I've previously blogged about train journeys, but I must say the latest trip that I made back in June was probably the most fascinating. I'll add a bit more info here about long haul journeys that I didn't mention before. More info is in the previous entry:-http://alinchina08.blogspot.com/2009/01/second-china-train-experience.html
This trip was another sleeper, overnight train, well more than overnight, 27 hours to be exact! The journey was from Nanjing to Guangzhou, leaving about 3pm and arriving the following day at about 6pm. Like the journey before this one, I booked a hard berth, but unfortunately only the top berths were available (the ones with minimal head space!)
If you really want to meet some local chinese people, then book a hard berth on a long haul train. Being confined in such a small space with other people for that long a journey really allows (and forces) you to interact with the locals. I will say it's not for everyone though. It ain't exactly the ritz carlton on tracks, but if you're willing to tough it out a little it's worth the cultural experience. I'd do it again, but not a journey as long as 27 hours! The head space for the top bunk is not even sufficient for you to sit up in your bunk, so unless you lie there the whole time you have to come down and sit on the bottom bunk or across the aisle where the seats are. Outside of sleeping hours the people who book the bottom bunks expect that other passengers in the cabin will come down and sit on the bunks, so don't feel like you're intruding. If you elect to sit on one of the aisle seats you do have to keep your legs alligned with the direction of the walkway, as it's not wide enough for people to pass around your legs.
Fortunately the people in my partitioned cabin were nice, and passengers do tend to strike up conversations with each other to stave off boredom. I had a chat with a middle aged women who told me all about her hometown, while I told her about mine. Also found out the girl opposite my bunk was a TCFL 'Teaching Chinese as a foreign language' student, students whom I taught in my previous semester. Also had a wander and chatted with the restaurant carriage manager after my meal there. Nice guy, though i was forced to have a cigarette with him haha. Just like anywhere in China, people are keen to chat with you if you're a foreigner, and you'll be able to get into a wider range of topics if you can speak some mandarin. He ended up telling me about his wife and son, his son's recent trip to Australia, and his work schedule on this train route. In fact, I think he came close to asking me to be his son's private english tutor!
Theres a lot of adoreable kids and babies running around too, but luckily the mothers had them under control. In fact there was a young mother in our cabin with a baby a couple of months old, but it was the most docile and well behaved baby i'd ever encountered.She did change the kids nappy in front of me on the small aisle table though, which sorta grossed me out!
At first i was a little worried about my valuables, but as long as you take the portable and most valuable stuff with you and don't flaunt your big electronic goods you should be fine. I found most people there were trustworhty. And it's not like a thief could run very far.
In preparation for the trip though I do suggest you bring your own food. The instant noodles in the styrafoam balls are the most convneient meals since they provide boiling water dispensers throughout the train. You can buy them at the station or on the platforms at stops, but be prepared to pay upto twice the price vs a supermarket! There's also a food trolley that comes through every few hours or so, packed with drinks, snacks, fruits and meals. Again, inflated prices.
The other food option is the restaurant carraige which i mentioned above. Once you go in there you take a seat at a table (often you'll have to share with strangers), and then the service attendent will give you the meal options, which is usually a choice between two. I ended up going with the 'egg' meal, which is porridge with a hard boiled egg, veggies and man tou (steamed dumpling without filling). Again it's a bit of a rip-off at 15 rmb.
Finally, don't bring any massive pieces of luggage if you plan to take a hard sleeper. The luggage rack is not that wide, and it can be a struggle trying to squeeze it up there. 