Taking a trip to China?

[MantisFistMonk]

Hey everyone.

I'm taking a trip to China next year and I just got done researching travel costs for tonight.

An interesting note that I think anyone who travels, or plans to travel to China should jot down...

Now this may be common knowledge, but it's new to me so anyways.

I originally planned to just fly from Bradley International Airport to Zhengzhou's airport, for the fat price of like 1,300. I don't travel... well... at all. So I thought fly from point A to point B and that's it. But...

So far, I found the absolute cheapest way to get there and back is...

Via Air Canada...

JFK to Shanghai (SHA) = 811
Train from Shanghai to Zhengzhou (Hard Seat) = 32

So that's it. After comparing Bradley International, JFK, LaGuardia, Newark International, Beijing, Shanghai and Zhengzhou's airports with eachother in every combination etc. This is the cheapest I found.

NYC to Zhengzhou, and Zhengzhou to NYC, for a total of 843.

421.50 for a one way ticket into Zhengzhou.

Not too shabby.

Anyways, I hope this helps anyone planning to take a trip to China in anyways, for any reason.

Also, Gene, thanks for all the help.

[MantisFistMonk]

oh yea... I also found these to be the best two websites to look for cheap flights...

http://edit.travel.yahoo.com/flights.html?source=YG

http://www.mobissimo.com/search_airfare.php

[wall]

Beijing - ZZ train make sure you book overnight tickets (it's a long & boring trip otherwise) and get a 'soft sleeper'. It's still really cheap by US / EU standards (about $30-40) but you get a really comfortable and clean bed in 4 people cabins. The 'hard sleeper' is smallish and reasonably uncomfortable, and you are packed in with lots of people and no room (cost about $20). The 'seat' is really cheap (I think about $5) but it's just that, a hard uncomfortable, very packed-in seat.

Happy travels,

W

[18elders]

i would spend the extra money and fly to zhengzhou, boring train ride.

Also, try this website:
www.flychina.com

[MantisFistMonk]

Originally Posted by 18elders

i would spend the extra money and fly to zhengzhou, boring train ride.

Also, try this website:
www.flychina.com

If you would also spend the extra money on me so I can fly directly to Zhengzhou than I would gladly skip the boring train ride!

:P

I'm a broke college student, I'll probably be going into debt for the first time in my life to take this trip.

I'm not worried though, because the debt will be here in America, and I will be in China.

[wall]

Originally Posted by 18elders

i would spend the extra money and fly to zhengzhou, boring train ride.

Also, try this website:
www.flychina.com

Actually the train that leaves Beijing at about 9pm and arrives in ZZ at 7am or so is really good. Dinner in Beijing, get on the train, soft sleeper all the way (very comfortable) and you wake up in ZZ. No boredom, good night sleep, you are in Deng Feng by 8am if you get a taxi / car in ZZ ... and the cost of the soft sleeper is less than an average hotel night in Beijing before you catch the morning flight to ZZ.

W

[18elders]

Where are u staying in zhengzhou?


Try the university, they have a hotel for foreign guest, very cheap.


Train ride-
after spendin long hours flying, i prefer to get to zhengzhou as quickly as possible.

My wife just came back from ZZ, her ticket was $40 from ZZ to beijing. She said she got a discount but regular price is less than $100 US.
Still think it is worth the extra $, also save a day in travel so u have more time to do what you want.

[g0pher]

Originally Posted by MantisFistMonk

I'm not worried though, because the debt will be here in America, and I will be in China.

Good attitude. I'm also in college, and I use my loan money to fund my CMA training being that I am dirt poor. But to me there is nothing worth more than my kung fu.

BTW: Good luck with your trip.