Comparison
Train or flight
Inside eastern and central China, the train is often the simpler trip because the station is closer to the city than the airport. The plane wins when the map is genuinely long.
Lean to the train
- The cities are a few hours apart on a high-speed line. Look the pair up on 12306 rather than trusting a remembered time.
- You are carrying luggage you do not want to check.
- You want to arrive nearer the hotel.
- You already have the passport name ready for a real-name ticket.
Lean to the flight
- The trip crosses the country: the far west, or a same-day link that the railway still treats as an overnight.
- You found a flight whose city-to-city time, including both airports, is clearly shorter.
- You are continuing on an international ticket and the airline will check the bags through.
The setup for the train is on Chindas, including why the passport on the ticket has to be the passport in your hand.
Questions
Are overnight trains still a thing?
Yes, on some long routes. A high-speed day train is the default between the big eastern cities. Read the duration on 12306 before you call it a quick hop.