Guangzhou to Beijing by High-Speed Train
Fastest 8h · from ¥703 second class · 17 daily trains · Flight wins vs flight
By China for Travelers · Published 2026-04-25 · Updated 2026-05-30 · Verified against 12306 on 2026-04-30

The Guangzhou to Beijing corridor is 2,298 km of G-class high-speed rail. Trains run from Guangzhou South Railway Station to Beijing West Railway Station, with the fastest service taking 8h and the longest about 11h. Second-class seats start at ¥703 – ¥1033. Flight saves 3+ hours. Train only if you want an 8-hour view of central-China countryside.
Quick facts
- Distance
- 2,298 km
- Train types
- G
- Duration
- 8h – 11htypical mainline services
- Daily departures
- 17 trains
- Service window
- 07:26 → 21:01
- Second class
- ¥703 – ¥1033
- First class
- ¥1653
- Business class
- ¥3250
- Scenery
- ★★★☆☆our editorial rating
Train vs flight
| Metric | Train | Flight |
|---|---|---|
| Fastest | 8h | 3h |
| Door-to-door | ~9h | 6h |
| Price | ¥703 – ¥1033 | ¥700 – ¥1700 |
Editor: Flight saves 3+ hours. Train only if you want an 8-hour view of central-China countryside.
Stations
- Departing fromGuangzhou South Railway StationGuangzhou · G/D/C-class · ~40 min to city centre
Main HSR hub for the Pearl River Delta. Connects to Hong Kong West Kowloon in ~50 min.
- Arriving atBeijing West Railway StationBeijing · G/D-class · ~30 min to city centre
Largest station in Beijing; main gateway to southwest/south China. Budget 45 min from metro to platform.
How to book
Two paths for foreign travelers — either the official Chinese system at face price, or a Western OTA for an English-first checkout with a small markup.
- 12306 (official): face price, no booking fee. Requires a passport-bound account. Step-by-step 12306 walkthrough →
- Trip.com: English UI, foreign cards work, small markup. Best when 12306 frustrates you. Search Guangzhou → Beijing on Trip.com →
- Compare the two: read 12306 vs Trip.com →
Frequently asked questions
- How long is the Guangzhou to Beijing train?
- The fastest high-speed train covers the 2,298 km in 8h, with most services in the 8h–11h range. Trains are G-class.
- How much is a Guangzhou to Beijing train ticket?
- Second class is ¥703 – ¥1033, first class ¥1653, business class ¥3250. Fares are dynamically priced — peak departures trend to the high end of each band.
- How many trains run from Guangzhou to Beijing each day?
- About 17 trains a day each way, with the first around 07:26 and the last around 21:01.
- Is the train or the flight better for Guangzhou to Beijing?
- Flight saves 3+ hours. Train only if you want an 8-hour view of central-China countryside. Door-to-door the train is ~9h vs ~6h flying.
- How do I book Guangzhou to Beijing tickets with a foreign passport?
- Two ways: the official 12306 English app (face price, passport-bound account, no booking fee) or Trip.com (English UI, foreign cards accepted, small markup). Tickets open exactly 15 days before departure.
Related routes
Other trips from Guangzhou
- Guangzhou → Shenzhen · 30m
- Guangzhou → Guilin · 2h 35m
- Guangzhou → Hong Kong · 47m
Or explore the full interactive HSR map with all 24 cities and 36 corridors.