The Nanning–Guangzhou high-speed railway is a heavily-used passenger line operated by China Railway High-speed (CRH) connecting Nanning, the capital of Guangxi province, and Guangzhou, the capital of Guangdong province. Frequent trains run this line from Nanning to Guangzhou, with tickets selling out extremely fast despite the high number of seats available.
Now you can easily book your train tickets in China with Baolau.
China Railway High-speed (CRH) service
China Railway operates different types of high-speed trains, designated with service classes G, C and D. D-series trains provide long distance high-speed service with Electrical Multiple Unit, reaching a maximum speed of 250 km/h, and are the most common type of trains running on the Nanning–Guangzhou high-speed railway.
For this journey, we will be taking the D3643, which is actually a Nanning East to Zhuhai service, with a stop at Guangzhou South. While there are trains to Guangzhou from the main Nanning Railway Station in the city, services at the Nanning East Railway Station are a lot more frequent than the former main station.
Departure from Nanning East Railway Station
Nanning East Railway Station is easily accessible from the city by the new and efficient Nanning Rapid Transit (NNRT). It is the last station of the Line 1, so you probably will never get lost since all Line 1 station platforms indicate Nanning East Railway Station as the terminus. Simply get on the train from the city and wait until the end of the line.
A slight opposite from most train stations in China is that the ticket counters in Nannning East are located within the concourse, after security screening and before boarding the train. As such, clear security first and proceed to the ticket counters to purchase your ticket or, if you book your train tickets online with Baolau, present the printed copy of our electronic voucher containing the ticket collection number along with your passport to claim the physical ticket. Despite the frequent number of high-speed services on the line, tickets do sell out and you may need to wait several hours for the next train with seats available or else travel on a standing ticket, so we strongly recommend that you book your tickets in advance.
Even though the boarding ticket is mainly in Chinese, it’s self explanatory. Besides the station of origin and destination, the train number and the departure time, the boarding gate and train platform is indicated at the top right corner of the ticket. This seems to be surprisingly accurate even for tickets redeemed days or weeks before departure.
Nevertheless, to be on the safe side, always re-check your platform number on the departure screens in the waiting hall to ensure that you will be queuing up at the right place for the right train.
Once the train is ready for boarding, head through the gates down to the platform. Do keep a lookout for your train number in the event that there are two trains on the platform. You definitely want to get on the right train, since getting lost on the vast China Railway network is not the most easy thing to figure out.
Passenger experience
D-series trains offer two types of fares: Second class Seat arranged in 3+2 row configuration, and First class Seat arranged in 2+2 row configuration. You can find your coach and your seat number printed on your boarding ticket as well. Seek for help from the staff on board or other passengers if you cannot find the information in the ticket.
Please note that in the Second class coaches, besides Seating tickets there are also Standing tickets for passengers who do not mind travelling without a seat or were late to book a seat for their departure time. Standing passengers can accommodate themselves at the back of the coach and stand, squat or sit on the floor during the whole journey.
The journey
D-series trains usually take between 3 to 4 hours to cover the distance from Nannning to Guangzhou, depending on the high-speed service.
As with all long-distance trains, a dining car is available on board selling microwaved bento boxes and instant noodles.
For bento boxes, choose from the panel at the counter. Cards are swapped in and out of the panel depending on the current selection and availability of meals.
Meals generally include beef, pork or chicken with vegetables and rice. Do check the actual meal selections on your journey.
Arrival to Guangzhou South Railway Station
Guangzhou South Railway Station is a modern-looking high-speed railway station.
Trains bound to Zhuhai will make a stop in Guangzhou South for a few minutes before continuing, so make sure that you get off and do not wait for the crowd. Many passengers will actually remain on board to continue the journey.
To exit the station, follow the signs and head down from the platform.
The underpass leads to the arrival concourse of the station. Remember to hold on to your ticket till the end of your journey – you need it to exit the platform. From here, you may get around Guangzhou city by the Guangzhou Metro easily.
How to book your train tickets from Nanning to Guangzhou
Trains from Nanning to Guangzhou are really popular and sell out despite the highly frequent services, so you should book your tickets in advance and get to choose the departure time that you prefer, as well as secure your seat to sit on this 4-hour journey.
Baolau lists the CRH services available, so you can compare and select the most convenient schedule and available fare.
Fill in the passenger form and select your seat. In Second class, you can choose between window, center or aisle seat for you and your accompanying party, ensuring that you will all travel together.
Complete your payment before submitting the booking request. Once your reservation is processed, you will receive by email your ticket confirmation and our electronic voucher containing the ticket collection number issued by China Railway.
The electronic voucher is not a valid boarding pass and it cannot be used to board the train.
Passengers must present a printed copy of the electronic voucher displaying the ticket collection number at the ticket counter of the railway station along with the passport (and passports from the accompanying passengers) to collect the physical ticket.
Passengers can collect the tickets at any railway station in Mainland China anytime in advance. If you wish to collect your ticket on the same day of departure, we recommend that you arrive to the station at least 2 hours in advance, since there may be queues at the ticket counters and you may risk missing your train.
