China Train Baggage Allowance & Policy

The free carry-on baggage weight allowance for every passenger is slightly different from various types of train tickets.

● For Each Child (children-ticket holders & who are free of admission): max.10 kg/ 22 Ib
● For Each Adult: max. 20 kg/ 44Ib
● For Each Diplomat: max. 35 kg/ 77Ib

>> Ultimate Guide for Train Travel with Kids in China

Carry-on Luggage Size Allowance

Each piece passengers can take on aboard has theoretically limitation of dimensions, a sum of the length, width and height. Personal luggage, suitcases, handbags and boxes included, are free to take into the carriage without exceeding the outside measurement. That way you can store your luggage appropriately in somewhere on the train.

● For Normal Train: max. 160cm/63in (length×width×height)

● For High Speed Train: max.130cm/51in (length×width×height)

● The Rod-shaped Item: shall not exceed 200cm/79in (length)

Note Well: The above carry-on luggage allowance does not apply to folding wheelchair for the disabled. In other words, one can take the folding wheelchairs on as extra luggage, and the weight and volume of the folding wheelchair are not included in the carry-on luggage rules.

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Most Useful Tips & Advice for China High Speed Train Travel

Most Useful Chinese Phrases for China High Speed Train Travel

Wherever you depart, any destination you arrive, the following all items are strictly prohibited to be taken abroad.

1. Weapons : guns, bullets, sporting rifles, firefighting guns, animation guns, popguns, and other samples and imitations of weaponry
2. Knives: daggers, flicking knives, kitchen knives, fruit knives, axes, spontoons, defibrillators, bows and arrows, ect.
3. Live Animals: pets, poultry (except guide doges) and any living creature; and any goods with strong unpleasant smell
4. Explosives: bombs, flare, signal flares, tear gas, explosives, dynamites, fireworks, firecrackers, and any duplicates of above articles
5. Inflammables: oxygen (except bagged medical oxygen), hydrogen, methane, ethane, butane, natural gas, carbon oxide, liquefied petroleum gas, and other compressed and liquefied gas; gasoline, kerosene, diesel, ethyl alcohol, else combustible liquid and etc.
6. Dangerous Goods: poisons (cyanide, arsenic, selenium, and highly toxic chemicals); Corrosives (vitriol, hydrochloric acid, accumulator, mercury and etc.); radioactive materials, infectious articles (AIDS, HBV, anthrax, tubercle bacillus…)
7. Magnetized items

Items Limited to Take on Train

Passengers can carry the following items on train within the limited quantity. Any case exceeding the maximum restriction will be handled according to the relevant national regulations.

1. Nail polish, delusterant, hair dye shall no exceed 20ml
2. Insecticide, air freshener, hair fixture, mousses and pressure vessels (such as sunscreen spray, deodorant spray...) shall no exceed 120ml
3. Safety Match: 2 small boxes at most
4. Lighter: 2 ordinary fighters at most
5. Cigarette: 50 cartons of cigarettes at most

Note: 1) Once found any objects prohibited before boarding, passengers will be rejected checking in at the train station; 2) If the dangerous goods are discovered on train, passenger have to hand over them to train stuff for further proper disposal; 3) Blind passengers carrying guide dogs are required to show necessary proof, including valid ID, certificate of disabled, quarantine certificate and so on.

Useful links:

How to Book China High Speed Train Tickets | How to Collect China High Speed Train Tickets | How to Board & Get Off China High Speed Train | All Facilities on China High Speed Train

Prohibited Items to Take on Train

Goods Restricted to Take on Train

Guide Dog can be Taken on Train

There are two different compartments on normal trains: seat class carriage and sleeper carriage. The most crowed and competitive situation occurs in the seat class car, probably a huge challenge to snag vacancy for your hand luggage, while the sleeper car has more private spaces. Read our guide carefully, anyhow you can manage to find a luggage area. >> Know more about China Normal Trains >

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Seat Class Carriage

If you buy a seat class ticket, you can firstly put luggage under your seat where is always easy to notice, if there is still enough room. Otherwise, you need to lift the suitcase or bags and stow it in the overhead luggage rack, which is set at both sides in every coach. Besides, you can place bottled waters, snacks on the middle small board in front or your seat.

Usually, a 24 inch suitcase is suitable to be placed under the seat and a 28 inch suitcase is the maximum size on the luggage travel, maybe some part will protrude outside the shelf. Considering the travel convenience, you are suggested to travel light, and a 24 inches suitcase is better enough and the most appropriate choice.

Hard Sleeper Class Carriage

If you take a hard sleeper berth, you can either put your luggage in the overhead rack above the aisle or tuck them under the lower berth. Please notice that the space underneath the lower bunk (about 31.5cm high) is just suitable for flatly placed small suitcase or bag, a 24 inch luggage case would fit the best. If your suitcase is larger than that size, you can put it to specialized parcel shelf opposite your berth or place it upright on the floor between the two lower berths. Small bags can be hung on the wall pothook in each berth.

Soft Sleeper Class Carriage

Soft sleeper car is a relatively private compartment shared by four passengers. You mainly have three places to arrange your luggage. One is the special luggage area over the entrance door (near the upper berth), where is quite enough for a lying child (about 40cm high), and a 28 inch cases would be ok. The second luggage area is the two spaces under the lower berths (about 30cm high), where can put 28 inch suitcase at most. The last option is to place the huge box or bag on the floor under the public small table or between the lower berths, in this way any size is accepted.

After you get on high speed train, there is a special large luggage storage area at the joint of two coaches, a good and very convenient place for huge and heavy suitcases and bags. In addition, you can lift the luggage (better no exceeding 24 inch) and put it on the overhead rack near your seat. Later renovated high speed trains, like the Xian Chengdu High Speed Train (CRH3A type), expands the capacity of shelf to a maximum limitation for 28 inch suitcase. Seats in the first and last row also get an extra space for large luggage.

Useful Links:

First Class Seat | Second Class Seat | First Class VS Second Class Seats (Difference)

Business Class Seat

As the most deluxe and comfortable seat class on high speed train, Business Class Carriage provides each passenger surprisingly big space for luggage. Here have the same luggage racks on both sides overhead the seat, as the other carriages. And the most significant difference is the extremely broad space between each row (nearly 2 meters wide). With its much higher price, the Business Class Seat is the least crowed compartment, so you always have enough room to arrange your luggage. Plan B is to put the luggage on the empty floor near your seat.

Useful Links:

Business Class Seat | Sleeper Berth on China High Speed Train

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Passengers going to take luggage in super large size or inconvenient to carry may choose the baggage and parcel transportation service by railway if the departure and destination stations both have baggage service. Normal train passenger is limited to check baggage one time only with a valid ticket, while the disabled ticket owner can make the consignment many times.

Important Tips for Rail Luggage Consignment

1. Suitcase, trolley bag, and handbag and so on personal luggage should be tightly and completely packed for railway transportation.
2. The total weight shall no exceed 50 kg/110 Ib. If not, the extra part will be paid with a large surcharge.
3. Senders must write down the detailed information clearly and accurately, including the name, address of the sender and receiver.
4. The checked luggage is charged according to fixed unit price and exact weight.
5. Senders can collect the baggage and parcel with check receipt once receive the notice. The baggage will be kept without charge for only 3 days.

Passengers can NOT check baggage on high speed train, because they don’t have specialized baggage cars for shipping. If you are required by the train staff that your luggage exceeds the allowance and should be consigned, you need to apply for consignment at the baggage office at the departure station. It follows that your luggage will arrive later than your train for the separate delivery on another different railroad. You can contact us to get more details about railway luggage shipping service.

Railway Luggage & Parcel Office

Well-packed Consigned Luggage Suitcases

Porter service is available outside and inside the major train stations. People wearing red hats and jackets are so called Red-cap Porters who offers paid carrying service. The Red-cap team can use trolleys to help you carry large luggage to your carriage or take it to the arrival.

Generally, they will charge ￥10~￥30 per piece in different cities. If it’s really a tough work to handle your luggage by yourself, we think you should take advantage of the porter service to board lightly and quickly. Meanwhile, some red-cap porters are volunteers, giving free counseling, translation, guide and convenient assistance for passengers.

Red-cap Porter Service at Train Station

Almost all major train stations in China have luggage storage service. To deposit your luggage, official baggage office is the most reliable choice. Beijing, Shanghai and China’s main cities still provide Left Luggage facilities - automatic lockers at the train station. Apart from that, you can store luggage in some private shops, restaurants nearby. The costs depend on the size, amount and duration of your left luggage. The left luggage room usually keeps the luggage only by the end of day, so if you want to leave them for a long time, check carefully with the worker.

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>> Location, Transportation, Service about China Train Stations

Train Station Left Luggage Room