Please can anyone tell me the state of a hard sleeper train? Is this a closed compartement for 6 beds or is it like in the film "Some like it hot" with Marlyn Monroe and Tony Curtis. We had very bad experiences with the trains in Thailand.
Beijing to Kathmandu
Re: Beijing to Kathmandu
Hi Els and David,
I travelled in China in 1999, did the Great China Adventure tour with Imtrav, and we had tow overnight train trips then.
A hard sleeper carriage in China has open compartments with 6 beds, diagonally placed. So you're lying with your head or feet to the train window, not in the direction of wihich the train is moving. There are no doors or curtains, so no privacy. The beds seemed comfortable enough to sleep on.
The positive side of travelling this style is that you will meet a lot of Chinese this way, the downside is that it will be noisy and some smoke will hang around there, since it is allowed to smoke there.
I did not travel this style, we were provided with soft sleeper tickets (4 beds per compartment, a door that can be locked, not permitted to smoke and airco), but hard sleeper seemed OK as well (apart from the smoke). I wouldn't mind travelling this way.
Hope this helps, and that it doesn't put you off travelling in China! It is a great country to see and not to be missed. And travelling by train is part of the whole holiday experience!
Robert.
Re: Beijing to Kathmandu
Thanks Robert.