Ctrip is a convenient ticket purchasing resource for anyone looking to do some travelling within China. Previously, you had to go to the train station or one of the booking offices around town, but now a simple trip to the computer works for train ticketing. The easy-to-navigate website coupled with ticket delivery make Ctrip a good option, even if you are still in your home country planning a trip.  Read on for a description and some helpful tips on using this service.

 How to Use:

First go to ctrip.com and click on your language of choice.  At the top banner, choose trains.  In the box that appears, insert city of departure, destination and time of departure. You will be given a list of all possible trains on the departure date you indicated.

You will only have the high-speed options – G- and D-trains. Slower trains (Z, K etc.) are not sold on Ctrip. Train tickets must be booked a minimum of 2 days and maximum of 17 days in advance of when you want to travel.

Once you locate the magic ticket, you’ll be brought to the booking page. Fill in the passenger(s) information, your address in China (your hotel should work, but you will want to notify the concierge in advance), and your credit card information. You can pay using either a domestic Chinese credit card or a major international credit card.

If your ticket is available, Ctrip will deliver the ticket(s) to the address you put down within 24 hours. Bam! Done.

Here are some of the limitations:

Booking Trains:

Customers are limited to booking 5 tickets per order for the same date, same train number and same seat type tickets. Tickets bought together will be next to each other most of the time, but isn’t guaranteed.

Ctrip does not yet allow for round trip booking, so return trips will have to be booked separately.

Ticket Delivery:

Your address in China will most likely be your hotel address. At the moment, Ctrip ticket deliveries are limited to addresses within the Shanghai Outer Ring Road, which includes Huangpu District, Xuhui District, Changning District, Jing’an District, Putuo District, Zhabei District, Hongkou District, Yangpu District and Pudong District – this encompasses basically all of the major hotels. Note that there is a 40 RMB delivery fee for the first ticket and 20 RMB for each subsequent ticket. Addresses cannot be changed after the information is sent. Tickets are delivered within 24 hours. Orders posted after 1 pm will be sent the next day. The tickets must be signed at time of delivery, or risk being forfeited. Some hotels, like the Waldorf, will sign for you, but you should make sure to arrange with your hotel ahead of time.    

Seat Options:

High-speed trains offer seats in either 1^st class or 2^nd class. A 2^nd class seat costs about 60%-80% of a first class seat. It has five seats in a row, with two seats on one side of the aisle and three seats on the other. Each chair has a folding table in front. Outlets are available on the bottom of the aisle seats.

A first class seat is roomier, and only has four seats in a row, creating more aisle space. The seat has room for the passenger and a carry-on bag.

Child Tickets:

Child ticket prices are available for those under 18 years of age and under 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in). Those above 1.5 m are not qualified for the discounted price. Child ticket prices vary and are only confirmed after the ticket purchase. The difference between the full adult price the discounted child price will be refunded through the same medium used to buy the tickets.

Only one child under 1.2 m can ride for free with adult accompaniment. Any additional child under 1.2 m must have a child ticket. Any child between 1.2 m and 1.5 m must have a child ticket. Children under 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) are not allowed to travel unaccompanied.

Cancellation and Modifications:

Ctrip also does not guarantee ticket availability, nor can they cancel or modify tickets after it has been issued. To cancel or make any changes to tickets, you will be required to go to the refund window at the boarding station with the ticket and a valid ID (the same ID used at time of booking).

Baggage:

You are allowed to bring in a maximum of 20 kg per adult ticket and 10 kg per child ticket. Maximum combined linear measurement is 130 cm (51 in).

Other Reminders:

-Always bring your passport (and all passengers traveling) when buying/changing tickets at the station or ticket office

-If you must get service in person while in China, there is generally only English service at a few windows at the main stations, not at the ticket agents around the city

-Last minute tickets are almost always available for major routes, but are often nearly impossible to obtain around major Chinese holidays:

So you’ve heard of the Great Wall that runs an estimated length of 6,200 km, Tiananmen Square that pays tribute to Chairman Mao and that other famous place called The Forbidden City, or something like that. But can you really say you’ve seen Beijing?  Modern Beijing has more than historic landmarks to offer tourists, and these growing attractions paint a much different picture of the capital. On your next trip to Beijing, consider the following two ‘hip’ options.

Nanluoguxiang Hutongs

The hutong area of Nanluoguxiang has been around for a while (about 800 years to be exact), but you wouldn’t be able to tell just by looking at it. Since the area is deemed to be of cultural and historical importance, the architecture and maze of alleyways remain the same, but the residents have been replaced with shops, bars and restaurants from all walks of life.

The snacks (or xiao chi) found along Nanguoluxiang can range from the ordinary (cotton candy!) to the rare like the starfish, scorpion and seahorse sticks shown here.

With 30 different retailers, Nanluoguxiang ticks all the boxes for eclectic shopping – whether you’re looking for an “Obamao” t-shirt souvenir or a store randomly stocked with unique kitchen utensils and rose-printed canvas bags. Pop into 一朵一果 (Yi Huo Yi Guo) and check out their collection of Beijing style postcards, bookmarks, notebooks and scrapbooks. Guests have the option of sending a postcard to themselves scheduled to mail a year from its purchase – a reminder of your days spent trolling the hutongs while you’re sitting in front of your computer at the office daydreaming about your next holiday.

In between the milk tea stands, well-lit knickknack stores and other vendors, Nanluoguxiang also offers a collection of restaurants and bars. On warm nights, the bars open their windows and set up outdoor seating, flooding the street with their live acts. Occasionally a promoter might invite passersby to sit and listen, filling the seats with trendy Chinese hipsters or foreign faces.

Salud, a multilevel bar with live DJs and an assortment of tapas, is a neighborhood favorite. They are known for their flavored rum, as well as 20 RMB Yanjing beer and tapas deal. Be sure to head over before 7pm to take advantage of their happy hour specials and beat the nightly crowd that takes up all available space. Not into the bar scene? Check out Austen, a café with an English-style atmosphere, but Italian-style dishes. The quaint and cozy atmosphere offers delicious paninis and desserts.

To take full advantage of a day at Nanluoguxiang, go during the afternoon and saunter around, enjoy the quirky stores and treat yourself to some sweet potatoes sold by the street side hawkers. After the sun sets over the tops of the hutongs, pick a bar and enjoy the live music and reasonably-priced drinks.

The area is located in downtown Beijing, about a kilometer away from Zhangzizhong Road subway station on line 5. Most taxi drivers will also recognize the area by name.

Yi Huo Yi Guo. Dongcheng District, 41 Nanluoguxiang, near Hei Zhima Hutong. 东城区南锣鼓巷41号(近黑芝麻胡同)

Salud. Doncheng District, 66 Nanluoguxiang. 东城区南锣鼓巷66号

Austen. Dongcheng District, 65 Xiaoju’er Hutong. 东城区南锣鼓巷小菊儿胡同65号

798 Art District

“七九八”(Qi Jiu Ba), or 798 as translated, is an art district tucked away in the northeast corner of Beijing in Chaoyang district. Resembling Greenwich Square and NYC’s Soho, 798 has an air of creativity and culture. The backdrops for many of the exhibits are leftover military factories that were decommissioned years earlier.

Dominated by contemporary art, 798 hosts a great number of international exhibits and fashion shows. Guests can wander the wide streets, stopping into different buildings to get a better view of China’s art world or just enjoying the eclectic outdoor statue scene that lines the walkways.  Try getting a picture of yourself stepping into an outline posted against the brick wall!

The galleries found in 798 also offer artwork for sale. This exercise in meta artwork recreates the likeness of Chairman Mao Zedong using pins of the Great Helmsman.

Beijing Tokyo Art Project is one of 798 Art District’s more famous galleries, with its Tokyo avant-garde art roots reaching back into the 1950s. In 2002, it officially opened in Beijing and utilizes its huge floor space to show Chinese, as well as international, collections. Long March Space, another contemporary art gallery, is on the same road and also worth checking out. Be sure to arrive at the earliest around 10am and before 6pm as most galleries will only be open during those times.

The 798 area is not all art; cafés, restaurants and bars have cropped up along the galleries, offering a respite from a day spent perusing art by foot. Café Flatwhite is a popular café chain within Beijing and has bread, salad and Western breakfasts in addition to coffee on their menu. AT Café, owned by artist Huang Rui, is also a good option for resting your legs while getting your caffeine fix. The exposed brick of what used to be a factory gives the café its classic 798 art feeling. Cakes, coffee and Chinese tea selections fill the menu.

On warm days, outdoor patio seating is always a good choice, and allows you to drink in the vibrant scene. Blushing brides are a common sight at 798, as newlyweds pose in front of the funky art to give their wedding photos a little cultural oomph. Roadside vendors lay out their goods and bark deals on their selection of woven bracelets, hair trinkets and flashing toy cars. The fashionable crowd of Beijing can be seen making their way through the galleries, picking out pieces for their collection.

798 is difficult to find by way of public transportation, but luckily most taxi drivers will know where it is. If you are feeling adventurous, take Line 10 to Sanyuanqiao Station. Leave from Exit C, and go to Sanyuanqiao Bus Station. From there, take Bus 401 to Dashanzi Lukou Nan Lu. Walk across the bridge and take a left. After about 5 minutes of walking, a large “798” sign will crop up on your right.

Beijing Tokyo Art Project. Chaoyang District, 4 Jiuxianqiao Road, 8503 Ceramics Third Street.  朝阳区酒仙桥路4号瓷器三街

Long March Space. Chaoyang District, 2 Jiuxianqiao Road. 朝阳区酒仙桥路2号

Café Flatwhite. Chaoyang District, Jiuxianqiao Road, 4 Dashanzi Art District. 朝阳区酒仙桥路4号大山子艺术区

AT Café. Chaoyang District. 4 Jiuxianqiao Lu. 酒仙桥路4号

The Bund (外滩 wàitān) is a symbol of Shanghai’s cosmopolitan and international personality. It is a must-see for visitors to Shanghai, but besides strolling the promenade, what is there to actually do? To make your visit to one of Shanghai’s most popular tourist attractions memorable, consider one of the following.

1) Morning Exercise

The Bund is not all shopping and renovated buildings with the latest designer goods. Wake up early enough (shoot for 7-8 am), and you’ll be able to catch some of the locals keeping fit through a myriad of different exercises. Chinese seniors are especially notorious for their active lifestyles. In the morning hours, you will be able to find large groups practicing tai chi. Others will be jogging, stretching, flying kites or working on their kungfu.

Bottom line: Go for a stroll, jog, or join in on an unofficial tai chi class. Watch others practice kungfu, or jump in and perhaps you will prove to be an unexpected talent.

2) Photography

The Bund overlooks the Huangpu River to gaze upon massive and gleaming financial towers in Pudong. This image is emblematic of Shanghai’s modernity. By association, it has become a symbol for China itself. So it is no wonder that any self-respecting Shanghai travel guidebook will laud the Bund.

Indeed, one of the first things that travellers do when they arrive in Shanghai is head on over to the Bund (which generally refers to the main downtown river embankment) and get their pictures taken, with the future of China shining behind them. You can get one of the many photo stalls to take a professional shot (“a little to the left! Now more to the right! Gaze up into the lens!”) for about 30 to 40 RMB. Or you could just settle for the amateur photo, and ask a passerby to take one for you.

Bottom line: The distinctively Western architecture found along the Bund manifests Shanghai’s history, while the Pudong side glimpses to the future. At night, the number of tourists often surges, but so will the neon lights and glitz, giving way to fabulous pictures of China’s cosmopolitan side.

3) Huangpu River Cruise

Want to really take in the views? Consider taking a Huangpu River Cruise. For about 40- 100 RMB, these ships will take you up and down the Huangpu and finally back to The Bund. Some are more luxurious and offer air conditioning and a bar, among other things. Some ships will also give explanations of the sights over loudspeaker in both English and Mandarin.

Bottom line: Offerings vary, so you can find a duration, time, and price suitable for you. It is better to go when it is warm (during the spring, summer and fall months) so you can enjoy the views from the outer deck. The trip usually takes about an hour to an hour and a half, and tickets can be bought from a booth along the Bund Promenade.

4) The Bund Sightseeing Tunnel

The Bund Sightseeing Tunnel is a popular tourist attraction, although not often its favorite. It is, however, a good option if you have children and if you want to cross the river without taking a taxi. Instead of displaying the river itself, the tunnel offers a lights experience as visitors cross the river. The tunnel’s special effects are often described as “trippy.”

Bottom line: Guests ride 646.7 meters from The Bund to Lujiazui in Pudong, next to the Oriental Pearl Tower. They are seated inside automated cars with 360-degree views as multicolored lights play in the tunnel, and sounds accompany the colors. The whole trip takes about 3 minutes, and is meant to depict a trip to the Earth’s core.

5) Shopping

Ah, Shanghai, the “Paris of the East”! Or is it the “New York of the Orient”? Either way, like Paris and New York, Shanghai has some prime shopping opportunities. And The Bund does not fail in this respect. A great number of designer brands are dotted along the Bund including, Giorgio Armani, Dolce & Gabbana, Cartier, Patek Philippe, Ermenegildo Zegna, Prada, Ralph Lauren and many more high-end, well-known stores. It’s not all foreign brands, however. A number of domestic brand shops offer anything from handcrafted silk slippers to porcelain tableware and antique woods. Bund18 and Three on the Bund are some examples of developments that offer a classy shopping experience.

Bottom line: Not enough? Just turn onto Nanjing East Road and find a controlled explosion of stores. You can find Burberry, Nike, United Colors of Benetton, H&M, Forever 21, including Chinese stores and stalls selling scarves, fresh flowers, tea eggs, bootleg CDs and DVDs and much, much more.

To get beyond the typical Shanghai tourist experience, check out UnTour Shanghai’s range of delicious culinary tours or for the more athletically-inclined, a jogging sightseeing tour (which finishes at the bund).

That’s right, Austin Hu and Vinh Nguyen are ganging up with their pal Marc Johnson for one last swan (pig?) song before Marc leaves us forever for Boston (you lucky New Englanders you!).  David, the tall drink of water from Senator Saloon, will be mixing up cocktails. So, let’s review. Best sandwiches ever? Check. Marc’s food farewell to Shanghai? Check. Day drinking? SIGN ME UP. There’s only 100 sandwiches up for grabs at this pop-up, so don’t lay a bed all Sunday people. There’s pork to be eaten.

Here’s the deets.

When: Sunday, March 24, 2013 @ 1pm

Where: Senator Saloon, 98 Wuyuan Lu, near Wulumuqi Lu 五原路98号近乌鲁木齐路

How Much: RMB 58 per sandwich. And worth every single jiao.

I’ll be the girl who can’t stop eating/smiling.

We ended up making our way to Hangzhou for a perfect day of biking around tea terraces, with our own bikes for a total of about 100km (60km in Hangzhou, 20 km each way to Hongqiao). How? Simply bring your bike on the train.

Here are the basics:

-Bringing bicycles on the high-speed train network in China was absolutely no problem. You can pass through security checks wheeling the bike in (no disassembly required), no extra tickets or fees need to be paid, and no one yelled at us even once. I think this is generalizable for all high-speed trains, but please note so far I have only tried the Shanghai to Hangzhou and back trains. I DO NOT know yet the logistics of bringing bikes on the non-high speed trains.

-From the city center to the Hongqiao Station is already a bit of a trek. Plan on about 15-20km from “central” Puxi, and longer from Pudong. We’ve had success convincing Expo taxi drivers to put our bikes in the back, but it’s tricky. You can’t bring bikes on the subway.

-Make your way to the East entrance of the Hongqiao station (红桥火车站) at the ground level, between the airport and train station. This took us several attempts as most people arrive on the elevated highway or subway, so it’s a bit tricky for bikes. The east entrance can be found on Shenlan Lu.

-Take the elevator up from the entrance at ground level on Shenlan Lu, pass through security and make your way to buy tickets (you must go through security on the upper level first to get tickets). At least for your first trip, I wouldn’t recommend buying tickets in advance, because you don’t know how long it will take you to get to the station, and again, it is a bit tricky to find your way into the building at fist. Trains to Hangzhou leave every hour, so even on the weekends you won’t wait long (excluding Chinese holidays of course).

A world of day trips has now opened up to you, as there are more than a handfull of stops that are less than 2 hours (probably the max you want to train each way on a day trip). Here’s the whole map of future and planned rail lines, via Wikipedia.

 If you need any help working on your fitness in Shanghai, we’ve got the running routes to keep you entertained on any of our jogging sightseeing tours. They don’t cover as much distance as a bike, but runners can enjoy routes from 10km-25km all around the city.

We’ll cover where to bike in Hangzhou in subsequent posts. Stay tuned!

The property is utterly unique. Bit by bit, they’ve been buying up apartments in an old Shanghai building, and then completely gutting them and making gorgeous rooms that feel like an apartment. They’ve all got kitchens, cool bathrooms and a unique feel. And Nespresso machines.

They have a minimum night stay that is higher than a normal hotel, but you’re not going to want to leave once you check-in anyways. They’ve got amazing Bund views and are quite convenient to the city touristic/business areas.

Check out the pictures below and tell them UnTour Shanghai sent you! Their website is www.chailiving.com, and they are consistently number 1 on TripAdvisor for boutiques.

One of the best parts about living in Shanghai is how easy it is to eat our way around the continent. Tokyo is one of our favorite places to be a glutton, so we stopped by for a way-too-short long weekend. Before we get to a sample of our favorite bites, we recommend utilizing the Ramen Database if you’re a fan of the best noodle dish in the world. It’s all in Japanese, but their iPhone app (ラーメンDB) has a great map function and a star rating at each ramen joint, so it’s pretty easy to find out what’s good and where it is, if you’ve got a smartphone.

Ramen Database’s iPhone app

Our first ramen stop (as suggested by Ramen Database) was Rokurinsha on Ramen Street in JR Tokyo Station.

Best. bar. snack. ever. Chicken Karaage: deep-fried chunks of chicken so juicy yet ungreasy that they could make Paula Deen’s head explode.

Rokurinsha is the gold medal winner of tsukemen style (noodles served warm on the side of the soup) with a tonkatso (pork) & mackerel broth.

These are takoyaki (fried octopus balls) that we devoured pre-dinner on a street corner in Shinjuku. Topped with aonori (green laver), green onions, bonito flakes and shichimi to-garashi (Japanese seven spice).

Have I ever told you about my unabiding love of pork? The first time I met tonkatsu, Japan’s battered, deep-fried, fatty pork cutlet, it was pretty much a scene from a Nora Ephron movie.

Tokyo’s Tsukiji Fish Market

Octopus @ Tsukiji market

More catch @ Tsukiji market

Breakfast of champions at 8am at Tsukiji Market.

Our friend Wynn apprehensively trying horse sashimi (word to the wise: it was delicious).

Yakiniku (marinated grilled beef) goes really really well with beer. Just saying.

If you’re in Shanghai and looking for a great taste of Tokyo, UnTour Shanghai highly recommends Sushi Oyama. Arigato!