Shanghai to Xi'an Trains: Times & Fares

Every departure still bookable for 2026-10-24 is listed below — the first leaves Shanghai at 06:09 and the last at 18:44. The quickest takes 5h 39m. Travelling a day earlier or later? Change the date and the timetable refreshes.

Fares start at $33 per passenger and reach $127 for the top class, service fee included. Every row shows the class that fare buys.

Search 2026-10-25

At a glance

Journey time: 5h 39m – 20h 36m
Trains per day: 38
First / last departure: 06:09 / 18:44
Departure stations: Shanghai Hongqiao (上海虹桥), Shanghai (上海), Shanghai South (上海南), Shanghai Songjiang (上海松江), Liantang (练塘)
Arrival stations: Xi'an North (西安北), Xi'an (西安)
Fares from: $33 (hard seat)

Shanghai–Xi’an via the Xuzhou–Lanzhou high-speed line

Long enough to need planning, short enough to do in a day if you leave early.

The route runs west through Nanjing and Zhengzhou before turning towards the Wei River valley. Xi’an North is the terminus for almost all of these trains, and it connects to the metro; the Terracotta Army site is a further bus or taxi ride from the city.

Book a morning departure if you want the afternoon in Xi’an — the run is around six hours.
Xi’an North is north of the city wall; the metro takes about 30 minutes to reach the old centre.

Train Schedules

Train	Departure time	Arrival	Shortest	From → To	from	Class
G1970	06:09	13:20	07:11	Shanghai Hongqiao → Xi'an North	$375	Business Class
G1802	06:13	13:51	07:38	Shanghai Hongqiao → Xi'an North	$118	Standing
G3176	06:19	14:45	08:26	Shanghai Hongqiao → Xi'an North	$190	First Class
G464	06:48	13:40	06:52	Shanghai Hongqiao → Xi'an North	$119	Second Class
G1974	07:16	14:22	07:06	Shanghai Hongqiao → Xi'an North	$385	Business Class
G3288	07:46	15:52	08:06	Shanghai Hongqiao → Xi'an North	$115	Second Class
G3292	08:24	16:32	08:08	Shanghai Hongqiao → Xi'an North	$363	Business Class
G94	08:55	14:34	05:39	Shanghai Hongqiao → Xi'an North	$408	Business Class
K2186	08:57	04:47 ⁺¹	19:50	Shanghai → Xi'an	$81	Soft Sleeper
G2194	09:19	16:28	07:09	Shanghai Hongqiao → Xi'an North	$361	Business Class
K360	09:29	06:05 ⁺¹	20:36	Shanghai → Xi'an	$33	Standing
G3164	09:38	17:47	08:09	Shanghai Hongqiao → Xi'an North	$387	Business Class
G1979	09:56	18:40	08:44	Shanghai Hongqiao → Xi'an North	$202	First Class
G3174	10:15	18:01	07:46	Shanghai Hongqiao → Xi'an North	$340	Business Class
G3284	10:37	19:38	09:01	Shanghai Hongqiao → Xi'an North	$326	Business Class
G3257	10:42	20:08	09:26	Shanghai South → Xi'an North	$386	Business Class
G1924	11:28	19:00	07:32	Shanghai Hongqiao → Xi'an North	$365	Business Class
G3152	11:32	20:29	08:57	Shanghai Hongqiao → Xi'an North	$350	Business Class
D112	12:03	03:30 ⁺¹	15:27	Shanghai Songjiang → Xi'an	$42	Second Class
G1928	12:36	20:00	07:24	Shanghai Hongqiao → Xi'an North	$350	Business Class
G3161	12:51	21:46	08:55	Shanghai Hongqiao → Xi'an North	$366	Business Class
G3161	13:18	21:46	08:28	Liantang → Xi'an North	$354	Business Class
D288	13:22	04:53 ⁺¹	15:31	Shanghai → Xi'an	$42	Standing
G3296	13:27	21:53	08:26	Liantang → Xi'an North	$335	Business Class
G1932	13:38	20:41	07:03	Shanghai Hongqiao → Xi'an North	$341	Business Class
G3296	13:58	21:53	07:55	Shanghai Hongqiao → Xi'an North	$323	Business Class
D122	14:13	05:24 ⁺¹	15:11	Shanghai → Xi'an	$41	Standing
Z376	15:38	07:35 ⁺¹	15:57	Shanghai → Xi'an	$33	Standing
K560	15:52	12:26 ⁺¹	20:34	Shanghai → Xi'an	$33	Hard Seat
G1916	16:09	23:00	06:51	Shanghai Hongqiao → Xi'an North	$341	Business Class
Z40	16:48	08:16 ⁺¹	15:28	Shanghai → Xi'an	$33	Standing
D216	16:54	07:49 ⁺¹	14:55	Shanghai → Xi'an	$42	Standing
G1940	17:07	23:33	06:26	Shanghai Hongqiao → Xi'an North	$341	Business Class
Z304	17:46	08:42 ⁺¹	14:56	Shanghai → Xi'an	$81	Soft Sleeper
D126	18:09	09:01 ⁺¹	14:52	Shanghai Songjiang → Xi'an	$42	Standing
D92	18:19	09:07 ⁺¹	14:48	Shanghai → Xi'an	$41	Standing
D972	18:22	05:23 ⁺¹	11:01	Shanghai Hongqiao → Xi'an North	$79	Second Class
D976	18:44	05:28 ⁺¹	10:44	Shanghai Hongqiao → Xi'an North	$79	Standing

Train letters on this date: G, D, Z, K. What the letters mean →

Which station do you leave from?

Big Chinese cities have several stations, miles apart. The station on your ticket is the one you need — the city name alone is not enough.

DepartsShanghai Hongqiao 上海虹桥 Shanghaihongqiao·Shanghai 上海 Shanghai·Shanghai South 上海南 Shanghainan·Shanghai Songjiang 上海松江 Shanghaisongjiang·Liantang 练塘 Liantang

ArrivesXi'an North 西安北 Xianbei·Xi'an 西安 Xian

OvernightSome departures arrive the next day — the timetable marks those with +1.

FAQ

How long does the train from Shanghai to Xi'an take?

The fastest service on this date takes 5h 39m. Slower trains on the same route take longer — the timetable above lists the actual duration for every departure, so sort by journey time if speed matters more than the hour you leave.

How much is a train ticket from Shanghai to Xi'an?

Second-class fares start at about $33 per passenger including our service fee. Second class is the standard choice; first class and business class cost more and buy wider seats, not a faster train. The quote page always shows the underlying local fare and our fee as separate lines.

Which station in Shanghai does the train leave from?

On this date, departures leave from Shanghai Hongqiao and Shanghai and Shanghai South and Shanghai Songjiang and Liantang. Large Chinese cities have more than one station and they are not within walking distance of each other, so check the station printed on your ticket rather than the city name.

Do I need to print a ticket?

No. Chinese railway tickets are issued against your passport, not a piece of paper. Carry the same passport you booked with, and staff will scan it at the gate. Keep the booking confirmation on your phone in case a conductor asks which seat is yours.

How far in advance can I book?

Chinese tickets are released about two weeks before departure, and this page only shows dates inside that window. Popular dates and holiday periods sell out early, so book as soon as your travel date appears.

Which class should I book?

Second class is the default on high-speed trains and is comparable to a short-haul airline seat. First and business class add space and recline for a premium. On overnight trains the choice matters more: a hard sleeper is a real bed, a hard seat is not. Our guide to seats and sleepers explains what each one actually looks like.

Seats, sleepers and standing tickets explained →

Shanghai → Xi'an