location: 12 Yongwai Avenue, Fengtai District
- Subway: Metro Line 4 and Metro Line 14
- Bus: 17, 20, 102, 106, 133, 343, 458, 485, 529, 652, 655; at night — 15, 17, and 27
How to Get to Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station :
- Location: 1500 Shengui Road, Minhang District
- Subway: Metro Lines 2, 10, and 17
- Bus: Hongqiao Hub 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10; bus 189, 316, and 914
How to Get to Shanghai Railway Station
- Location: 100 Moling Road, Jing’an District
- Subway: Metro Lines 1, 3, and 4
- Bus: 106 (to Shanghai West Railway Station), 115, 117, 305, 306, 310, 817, 823, 912, 929, 942, 962, Xinchuan Special Line (新川专线), 95, 104, 109, 927, 930, Airport Line 5, Shenchuan Special Line (申川专线), and Tunnel Line 3
Beijing to Shanghai: Train Versus Airplane
If you still haven’t decided whether to take a high-speed train or an airplane to travel between these two cities, we’ve provided a comparison of the differences here for your reference:
| High-Speed Trains | Airplane | |
|---|---|---|
| Price (CNY) | 2nd class ticket: 426–553 1st class ticket: 939 Business class ticket: 1,762.5 |
Economy class: 400–600 Business class: 1,500–2,000 |
| Travel Duration | About 4–6 hours | About 2–3 hours |
| Distances from the City Center | The train stations are relatively close to the city center, and some stations are built in the main district, such as Beijing and Shanghai Railway Station. | Airports are usually built in the suburbs. |
| Boarding and Arriving | It takes about 30–60 minutes to collect your tickets and board the train, and about 10 minutes to leave the station. | You need to go to the airport 1–2 hours in advance; allow about 1 hour for landing and leaving the airport. |
| Punctuality Rate | Almost 100%, down-to-the-minute punctuality | About 70% |
| Mobile and Electronics | You’re allowed to use them for the entire journey, and some new trains even have free Wi-Fi. | Use is limited and there is no Internet. |
| Ticket Purchase | The tickets are always in great demand, and they can be sold out in minutes during national holidays.5 | Generally, there are always enough airplane tickets to book. |
- The second-class seats on high-speed trains are bigger and more comfortable than economy-class seats on airplanes.
- Taking a high-speed train is more flexible than taking an airplane as you can use your phone and surf the Internet without limitation. There is also no taking off and landing period on high-speed trains.
- China Railway only offers a Chinese website/app for online ticket booking. International travelers who don’t speak Chinese can choose other multi-language platforms, such as our China Train Booking app to get their train tickets.
Book Beijing–Shanghai Train Tickets Online
You are recommended to use our China Train Booking app to book your tickets and track your bookings anytime and anywhere. Get the free trial now:
Find out how to book your China train ticket: How to Buy a China Train Ticket.
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