7 bullet train journeys across China, from the Great Wall to Shangri-la

On a clear Beijing morning, I settle into my seat on board the G87 bullet train. Bound for Chengdu, we’ll make the nearly 1,200-mile journey—about the distance from New York City to Kansas City—in just 7.5 hours. Through the window, buildings blur as we quietly pick up speed and soon we’re sailing across the Yellow River, past Xi’an’s ancient walls, and into the mountains of Sichuan.

China is blazing a new future with its rail network, which includes more than 28,500 miles of high-speed tracks (for comparison, Europe’s is around 7,450 miles), from Shanghai’s leafy avenues to the soaring heights of the Himalayas and the surreal Terracotta Warrior Army. And, China just unveiled the world's fastest bullet train, topping out at 280 mph. These trains make crossing the country’s huge landmass accessible and eco-friendly, even on a shorter visit. 

1. Golden triangle

Best for: Imperial history and the Great Wall

Route: Beijing to Shanghai via Xi’an

Journey time: 10 hours (five hours per leg)

Distance: 1,170 miles

Best done as a journey of two halves, this train trip encompasses China’s biggest sights, from Forbidden City in Beijing to the surreal terra-cotta warrior army at ancient capital Xi’an, finishing at the glittering city lights of the Bund in Shanghai. The first journey glides south out of Beijing West Station and across the vast plains of the Loess Plateau through China’s industrial heartland before crossing the Yellow River to the ancient city walls of Xi’an. The second leg diverts west to Shanghai, passing the fifth-century Longmen Grottoes and Suzhou’s classical gardens and canals on its way.

2. Tibetan Plateau

Best for: Himalayan peaks and Buddhist temples

Route: Xining to Lhasa

Journey time: 20-hour night train

Distance: 1,1215 miles

Technically the only non-high-speed train on this list, the Qinghai-Tibet Railway is an engineering marvel built on permafrost and traversing challening terrain over some of the world’s highest passes. Starting in Xining, the provincial capital of Qinghai province, this overnight journey first passes the blue waters of Qinghai Lake—China’s largest—before chugging across the Tibetan Plateau (where you might spot antelope and other wildlife), and up into the Himalayas, arriving the next morning in the lofty Tibetan capital.

(Our ancestors walked these trails hundreds of years ago. Now you can too.)

On board, heated sleeper carriages and oxygen tanks keep passengers warm and safe from elevation sickness. Once in Lhasa, you can board a high-speed line (opened in 2021) that connects with the city of Nyingchi. To visit Tibet, international tourists need a regional travel permit and must book through registered agencies.

3. Silk Road

Best for: Bazaars, dunes, Buddhist art

Route: Lanzhou to Dunhuang

Journey time: 8 hours

Distance: 690 miles

Stretching across the northwest deserts in Gansu province, this high-speed journey follows the camel trails that were used for centuries to trade silk, spices, and philosophy. Today, you can do the journey in a couple of days, or even better, break it up into several legs, allowing time to explore the grand Buddha statues, night markets, temples, and sweeping landscapes along the line.

Starting in Lanzhou, home of the original hand-pulled lamian noodles, the train sails through the Hexi Corridor, through Zhangye with its colorful rainbow hills, Wuwei, where the famous Flying Horse of Gansu was uncovered, and Jiayuguan, the western end of the Great Wall, before finally arriving in the desert outpost of Dunhuang, home to giant dunes and the Mogao Caves—one of the most important caches of Buddhist art in the world. 

4. Mountains of Shangri-la

Best for: Mountains, gorges, ancient architecture

Route: Kunming to Shangri-La

Journey time: 5 hours

Distance: 385 miles

This mountainous journey zips across southwest China from Kunming, the provincial capital of Yunnan, to the high mountain town of Shangri-la, named after the mythical Himalayan valley in James Hilton’s 1933 book, Lost Horizon. One of China’s highest railway lines, it tunnels through the Himalayan foothills and up across the Tibetan Plateau.

The journey can be done as a series of stops at towns like Dali and Lijiang, both known for their ancient architecture and minority cultures, or you can speed straight through in about five hours. Passing Lijiang, the region’s best-known peak, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, spikes into a perfect triangle in the distance, and later the train crosses a high bridge over the glacial blue waters of the Jinsha River, which carves through Qinghai and Sichuan and into Yunnan.

5. Wintery northeast

Best for: Ice festivals and a cultural mix

Route: Beijing to Harbin

Journey time: 4.5 hours

Distance: 771 miles

This sleek, high-speed route shoots northeast from Beijing through the vast plains of Dongbei, a region shaped by heavy snowfalls, dumplings, and faded traces of the Qing dynasty. You’ll pass through Shenyang, once an imperial Manchu capital, before reaching Harbin, a city with onion-domed churches, frozen rivers, and a mix of cultures and influences, including from China, Russia, Mongolia, and beyond.

Time your journey for January or February and you’ll arrive just in time for the Harbin Ice and Snow Festival, where entire palaces and pagodas are carved from blocks of ice and lit up in neon hues. The route follows part of the old Trans-Manchurian corridor, once used by Soviet and Chinese railways heading for Moscow.

6. Rivers and rice terraces

Best for: Karst peaks and lush forests

Route: Guiyang to Guangzhou

Journey time: 3.5 hours

Distance: 540 miles

This scenic journey traverses the karst landscapes of southern China, including the dramatic limestone peaks near Guilin and the subtropical scenery of Guizhou. This route blends mountainous terrain with modern viaducts and tunnels, which are great for dramatic vistas.

The journey starts in Guiyang, the leafy capital of Guizhou province, sometimes called “forest city”; the train winds through lush lowlands, hills, and ancient wooden villages with teetering covered bridges, passing through Guilin before heading to the megalopolis of Guangzhou on the south coast. Don’t miss a stop-off in Guilin, where you can raft down the famed Li River between pointy karst hills—a scene so famous it is imprinted on the Chinese ¥20 note.

7. Skyscrapers to coast

Best for: Hakka architecture and coastal scenery

Route: Hong Kong to Xiamen

Journey time: 4 hours

Distance: 351 miles

Board a bullet train beneath the glass towers of Hong Kong and travel north along China’s lush southeastern coast. The route zips past fishing villages, river estuaries, and banana palms before arriving in Xiamen, a breezy port city with sea views and architecture dating to the 1850s, when the city was opened as a treaty port as part of the Sino-British Nanjing Treaty, which ended the First Opium War.

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From Xiamen, you can detour inland to explore Fujian’s Tulou—a UNESCO World Heritage Site of massive, circular Hakka clan houses made of packed earth and timber, some more than 700 years old. With more time, extend the journey on an additional four-hour hop to provincial capital Fuzhou, known for its hot springs and ancient alleyways, like the Sanfang Qixiang, whose layout and wooden architecture go back as far as the Tang dynasty (618–907 CE).

Life on board

Chinese trains are state-of-the-art, with plush seats, lots of leg room, Wi-Fi, outlets, and a snack service or cafe carriage, depending on the train. There are bathrooms and sink basins in each carriage, as well as a hot water dispenser for making tea and instant noodles.

High-speed trains generally have three classes: Business with huge seats and a meal; first with plush seats and a snack; and second with a three-three seating arrangement. You can also buy "standing" tickets, which don't guarantee a seat. Tickets are by “real name,” meaning they are issued electronically and tied to your ID, and you board by scanning your passport at the gate. Trip.com and 12306.cn are the official ticketing outlets for international travelers.

There are no limits on baggage, but restrictions apply to what can be taken on board, including pets and bicycles. Stations are often the size of airports with dining options, stores, and seating. You must pass a security screening and show your ID to enter the station.

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