China - never a dull moment!

[mushez]

Anyone know what the CRH "Premier Seats" are and like?

They are an extra 20% higher than 1st Class, vrs Business Class is double that of 1st Class on the next train option.

Tempted to give it a whirl to actually see what this new mythical seat option is.

 

[mushez]

PVG - T2 - the Security Line for APEC card holders has moved to lane 12 - due to automated gates for Chinese Citizens been put in front of the old lane (39?) that was used.

Simply pass through APEC channels for immigration - side step to the left a little, and in Lane 12 to go through for Security.

 

[lowan74]

Anyone know what the CRH "Premier Seats" are and like?

They are an extra 20% higher than 1st Class, vrs Business Class is double that of 1st Class on the next train option.

Tempted to give it a whirl to actually see what this new mythical seat option is.

I believe I saw these the other week but didn't remember what thew were called. They were first class seats arranged in a 2-1 configuration rather than a 2-2 config. They were on a Beijing South to Tianjin service. The train also had Business Class available.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Bummer - big change in HSR pricing - Peak Travel High-Speed Train Ticket Prices to Increase By 50%

 

[Cruiser Elite]

This’ll knock yer sox off - Mobike Reveals What Its Shared Car Looks Like

 

[serfty]

This’ll knock yer sox off - Mobike Reveals What Its Shared Car Looks Like

I guess the yobbo's will have a harder time chucking those into the Yarra!

 

[mushez]

Landed into China on Saturday - to the week of "hitch" being suspended for a week due to the murder as discussed in the link below.

It has caused a week of more pressure on the bus & train system - with bookings required days in advance - as people move from using hitch for the week - back to buses and trains.

I hadn't used anything but the hitch function on Didi to or from Pudong for around 3 years - and having to go back to using the bus was refreshing of the "old days"

Flight Attendant Killed after Hitching a Ride on DiDi-Chuxing

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Tianjin Airlines Plane Heavily Damaged as Hail Hits Mid-Flight - you gotta see this

 

[woodyren]

After many trips on Chinese bullet trains carrying luggage we were pulled up a few weeks ago after passing through security and sent to a weighing counter. We were on our way to Beijing to fly home in Singapore Airlines J and I had a large suitcase and my carry on. Total weight was around 32kgand Mrs woodyren had around 28kg.

Apparently the weight limit is 20kg total per person but this is the first time I have been checked.

Mrs woodyren made a call to one of her friends, who knew a someone in management, who then called us back, had us hand the phone to the weighing counter and after taking the call the employee just waved us through.

Not sure what our options were as we left straight away but there was a lady next to us as we left who was 6kg over who appeared to be paying some excess baggage fee.

Anyone had this issue before?

 

[earlyriser]

Has anyone been to the Huizhou hot springs?

Thinking of going to Hilton Huizhou Longmen Resort for a few nights of relaxation in between sightseeing some of the cities nearby HKG.

 

[serfty]

Apparently the weight limit is 20kg total per person but this is the first time I have been checked.

Is that a free weight allowance of 20kg or a hard limit?

 

[Cruiser Elite]

@woodyren - you were on your way to Beijing right? Which station was this? You were picked up after security at entrance to station?

 

[woodyren]

Is that a free weight allowance of 20kg or a hard limit?

That was the free weight limit but also may be a hard limit as I have since found it listed on a few websites. Those Chinese travel sites state that you must pay a fee and send overweight baggage in the freight car. Since bullet trains dont have a freight car that means luggage goes on an older slower train.

I have never seen it enforced before though and we were surprised when we were pulled aside for a check. We had travelled from Beijing a few weeks earlier with similar luggage as we were returning from European travels and we had no issue other than the usual problem of finding a place to stow our bags.

Casual observation of the lady pulled aside was she was paying a fee but we didn't hang around to find out details.

I have posted on a few Chinese forums and a lot of locals state there is no limit which was my assumption until this instance. If it becomes a regular thing it will make our usual train trip to Beijing from or to our flight a little limiting luggage wise unless the fee is reasonable for excess baggage.

 

[woodyren]

@woodyren - you were on your way to Beijing right? Which station was this? You were picked up after security at entrance to station?

Yes. Shenyang station. We had been on the road for almost four months and had a bit of luggage. Went through security, checked the board for our boarding gate and were just about to get a seat when a guy pulled us aside and sent us to the weight counter. Looked like they were just checking those with large size suitcases or two medium ones. It wasn't like everyone was being weighed.

We have travelled from Shenyang a lot and at times have had as much or more luggage. Were have also travelled from and to Tianjin and Shanghai to board cruises with as much luggage. Never been a problem.

I wanted my wife to just ask them what we needed to pay so we could take the train and for future reference but she was too busy working the phones until she tracked down a friend of a friend with some railway Guangxi to get us through and that happened with a few calls.

 

[maureeng]

Anyone know what the CRH "Premier Seats" are and like?

They are an extra 20% higher than 1st Class, vrs Business Class is double that of 1st Class on the next train option.

Tempted to give it a whirl to actually see what this new mythical seat option is.

It’s a small carriage within the first class carriage with only 6 seats and table. We took this option from Beijing to Xian

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Data Point - Pic 1 is Ts & Cs in Chinese on back of China CRH Train Ticket :



Pic 2 is English translation.



I was never aware of this and have never seen or heard of policing of Ts & Cs. FFS - who reads Ts & Cs?

 

[mushez]

Well - it is there in Black and White no less.

I have taken 2 suit cases up to 56kg combined along with 10kg carry on bag on the train many times............ however only on my way to/from the Airport.

Normally I arrive and get to my first address - to then divvy out all the goods in my bags and ship direct to everyone they are for in China - to navigate my way through China with hand carry bag only.

Wonder what "Dangerous" goods are - as I have seen some interesting items taken onboard - including welders, gas bottles, and plastic barriers from some workmen moving from station to station doing work on the stations.

 

[serfty]

Some info here: China High Speed & Normal Train Baggage Allowance & Policy

Interesting comment here:

Passengers can NOT check baggage on high speed train, because they don’t have specialized baggage cars for shipping. If you are required by the train staff that your luggage exceeds the allowance and should be consigned, you need to apply for consignment at the baggage office at the departure station.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

This can happen - Scooter explodes while charging in China, man grabs child to escape blaze - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

 

[seanpodge]

Very odd about the luggage weight issue. Have never seen it enforced, therefore assumed that the "actual" rule was that if you can carry it, you can bring it.

They do enforce the rules about dangerous items though. Lost a butter knife at Harbin station last year to this.....