Short answer
The Beijing–Shanghai high-speed line runs Beijing South (北京南) to Shanghai Hongqiao (上海虹桥) — 1,318 km — in about 4 hours 18 minutes on the fastest G-train. Most services take between 4h 18m and 6 hours depending on how many cities they stop at. It is the busiest high-speed rail corridor in the world by passenger numbers, with roughly 45–50 G-trains a day in each direction.
A second class seat costs roughly ¥550–¥700 one way, and the price moves with the train, the date and demand — different sources put the working range at ¥553 to ¥697. Book on 12306 (the official railway platform, which has an English site and app) as soon as your dates are fixed. Tickets go on sale on a rolling window measured in weeks, not months.
Your passport is your ticket. Nothing to print, nothing to collect: you scan the passport at the station gate and again at the platform. Arrive 30 minutes early at both ends, because Beijing South and Shanghai Hongqiao are both enormous and the walk to a distant platform takes real time.
The route at a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Distance | 1,318 km |
| Stations | Beijing South (北京南) → Shanghai Hongqiao (上海虹桥) |
| Fastest G-train | About 4h 18m |
| Typical journey | 4h 18m – 6h, depending on intermediate stops |
| Departures | Roughly 45–50 G-trains a day in each direction |
| Second class fare | Roughly ¥550–¥700 one way; check the exact price for your train on 12306 |
| Top speed | Scheduled 350 km/h on the Fuxing (复兴号) trainsets |
| Overnight alternative | Sleeper EMU (动卧), about 12–12.5 hours |
Fare and frequency figures are drawn from TravelChinaGuide and China for Travelers route data; both are indicative. Fares are dynamic and set by China Railway — the 12306 app is the only authoritative source for your date.
Which station, at which end
Beijing and Shanghai each have several railway stations, and the single most common booking mistake is assuming the train uses the one nearest your hotel. Check the station name on your ticket before you leave.
| Station | Where it is | Metro |
|---|---|---|
| Beijing South 北京南 | South of the centre; the departure point for essentially all Beijing–Shanghai G-trains | Lines 4 and 14 |
| Shanghai Hongqiao 上海虹桥 | Western suburbs, next to Hongqiao Airport Terminal 2; where most trains arrive | Lines 2, 10 and 17 |
| Shanghai Station 上海站 | Central Shanghai, near the Bund and People's Square; only a small number of trains a day use it | Lines 1, 3 and 4 |
G-train, D-train, or overnight sleeper?
Daytime trains on this route are G-trains. Alongside them, China Railway runs a small number of overnight sleeper EMUs, the 动卧, which trade speed for a bed and a saved hotel night.
| Option | Duration | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| G (daytime high-speed) | 4h 18m – 6h | Almost everyone. Downtown to downtown, and faster door-to-door than flying once you count airport time |
| Sleeper EMU (动卧) | About 12 – 12.5h | Travellers who would rather sleep through it. Departures cluster in the evening and arrive in the morning |
| Conventional overnight (Z/T/K) | Longer still | Rarely worth it on this corridor unless the high-speed trains are full |
Seat classes on the G-trains are simple. Second class is the standard fare and where most passengers sit. First class is a wider seat in a smaller cabin. Business class is the premium product at the front of the train. Exact first and business class prices vary by train and date, the 12306 app shows all three side by side for any given departure.
How to book
- Register on 12306 before you flyUse
12306.cn/enor the 12306 app, both of which have an English interface and accept foreign passports. Do this from home, not on arrival. - Enter your name exactly as printed in the passportA mismatch between the booking name and the machine-readable zone is the most common reason a gate refuses a passenger.
- Add yourself as a passengerA booking needs a passenger profile with your passport number and expiry date, not just an account.
- Pay with Alipay or WeChat Pay12306 does not take foreign credit cards directly. Both Chinese wallets accept foreign-issued Visa and Mastercard after passport verification.
- Book as soon as your dates are fixedTickets are released on a rolling window of weeks, not months. This is the highest-demand corridor in the country, and holiday periods sell out well ahead.
- If your train is full, waitlist itThe waitlist (候补) is free, fills from other passengers' cancellations, and only charges you if a seat is confirmed. Submitting requests across several departures raises your odds.
Third-party booking platforms sell the same tickets with a smoother English interface and often accept foreign cards directly, at the cost of a booking fee. If binding your card to Alipay or WeChat Pay fails, that is a reasonable fallback. The full comparison is in our guide to buying train tickets in China.
At the station
- Security screening on entryBags through the X-ray, you through the metal detector. Routine, and it applies to everyone.
- Passport and ticket checkScan the passport. Beijing South and Shanghai Hongqiao both have automated gates that read foreign passports; if yours fails, walk to a staffed lane instead of retrying.
- Find your gate in the departure hallCheck the departure board for the gate number and sit near it. Both halls are huge, ten minutes to walk to a far platform is normal.
- Board when the gate opensThe gate opens for a window before departure and closes before the train leaves. Departure time is not boarding time.
- Second scan at the platform gateExpect another passport scan before you go down to the train.
Train or plane?
Door to door, the train usually wins. The airport runs are long at both ends, security and boarding add hours, and delays are more common by air. The train leaves from the city and arrives in the city, on Metro lines at both ends. The genuine case for flying is if you are already near an airport and heading somewhere beyond the city centre at the other end.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the Beijing to Shanghai train?
About 4 hours 18 minutes on the fastest G-train, with most services taking 4h 18m to 6 hours depending on stops. The route is 1,318 km.
Which stations does it use?
Beijing South (北京南) to Shanghai Hongqiao (上海虹桥) for the great majority of trains. A small number terminate at the more central Shanghai Station (上海站), so check the name on your ticket.
How much does a second class ticket cost?
Roughly ¥550–¥700 one way. Published ranges differ because fares float with the train and the date, TravelChinaGuide cites ¥576–697 and China for Travelers ¥626–695 for second class. Confirm the price for your specific departure in the 12306 app.
How many trains run each day?
Roughly 45–50 G-trains a day in each direction, departing from early morning until around 21:00. On top of that there are a few overnight sleeper EMUs taking about 12 hours.
Can I take a night train instead?
Yes. The sleeper EMU (动卧) covers the route in about 12 to 12.5 hours, leaving in the evening and arriving in the morning. It costs you a night on the train but saves a hotel night and a day of travel.
Do I need to print a ticket?
No. Your passport is your ticket. You scan it at the station entrance, at the departure gate and sometimes again at the platform gate.
How early should I arrive at Beijing South or Shanghai Hongqiao?
Thirty minutes before departure is comfortable. Security, the passport check and the walk to the platform all take time, and both stations are very large.
Is the train better than flying?
Door to door, usually yes, the train runs city centre to city centre, and both stations sit on Metro lines. The flight is roughly two hours in the air, but the airport transfers at each end erase the advantage.
Related reading
Route length, station pairs, journey times and fare ranges cross-checked against TravelChinaGuide and China for Travelers route guides (checked 2026); metro line data from Wikipedia station records for Beijing South, Shanghai Hongqiao and Hongqiao Railway Station. Fares, release windows and timetables are set by China Railway and change, treat every figure here as indicative and confirm your specific journey in the 12306 app.