Is It More Convenient to Take a High-Speed Train or a Plane in China?

In the past 20 years, the rapid expansion of China’s high-speed rail and airport networks has made high-speed trains and planes the primary modes of domestic travel. Except for a few remote cities, direct high-speed train and flight connections exist between most major cities.

Due to the widespread availability of discounted flight tickets, the prices of high-speed train tickets and plane tickets are now quite similar. Without considering the price, do you prefer taking a high-speed train or a plane?

The travel time for high-speed trains varies depending on the distance. Generally, a high-speed train journey that exceeds 5 hours can be tiring, prompting many to choose to fly instead. Domestic flights usually take 2 to 3 hours, but require early arrival at the airport and coping with air turbulence, making them slightly less comfortable than high-speed trains.

Below, we analyze the convenience of taking a high-speed train versus a plane for trips originating from Wuhan, Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Chongqing, using a high-speed train journey of up to 5 hours as a reference standard:

Departing from Wuhan

Cities suitable for high-speed train travel include: Beijing, Jinan, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Guilin, Guiyang, Chongqing, and Xi’an.

Departing from Beijing

Cities suitable for high-speed train travel include: Harbin, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Wuhan, and Xi’an.

Departing from Shanghai

Cities suitable for high-speed train travel include: Beijing, Zhengzhou, Wuhan, Changsha, and Fuzhou.

Departing from Shenzhen

Cities suitable for high-speed train travel include: Fuzhou, Nanchang, Wuhan, Guilin, and Nanning.

Departing from Chongqing / Chengdu

Cities suitable for high-speed train travel include: Xi’an, Zhengzhou, Wuhan, Guilin, Kunming, Chengdu, and Chongqing.

For regions that cannot be reached within 5 hours by high-speed train, flying is more suitable.