How to Book Train Travel From Beijing to Kunming

Visitors booking travel by train from Beijing (mainland China's capital) to Kunming will find Kunming to be a busy transportation hub. By train, it links together many of the cities in mainland China. It has many popular tourist sites, including the Botanical Gardens and the Stone Forest. Kunming's Stone Forest boasts limestone outcroppings in different shapes, sizes and heights, as well as a bamboo garden and pond. Kunming's weather is hospitable year-round.

Things You'll Need

• Passport.
• Computer with Internet connection.
• Visa.

Instructions

Book Train Travel

1. Visit the China Trip Advisor Web site (see below) to book your train travel from Beijing to Kunming. Click the 'train tickets' tab at the top of the screen, and select Beijing as your departure city.

2. Follow the on-screen prompts to select the itinerary that best conforms to your schedule and pricing requirements.

3. Fill out the application to book travel from Beijing to Kunming. If you cannot find an itinerary you like, you also have the option of emailing a consultant at China Trip Advisor. The consultant will take the information you submit via their online contact form and use it to book a custom itinerary for you. To contact a consultant, click 'contact us' at the bottom of the screen.

4. Submit a date and address in China for delivery address of your tickets. You will be emailed when your tickets are confirmed.

5. Choose one of these ways to pay online: Paypal, AMEX, Diners Club, MasterCard or VISA.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure your tickets are reserved online at least 10 to 60 days in advance. If you want to book sleeper cars or luxury cars, aim to book one to two months in advance.

• Take a Mandarin phrasebook with you. Mandarin Chinese is mainland China's official language, although other languages spoken are Fukienese, Cantonese, Hakka and Xiamenhua. A few helpful words in Mandarin Chinese are ni hao (knee how)--hello, xie xie (sheh, sheh)--thank you, and duo shao qian (dor sheow chen)--how much?

• Call China-Train Ticket at 86 10 65266721 or visit the link below.

• Your regular medical insurance may not be valid in China. Make sure you have both health insurance and medical evacuation insurance for the duration of your trip. Some tour groups sell this insurance in a package called 'travel insurance.' The U.S. government has suggested SOS International, Ltd. and Medex Assistance Corporation as travel medical insurance providers. These companies also provide medical emergency staff in China.