Editing China (section)

====The 4 train seat options====

NOTES:  
Check your ticket: if there is no seat number on it you will have to stand though you will sometimes be lucky and get an unused seat.  If you don't want to stand, the ticket office will refund your money. 

If you miss your train, find the special ticket office and get a refund (2 hour limit).

On 'bullet trains' the classifications are first and second class seats which are equivalent to soft and hard seats (se below) in their configuration but of a modern international standard.

Hard Seat (yìngzuò, 硬坐) - the cheapest
There are 3 seats on one side of the aisle and two on the other which makes this the most crowded choice. The seats are not truly hard (this a historic name for this class)but the upholstery is not as comfortable as in the soft seats class. They are also not as consistently clean.  These days there are not many of these without aircon, but any which are, are by far the cheapest means of travel.

Soft Seat (ruǎnzuò, 软坐)
This is a fairly comfortable seat. There are 2 seats on each side of the aisle. Getting a soft seat ticket will usually get you into a “soft seat lounge” at the departure station as well. The soft seat lounges have sofas and are not as crowded as the hard seat lounges.

Hard sleeper (yìngwò, 硬卧)
Hard sleepers, (which like the hard seats, are not actually hard) are usually arranged in a triple bunk bed type set up with two triple bunk beds in a berth (a small door-less room). That is, there is one bed on the bottom, one on the middle and one on the top. On each side of the berth there are triple bunk beds arranged across the width of the train, but not into the corridor. Sheets, blankets and pillows are included.  Opposite each berth is one or two seats and a very small table. 

Soft Sleeper (ruǎnwò, 软卧) - most expensive
There are both 2-bed berth and 4-bed berth soft sleepers. 4-bed berths are the standard. Due to the higher price, it is easier to book a ticket for a soft sleeper than it is for a hard sleeper. The beds are more comfortable and it’s a quieter environment inside. The berths are lockable.

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