On the Train

Dining Car

The Lhasa Beijing and other trains has a reasonable Dining Car, which you can sit in most of the day. It serves Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.
They have a menu and also sell the same lunch box as the Trolley service.
Water and Coke cost 5 yuan.
Lunch is from 12.00
Dinner is from 18.30

Food Trolley on Train

A fruit trolley appears throughout the day and breakfast/lunch/dinner trolleys appear at meal times. The rice box and noodle box weren’t bad value at 20 yuan ($3).

Various tourists complained about the 20 yuan price of the fruit but then I guess they’ve never travelled on a train in the UK where prices are usually 3 times that of a shop and UK trains aren’t travelling through one of the most inhospitable places on the planet (unless the train goes through Hull.)

Food stalls on station platforms

There is a variety of snacks aimed at the Chinese palate on the platforms. The train stops at some stations for up to 15 minutes and a bell sounds when its preparing to depart. Obviously not getting back on the train in time isn’t a good thing.

Toilets

Generally the train has squat toilets however the Soft Sleeper carriage has one squat and one western style toilet. Both of which are cleaned throughout the journey… (get in quick after a clean!)

Oxygen

There was an oxygen outlet by the head of the Soft Sleeper bed. There was no mask provided, maybe the can be requested. As I had come from Lhasa where I was already reasonably acclimatised I had no problems, although at one of the highest points I dozed off and continuously woke gasping for breath. This is quite common and is not a problem if you are relaxed (well that’s according to medical info found on the web)

Electrical Sockets

There were standard Chinese sockets on the train to recharge cameras etc…. They are located in the corridor not in the compartments. In the soft sleeper they were outside the compartments with beds 5-8 and 21-24.

Language

Don’t except the staff on the train to speak English. Some can speak a little and always try to be helpful.

Luggage

In the Soft Sleeper there is room for skinny rucksacks and bags underneath the lower bunks and room in an alcove above the door. Large bags tend to be collected and locked in a luggage room.
In the Hard Sleeper there is again room under the lower bunks, otherwise you need to use the luggage racks in the corridor
In the Seating carriages the luggage is generally stored in the overhead racks.

Security in the Soft Sleeper

The door can be locked while inside. You can lock the door from the outside but need the carriage guard to open it again.

Smoking

The train is pretty much smoking free however that concept is slightly alien to the Chinese and you’ll find people smoking between the carriages, the dining room and occasionally even in the beds. If you end up in the seated carriages seats at the end tend to be slightly smokier.