How long is the Shanghai to Beijing train?

The fastest high-speed train covers the 1,318 km in 4h 18m, with most services in the 4h 18m–6h range. Trains are G-class.

How much is a Shanghai to Beijing train ticket?

Second class is ¥626 – ¥695, first class ¥1035 – ¥1111, business class ¥2158 – ¥2318. Fares are dynamically priced — peak departures trend to the high end of each band.

How many trains run from Shanghai to Beijing each day?

About 51 trains a day each way, with the first around 06:18 and the last around 21:22.

Is the train or the flight better for Shanghai to Beijing?

Flight ~30 min faster door-to-door, but train arrives downtown and can be half the price. Door-to-door the train is ~5h 18m vs ~5h flying.

How do I book Shanghai 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.

China for Travelers

Shanghai to Beijing by High-Speed Train

Name: Shanghai → Beijing HSR Route Record (China for Travelers)
Creator: China for Travelers
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Fastest 4h 18m · from ¥626 second class · 51 daily trains · Comparable vs flight

By China for Travelers · Published 2026-04-25 · Updated 2026-05-30 · Verified against 12306 on 2026-04-30

Map of the Beijing South–Shanghai Hongqiao high-speed rail corridor: 1,318 km from Beijing South Railway Station to Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station, 4h 18m on the fastest G-train. — The 1,318 km Beijing South → Shanghai Hongqiao corridor — 4h 18m on the fastest G-train.

The Shanghai to Beijing corridor is 1,318 km of G-class high-speed rail. Trains run from Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station to Beijing South Railway Station, with the fastest service taking 4h 18m and the longest about 6h. Second-class seats start at ¥626 – ¥695. Flight ~30 min faster door-to-door, but train arrives downtown and can be half the price.

Distance: 1,318 km
Train types: G
Duration: 4h 18m – 6htypical mainline services
Daily departures: 51 trains
Service window: 06:18 → 21:22
Second class: ¥626 – ¥695
First class: ¥1035 – ¥1111
Business class: ¥2158 – ¥2318
Scenery: ★★☆☆☆our editorial rating

Train vs flight

Metric	Train	Flight
Fastest	4h 18m	2h 15m
Door-to-door	~5h 18m	5h
Price	¥626 – ¥695	¥750 – ¥1800

Editor: Flight ~30 min faster door-to-door, but train arrives downtown and can be half the price.

Stations

Departing from
Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station
Shanghai · G/D/C-class · ~35 min to city centre
Co-located with Hongqiao Airport. Huge; budget 20 min from metro to platform.
Arriving at
Beijing South Railway Station
Beijing · G/D/C-class · ~25 min to city centre
Use passport at orange automated gates. English signage available. Allow 30 min before departure.

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 Shanghai → Beijing on Trip.com →
Compare the two: read 12306 vs Trip.com →

Deep guide available. We have a full editorial write-up for this route — when to go, which class to pick, station tips, things to do at both ends. Read the Shanghai ↔ Beijing guide →

Frequently asked questions

How long is the Shanghai to Beijing train?: The fastest high-speed train covers the 1,318 km in 4h 18m, with most services in the 4h 18m–6h range. Trains are G-class.
How much is a Shanghai to Beijing train ticket?: Second class is ¥626 – ¥695, first class ¥1035 – ¥1111, business class ¥2158 – ¥2318. Fares are dynamically priced — peak departures trend to the high end of each band.
How many trains run from Shanghai to Beijing each day?: About 51 trains a day each way, with the first around 06:18 and the last around 21:22.
Is the train or the flight better for Shanghai to Beijing?: Flight ~30 min faster door-to-door, but train arrives downtown and can be half the price. Door-to-door the train is ~5h 18m vs ~5h flying.
How do I book Shanghai 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 Shanghai

Or explore the full interactive HSR map with all 24 cities and 36 corridors.