Nanjing train station?

[vellocet]

Sorry for posting this here, but I really can not find any "Nanjing Expat Forum" type website anywhere.  There's a local magazine but no forum, and all the others I found were offline or the last post was 2013.  My wife's relatives will be changing trains in Nanjing train station (fast train) and uncle booked them tickets with 37 minutes between arriving and departing.  Can you change trains directly, or do you have to go outside the train station and back through security?  How long would you need, for people who aren't really experienced travelers?  

[roddy]

No apology needed. Travel forums - back in the day I'd have said the Lonely Planet's Thorntree, does it still exist? - may also be worth a look.

[dtcamero]

i used to live in Nanjing. you can change trains directly, 37 minutes should be more than enough.

 

just be sure that when you change trains, you get off the train onto the platform, and go up the staircase or elevator to the departures area, and not downstairs to the arrivals area.

 

honestly even if you get lost and go down and out, then in through security again, it should be enough time. it's a pretty efficient train station... just a bit large.

[happy_hyaena]

Even If they go downstairs, into the metro, up out the metro, up the escalators, queue up outside the departure entrance and finally get in, 37 should enough.Though depending on how crowded the station is, it might be tight.

 

Just make sure to print the ticket in advance.

[vellocet]

Oh really, you don't have to go through security again?  I had to do that before when I changed trains in a city, I forget which one, and I just thought it was retarded.  So inconvenient.  Thanks for the info!  I was also worried because supposedly Nanjing high-speed train station is one of the largest in China.  

[dtcamero]

no need to go through security again, you just need to find the escalator up to the departures hall.

it's at the end of the platform... pretty obvious which side.

sometimes the escalator's out, sometimes there's a line for the elevator and you need to lug your bags up... but there's definitely a way up there 

 

南京南站 south Nanjing station is not particularly large, but it is probably a bit large relative to the size of the city.

its smaller than Beijing south or Shanghai Hongqiao stations.

 

[889]

What station are we talking about? Nanjing or Nanjing Nan? Both serve HSR lines.

 

Foreigners generally cannot printout tickets on those machines, by the way, since hardly any accept passports. You have to wait in line at a ticket window to pick them up, and the line can be very long. So yes, be sure to have your tickets in hand before arriving Nanjing.