Note: The spoken Chinese Mandarin language has 4 spoken tones. We have attempted to re-create those below where after each syllable we tell you (1), (2), (3), or (4) as they correspond to each of the 4 tones. We encourage you to complement your Xianzai.com Emergency Chinese newsletter with a good offline study program.

Booking a Train Ticket: ding(4) huo(3) che(1) piao(4)

NEW WORDS
Train: huo(3) che(1)
Ticket: piao(4)
Hard sleeper: ying(4) wo(4)
Soft sleeper: ruan(3) wo(4)
Platform: zhan(4) tai(2)

LESSON

• Can I buy train tickets here?
  wo(3) ke(3) yi(3) zai(4) zhe(4) er mai(3) huo(3) che(1) piao(4) ma?
  
• How much is a ticket from Beijing to Shanghai?
  bei(3) jing(1) dao(4) shang(4) hai(3) de che(1) piao(4) duo(1) shao(3) qian(2)?
  
• What is the difference between soft and hard sleeper?
  ruan(3) wo(4) he(2) ying(4) wo(4) you(3) shen(3) mo bu(4) tong(2)?
  
• Where is platform number 10?
  shi(2) hao(4) zhan(4) tai(2) zai(4) na(3) er?

* Tip: Trains and China are a point of fascination for many. Tourists come from all over the world each year just to spend time riding trains here. China has more railways that any other country on earth and is the major form of long distance transport.

Even a brief description of China's rail system is impossible here because of space limitations. Good information can be found at most Chinese travel agents that cater for foreigners as well as the better-known guide books like Lonely Plant.

Traveling by train in China is fascinating - not only for the view outside of the carriage, but for watching ordinary Chinese interact over a long journey. Grab a ticket, some bottles of water and your earplugs. You are in for the ride of your life.