Hey guys, what's up? Lingling here. Okay, so before starting this video, I will just want to say I'm sorry for the sound and the crazy wind in this video. But I still want to share it with you because it's still a pretty view. I'm not in Qingdao anymore. So I hope that you guys will understand. Also I do need a microphone. I know. And I really, really, really want to buy one. And I have been looking at it online. And if you guys want to be a part of buying this microphone, like let's do it together, then I would like you to go to my new Patreon page and check that out and see if you would want to be a part of the Lingling Squat. And help me out so we together can buy a microphone and make even better quality videos for you guys. You can check the link below. And without further ado, let's get into this video. Hey guys, what's up? Welcome to another video from Lingling. Today I am in the beautiful Qingdao and I'm standing in front of the Qingdao railway station, which was built by the Germans a long time ago. So I know that it's a little tricky to take the train here in China and this is why today I'm going to share with you guys 20 things to know about taking the train in China before you do it. So without further ado, let's get started. First thing that's good to know is that in China, it doesn't say train station on the building. It just says the name of the city. Sometimes it only has a character. Sometimes like here, it says with a pinion underneath Qingdao, you can read it. If you're insecure, how to find it? Just ask somebody around you for 4 to 10 and they will point and you can go and find the station. Number two is also a language problem. Be prepared with the name of the city where you're going to. So if you say it not so well, then you can show them your phone or a little slip of paper when it sells with the Chinese characters where you're going. So you're going to buy the right ticket. Number three, when you're getting to the ticket office, be prepared for a lot of people. It's very common that it's very busy there. So be there in good time and be prepared to stand in line for quite a while. Number four, always bring your passport when you're buying a ticket for the train in China. You need to bring a passport. Also, if you buy a ticket for your friends, always bring all of the passports for every single ticket. Number five, when you're standing in line with the ticket office, if it's in a smaller city, it is very common that they will come people up to you and ask aren't you going to be doing Oshanhai or they're trying to sell their rights with the bus? Don't bother with these people. Just say, Buiyao or just turn around. It's not important. They're just trying to sell their own or make their own business work. That important for you. Number six, always bring cash to the train station when you're paying for your tickets. You need cash. You cannot pay with foreign cards. Number seven, be there early because a lot of things are going on in the Chinese train stations. If you're big cities like Beijing and Shanghai, it's crazy. You need time to get around to be there. Learning. Number eight, so when you're going into the Chinese train station, you always have to go through security, just follow the other people and you'll be fine. Number nine, if you're inside the station, not sure where your train is leaving from, you can take your ticket, show it to the staff inside and they will point for you or they will take you there. Number ten, always keep your ticket. Keep your ticket during the whole ride until you get out of your destination's train station. The really cool thing about the Chinese train stations is that there are very often in KFC or McDonald's, so if you need a quick fix before you're going with the train, you can go there, have a cup of coffee or have a go whatever you feel like. Number twelve, when you're going with a high speed train here in China, if you're going from one of the small stations, you should only have like two or three minutes to get on the train. So be prepared when your train is about to arrive. Go with the other people, check in, go to the outside platform and get ready. You can see the numbers on the ground where you're supposed to get in, you can see on the ticket where you're supposed to go and then you get ready, get into the train as fast as possible. Okay. Number thirteen, I just want to mention that there's a really big difference between high speed trains here in China which are super new and the slow trains here in China which are super old. Basically in the high speed trains, you will see Western toilets, you will have a good service, a lot of space for you next and it's a very nice, just nice aroma atmosphere in there. Whereas in the slow trains, it will be quite the opposite. Basically, when they're selling tickets, they also sell tickets without a seating. So a lot of people buy tickets for standing like, I don't know, a 12, 14 hour rides. So very often these trains would be overpacked and there will be only squat toilets in the slow trains as well. But, just going to say it's a really fun experience to try the slow trains as well. So I don't want to scare you, but I'm just saying there's a big difference between those two. Number fourteen, when you're going with the high speed train, you only show ticket once when you are going to one platform and then you're going to the train or you only find you seat. In the slow trains, it's a little different. So you again, show the ticket before you reach the platform and then when you get to the platform, you have to show your tickets before you go into the train again. And when you get to your seat in the slow train, you'll come and check your ticket one more time. Number fifteen, it's also a difference between the high speed and the slow speed trains here in China. The high speed trains are usually filled up with people who are a little more used to foreigners, don't care so much that they don't stare that much whereas if you go with the slow train, be a little more prepared for a lot of people who think that it's very interesting to see a foreigner for the first time. It's very easy to make Chinese friends there and they would love to take a picture with you or play games or give you fruit as snacks, whatever. Just saying that it's a very different experience between those two trains. Sixteen. Before you're going to the Chinese train station, if you don't want to sign in line for a ticket or if you want to make sure that you can go on that day where you need to go. When you need to go, it's a really good idea to purchase the tickets online in advance. You can do that on ctrip.com, just going to write it here for you. But there will be a service fee, so be prepared. Also after buying online, you still need to go to the train station in advance to the ticket office and get them to print out the ticket. But the line is not as long as the one where you buy the ticket and you're a hundred percent sure that you're going to get on the train you need to get on to. Seventeen. If you're going on a really long train right here in China, which is very common, then it's a good idea to bring some snacks and some drinks because it's just a long ride. You can actually buy stuff on the train, but for me as a picky foreigner, I just never like anything to serve. So I like to bring some instant noodles. There will be hot water on the train, so I buy some instant noodles, I buy some thigh coke, and then I'm ready for a long train ride. Number 18. So before you're going somewhere, you can check all the prices and all the times online. When is the train departing from where? Because in Beijing, we have different train stations. And oh my god. I've so many times I've gone to the wrong station because I didn't check the station in advance. So just saying guys, remember to check online first, which train and where it goes from. You can also see the prices. The high speed train has like first and second class, and also the slow speed. They have different options like the hot tip, the soft seat, and the hard bed and the soft bed. So number 19. Don't go during high travel season in China. Just don't go at all. Like, there are so many people. It's impossible to get a ticket. And if you actually get on a train, oh my lord. Yeah, I have done it before. I'm never going to do it again. So unless you really have to, don't go during the high travel seasons. And last but not least, in number 20 in this little video, just try to stay positive, eat some food before you're going to the train station. Bring your dictionary on the phone so you won't have problems with the translations. Be well prepared. So thanks for watching this little video guys. I'm sorry for the talking. I hope that you can use this. I hope it's useful for you. Yeah, please give me a thumbs up. Subscribe for more videos from Lingling below and I'll see you again very, very soon. Lingling is up. See ya. And say good. Muah. Bye bye. Stand there. Because, um, no, take a part in. Number 18. Yeah, that's what it is. Stay positive. Bring some music. And, uh, yeah.