China Trains vs Flights: How to Choose the Best Way to Travel Between Cities

A couple from London emailed me last month with a question I get every single week:

"Peng, we're planning Beijing → Xi'an → Chengdu → Shanghai. Should we take trains or fly?"

I smiled when I read it. Because the answer isn't the same for every leg of their trip. And that's what most guides get wrong — they give a blanket answer when every city pair is different.

I've been crisscrossing this country for 15 years. Here's what I've learned.

The Short Answer

For routes under 500km (about 2 hours by HSR): take the train. For routes over 1,000km: fly if you're short on time; take the train if the scenery is worth it. For everything in between: it depends.

Let me break it down city by city.

Beijing → Xi'an

**My pick: High-speed train. Every time.**

4.5 hours, ¥515 second class. The train pulls out of Beijing West and within an hour you're watching the太行山 mountains roll by. I've made this trip dozens of times and I still press my face to the window like a kid.

A flight is 2 hours in the air, but factor in 1 hour to the airport, 2 hours early check-in, and 1 hour from Xi'an airport to the city center — and you're looking at 6+ hours total. The train saves you time, money, and headaches.

**Pro tip from my trips:** Book seat D (aisle, middle of the car) if you want to stretch your legs. Bring snacks — the trolley food is overpriced and average.

Xi'an → Chengdu

**My pick: High-speed train.**

About 3.5 hours, ¥263. This route crosses the秦岭 mountains and part of it runs through tunnels that took a decade to build. The engineering alone is worth experiencing.

The flight is only 1.5 hours but, same story: once you add airport time, the train wins. And you arrive at Chengdu East station — right in the city — instead of an airport 40 minutes out.

Chengdu → Shanghai

**My pick: Fly.**

This is 1,785km. The train takes nearly 11 hours. Unless you have a specific reason to enjoy the scenery (it's mostly flat farmland after Hubei), just fly. It's 3 hours and you can find flights for ¥500-800 if you book a week ahead.

I flew this route two weeks ago with a client from Melbourne. We left Chengdu at 9am, had a business meeting in Shanghai at 1pm, and he was eating xiaolongbao by 1:30.

Shanghai → Beijing

**My pick: High-speed train.**

4.5 hours, ¥555. The Beijing-Shanghai HSR is the busiest in the world — over 100 trains per day. Trains depart every 15-20 minutes. You don't even need to book in advance (though I recommend it).

The flight is 2 hours, but the Shanghai airport (Pudong) is 45 minutes from the city, and Beijing Capital is another 40 minutes from the center. The math doesn't add up for flying.

**One thing nobody tells you:** the business class seat on this route (¥1,745) is better than most airlines' business class. Reclining leather seat, meal service, power outlets. If you're tall or just want to arrive fresh, it's worth the upgrade.

Real Cost Comparison

Let me be honest — flying is often cheaper on paper. A budget airline from Beijing to Shanghai can be ¥400 vs ¥555 for the train. But here's what the cheap ticket doesn't include:

When I add it up for my clients, the train is usually the same cost or cheaper — and you arrive less stressed.

When to Always Fly

1. **Ultra-long routes:** Beijing → Guilin (2.5hr flight vs 10hr train)

2. **Island destinations:** Anywhere to Hainan or Xiamen

3. **Tight schedules:** If you have only 10 days for 5 cities, some legs need to fly

4. **Remote areas:** Tibet, Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia — no HSR there yet

When to Always Take the Train

1. **Scenic routes:** Beijing → Xi'an, Chengdu → Kunming, Hangzhou → Guilin

2. **City-center to city-center:** Both stations are central, airports are far

3. **Bad weather:** Flights get cancelled. HSR runs in almost anything.

4. **First time in China:** You see the countryside, and it's way less intimidating than navigating an airport

How I Book

I use Trip.com for my clients — it accepts foreign credit cards and has an English interface. Book at least 3 days ahead for popular routes. For Chinese New Year or Golden Week, book 2 weeks ahead minimum.

**One more thing:** download the Trip.com app before you arrive. You can manage bookings and get real-time delay updates. I learned that the hard way — stuck at Zhengzhou station for 3 hours with a client because I couldn't check the train status without the app.

Still not sure about your route? [Message me](/contact). I've done every popular city pairing multiple times and can tell you the best option for your specific itinerary.