Soft Sleeper Berth Train
A soft sleeper has a softer and wider bed than a hard sleeper. More importantly, it is a closed compartment with only four berths and a door, compared with six berths in an open compartment in the hard sleeper.
Soft Sleeper Specifications
| Berths per compartment | 4 (2 lower and 2 upper) |
| Compartment | private, with a door that locks |
| Bed | wider and softer than hard sleeper |
| Price | about 1.5 times the hard sleeper price |
| Lower or upper | lower berths cost a little more |
Privacy & Comfort
The door closes the compartment off from the corridor, making a quiet, private room for the four people inside. This makes a real difference on the long journeys from Beijing (about 40 hours) or Shanghai (about 46 hours), when good sleep matters.
Storage & Amenities
- storage space above the door for large bags
- space under the lower berths for suitcases
- good duvets, sheets and pillows
- a reading light at each berth
- a small table with a flask of hot water
- power sockets on many trains
- slippers
- folding seats by the windows in the corridor
Berth Numbering
Berths are numbered along the carriage. In each compartment, the odd numbers are usually the lower berths and the even numbers the upper ones. If you travel as a family or group and want to share a compartment, tell us when you book, and ask the attendant on board if needed.
Our advice: for journeys of more than a day (from Beijing, Shanghai or Guangzhou), the soft sleeper is well worth the extra cost. Soft sleepers sell out first, so book your tour early so we can book your ticket as soon as sales open.
We answer within 12 hours, Monday to Saturday.