Route guide · High-speed rail
Guilin to Beijing by High-Speed Train (2026)
2,100 km from Guilin to Beijing — about 7h 58m on the fastest G-train, with around 3 departures a day.
China for Travelers EditorialUpdated Rail data refreshed monthly
- 2nd class
- ¥649 – ¥952
- what everyone buys
- Frequency
- 3/day
- 09:00–20:27
- Train types
- G
- G = fastest
- Flight
- 3h
- flight wins
Flight wins vs flying — door-to-door about 8h 58m by train vs 6h flying. Eight hours by train against six door-to-door by air. The train has got faster but the flight still wins on time.
The route at a glance
The Guilin to Beijing corridor is 2,100 km of G-class high-speed rail. Trains run from Guilin North Railway Station to Beijing West Railway Station, with the fastest service taking 7h 58m and most in the 7h 58m – 13h range. Second-class seats start at ¥649 – ¥952. Eight hours by train against six door-to-door by air. The train has got faster but the flight still wins on time.
Train vs flight
Both stations are in town, so the train is door-to-door; the flight adds airport transfers and security each end. Here is the trade on this corridor:
| High-speed train | Flight | |
|---|---|---|
| Fastest | 7h 58m | 3h in the air |
| Door-to-door | ~8h 58m | ~6h |
| Price | ¥649 – ¥952 | ¥700 – ¥1500 |
Editor: Eight hours by train against six door-to-door by air. The train has got faster but the flight still wins on time.
Classes and price
Fares are dynamically priced — peak departures trend to the high end of each band, the cheapest seats go to off-peak mid-week trains. The seat is identical across trains in the same class.
| Class | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Second classmost buy | ¥649 – ¥952 | 3+2 seating, a tray table and power at every seat. |
| First class | ¥1518 – ¥1522 | 2+2 seating, wider and quieter — worth it on a longer ride. |
| Business class | ¥2764 – ¥2969 | Lie-flat / deep-recline pods at the front of the train. |
Stations on this route
- Departing fromGuilin North Railway StationGuilin · G/D-class · ~20 min to city centre
No metro; take bus 100 or taxi (~¥25) to downtown. For Yangshuo, this is the best of Guilin's three stations — 13 trains a day, 22–25 min, first 07:50. But Yangshuo station is 33 km from Yangshuo town, so allow 1.5–2h door to door, not 25 minutes.
- Arriving atBeijing West Railway StationBeijing · G/D-class · ~37 min to city centre
Largest station in Beijing; main gateway to southwest/south China. Budget 45 min from metro to platform.
How to book with a foreign passport
12306 English app — the official China Railway channel, straight from the source at face-value fares. The trade-off is hassle — passport registration must be approved before you can buy (often slow), and customer service is Chinese-first and limited if a booking goes wrong.
Trip.com ↗ — the same China Railway seats, booked in English with a foreign Visa or Mastercard, no verification wait and 24/7 multilingual support. It sells at the same 12306 face fare with no booking fee, and new-customer promotions can bring a first trip below face price. You can also add hotels, attraction tickets and tours to the same trip. See the booking walkthrough.
Still deciding? Read the full 12306 vs Trip.com comparison. Tickets open exactly 15 days before departure, and the good daytime slots sell first.
Book on Trip.comNASDAQ: TCOM
One of the few platforms selling real China Railway tickets in English, to a foreign passport and card. (Is it legit? — 12306 vs Trip.com )
Frequently asked questions
How long is the Guilin to Beijing train?
The fastest high-speed train covers the 2,100 km in 7h 58m, with most services in the 7h 58m–13h range. Trains are G-class.
How much is a Guilin to Beijing train ticket?
Second class is ¥649 – ¥952, first class ¥1518 – ¥1522, business class ¥2764 – ¥2969. Fares are dynamically priced — peak departures trend to the high end of each band.
How many trains run from Guilin to Beijing each day?
About 3 trains a day each way, with the first around 09:00 and the last around 20:27.
Is the train or the flight better for Guilin to Beijing?
Eight hours by train against six door-to-door by air. The train has got faster but the flight still wins on time. Door-to-door the train is ~8h 58m vs ~6h flying.
How do I book Guilin 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, 24/7 multilingual support; the same face fare as 12306, with new-customer promos often dropping a first trip below it). Tickets open exactly 15 days before departure.
Once you reach Beijing
The train is the easy part — here’s what to do at the other end.
Sources
Checked August 2026 · Written from our own first-hand travel in China.