FacilitiesonChinaTrains

FacilitiesonChinahighspeedtrains

aremodernandup-to-date:westernstyletoiletsareavailable,andpowersocketsareofferedformostpassengers.Facilitiesonthenon-bullettrainsneedtobeimproved:onlysquattoiletsareavailable;powersocketsarelimitedinmostcarriages,anditmaybesmellytherewithopensmokingareas.

LuggageRack

Inaseatcarriage,theluggageracksareabovetheseatsontwosides,largeenoughfora28’suitcase.Largepiecescanalsobeputintheluggageclosetbetweentwocarriagesonabullettrainorundertheseatortableonanormaltypeoftrain.

Theluggagerackinmosthardsleepercoachesisabovetheaisle.Insoftsleeperandafewhardsleepercoaches,thereisaluggageclosetineachcompartment,whichtendstobesaferandmoreprivate,butprovideslessroomforluggage.Inluxurysoftsleepercarriage,thereisaclosetforluggageoppositetheberths.Onecanalsoplaceheavyorlargebagsunderthetableorlowerberths.

Question:

CanItakemybikeonaChinatrain?

LuggageRackin

SecondClass

SeatCoachLuggageClosetinHardSleeperCompartment

DiningCarandFoodTrolley

Adiningcarisavailablemostlyonlong-distancetrains.Usually,onlyChinesefoodisprovided:rice,noodles,porridgeandsoups.Atmealtimes,theattendantsmaysellpackedfoodonatrolley.Also,therearestaffpushingtrolliessellingsnacks,drinks,andfruitduringthetrip.Inadditiontothelimitationonfoodtypes,thefoodpriceishigherthanusual.Passengersarerecommendedtobringsomeontheirown,especiallyforlong-distancerides.

DiningCarPicture

DrinkingWater

TapwatercannotbedrunkdirectlyinChina.Ineachcarriage,thereisawaterheateratoneendofferingfreeboiledwater.Aredlightindicatesthattheheaterisworking,andagreenlightshowsthatthewaterhasboiled.Disposablecupsareavailableonsomehighspeedcarriagesanditisadvisableforpassengerstotakeabottle.Putyourbottleunderthetapandpush/turnthebutton/handle,youwillgetboiledwater.Athermosforhotwaterisalsoavailableinsomehardsleeper,softsleeper,orluxurysoftsleepercompartments.

AHeaterProvidesBoiledWater

Toilet

Toiletsaresetattwoendsofthecoach.Aredsignonthedoorindicatesthetoiletisoccupiedwhilegreenmeansitisavailable.Mosttoiletsarewesternstyleonahighspeedtrain,whileafewalsohaveasquattoiletatoneendofthecoach.Onnormaltrains,mostaresquattoilets;sittoiletsareonlyavailableinsoftsleeperandluxurysoftsleepercarriages.Whenapproachingastation,thetoiletsinsomeold-fashionedcoacheswillbeclosed.Toiletpaperisprovidedinbulletcarriages,butitrunsoutquickly;you’dbetterbringsomeonyourown.Insidethetoilet,thereisusuallyasmallwashbasin.

Toiletin

aSecondClassCarriage

ElectricityChargingSockets

Chargingsocketshavebeenavailableinmostcarriagesforelectricalapplianceslikemobilephones,tabletsandlaptops.Youcanfindoneunderyourfirstclassorsecondclassseat,ontheleftarmrestofyourbusinessclassorVIPclassseat.Insoftsleeperandluxurysoftsleepercoaches,thereisapowersocketinsideeachcompartmentandtwoalongtheaisle.Inhardsleeper,hardseatandsoftseatcarriages,thereareonlytwosocketsontwosidesofthecoach;also,ifthecarriageis“time-honored”,theremaybenosocketsavailable.Inthesecases,youshouldbringaportablebatterycharger.Note:Allelectricityonboardis220Vandthesocketmaynotsuityourdevices,soanadaptermaybeneeded.

PowerSocketPictures

Internet

WIFIisavailable,buthaspartialaccess.Itisnotuniversal.Thetelephonesignalispoorwhenrunninginmountainousregions,oratahighspeed.

Washbasin

Washbasinswithmirrorsarealsoattheendofacarriage.Thewateriscoldandundrinkable.Handwashingliquidisprovidedonsomebullettrains.

WashbasinPicture

SmokingArea

Smokingisstrictlyprohibitedonhighspeedtrainsandthereisnosmokingarea;otherwiseCNY500-2,000willbefined.Onnormaltrains,thereareashtraysattheconnectionoftwocarriages,thisbeingtheonlylocationwheresmokingispermitted.

SmokingAreaPicture

SecurityFacilities

Everycarriageisequippedwithfireextinguishers,securityhammers,andemergencybrake.Railwaypoliceofficerspatrolduringthejourney.

FireExtinguishersSecurityHammers

Dustbin

Adustbinforlitterisavailableattheendofeachcarriage.Inseatclasscarriagesofhighspeedtrains,eachpassengerisgivenadisposalbag;inseatcarriagesofnormaltrainsorsleepercompartments,asmalltrayisprovidedonthetable.

EntertainmentFacilities

ThereareTVsetsinmostcarriages,butonlyChineseTVprogramsareavailable.Magazinesandnewspapersarealsoprovided,butinMandarin,too.

Tokilltime,youmaydownloadsomemoviesorsongstoyourcellphone,tabletorotherpersonaldevicesinadvance.

SpecialFacilities

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