Weekend trip from Beijing

[Alex Whiteman]

Hi,

This is more of a "tourism" kind of question but maybe I can get some good info from some of you living there long term. . .

I'll be in Beijing a month next month and I'm thinking about doing a short trip to Shanghai some weekend.

I want to keep costs low if I can.

I'd need advice on the following:

1) What's best for my trip, airplane or high speed train? Any good cheap flights? How long in advance do I have to book or buy the tickets for each? I think I'll be arranging this trip once I'm in Beijing - as I'm still busy with arrangements for the main thing.

2) Any hostels to recommend? Any reasonably priced hotels?

3) Finally, I'm not sure how's the culture in China but if i'd be leaving my stuff and luggage at the campus in Beijing for that weekend - most likely on a shared room. I have no clue on how bad an idea could that be. . . or if it's not actually risky for whatever reason. I know I would keep a very serious eye on my stuff if I were a foreigner coming to MY country. . .

It's obvious foreign students in China use part of the time to do some travelling so you either do it and it's safe or there's some problems and there's ways around them. . .

[langxia]

For the train-airplane there are some things to consider : The train needs around 4-5 hours but there is no check-in needed, you don't need to be there so much time in advance. Then if you are living in the western part of the city you will probably be much faster at the train station than the airport. So in the end the travel time should be equal now. The train should also be cheaper unless you find a very good deal for a flight.

For leaving your stuff at the dorm well you can never be sure, the two years I spend in the dorm I allways left my stuff and never got anything stolen even when I went away for a week （and never heard of any stealing going on in the international dorms either). But my advice is that you should first see who your roommate is, then if you think he is not thrustworthy to leave your valuable stuff there ask the people running the building if you can leave a bag in their storage for the weekend.