Route guide · High-speed rail
Shanghai to Beijing by High-Speed Train (2026)
1,318 km from Shanghai to Beijing — about 4h 18m on the fastest G-train, with around 51 departures a day.
China for Travelers EditorialUpdated Rail data refreshed monthly
- 2nd class
- ¥626 – ¥695
- what everyone buys
- Frequency
- 51/day
- 06:18–21:22
- Train types
- G
- G = fastest
- Flight
- 2h 15m
- comparable
Comparable vs flying — door-to-door about 5h 18m by train vs 5h flying. Flight ~30 min faster door-to-door, but train arrives downtown and can be half the price.
The route at a glance
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 most in the 4h 18m – 6h range. Second-class seats start at ¥626 – ¥695. Flight ~30 min faster door-to-door, but train arrives downtown and can be half the price.
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 | 4h 18m | 2h 15m in the air |
| 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.
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 | ¥626 – ¥695 | 3+2 seating, a tray table and power at every seat. |
| First class | ¥1035 – ¥1111 | 2+2 seating, wider and quieter — worth it on a longer ride. |
| Business class | ¥2158 – ¥2318 | Lie-flat / deep-recline pods at the front of the train. |
Stations on this route
- Departing fromShanghai Hongqiao Railway StationShanghai · G/D/C-class · ~35 min to city centre
Co-located with Hongqiao Airport. Huge; budget 20 min from metro to platform.
- Arriving atBeijing South Railway StationBeijing · G/D/C-class · ~38 min to city centre
Use passport at orange automated gates. English signage available. Allow 30 min before departure.
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 )
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, 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.