Both high-speed trains and ordinary overnight trains serve Shanghai – Guangzhou rail line. High-speed trains run between Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station and Guangzhou South Railway Station, which are far away from both cities' downtown. Normal-speed overnight trains run between Shanghai / Shanghai South Railway Station and Guangzhou/Guangzhou East Railway Station, which are located near city centers.
The fastest bullet train takes less than 7 hours to travel between these two cities. Overnight trains (D-category trains) only operate on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays.
Shanghai – Guangzhou High-Speed Train
Shanghai - Guangzhou high-speed train- Distance: 1810 kilometers (1125 miles)
- Duration: 6.5 to 8.5 hours
- Number of trains: 4 pairs of daytime high-speed trains and 3 pairs of overnight bullet trains
- Terminals: Shanghai Hongqiao Station (Chinese: 上海虹桥站), Guangzhou South Station (Chinese: 广州南站)
- Main stops: Shanghai, Hangzhou, Jinhua, Shangrao, Nanchang, Changsha, Hengyang, Shaoguan, Guangzhou
Shanghai to Guangzhou High-Speed Train Schedules
(Update on March 7th, 2025)
| Train Number | Departure | Arrival | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| G817 | 08:00 | 14:39 | 6h 39m |
| G1301 | 10:18 | 19:01 | 8h 43m |
| G3087 | 12:57 | 21:02 | 8h 5m |
| D941 | 19:55 | 06:56+1 | 11h 1m |
| D931 | 20:00 | 07:10+1 | 11h 10m |
| D935 | 20:05 | 07:14+1 | 11h 9m |
Departure Concourse of Shanghai Hongqiao Railway StationPlease note:
- D-category overnight trains operate on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays.
- "+1" means the train arrives the next day.
Check Shanghai to Guangzhou up-to-date high-speed train schedules.
Guangzhou to Shanghai High-Speed Train Schedules
(Update on March 7th, 2025)
| Train Number | Departure | Arrival | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| G818 | 08:28 | 15:06 | 6h 38m |
| G1302 | 13:19 | 21:51 | 8h 32m |
| G3078 | 14:13 | 22:24 | 8h 11m |
| G820 | 15:11 | 22:12 | 7h 1m |
| D933 | 19:20 | 06:50+1 | 11h 30m |
| D937 | 19:25 | 06:55+1 | 11h 30m |
| D943 | 19:35 | 06:45+1 | 11h 10m |
"+1" means the train arrives the next day.
Check Guangzhou to Shanghai high-speed train up-to-date train schedules.
Shanghai – Guangzhou High-Speed Train Ticket Fares
| Train Types | Seat Classes | Price |
|---|---|---|
| G trains | 2nd class | ¥793 ($117) |
| 1st class | ¥1,302.5 ($192) | |
| Business class | ¥2,492.5 ($367) | |
| D trains | Soft sleeper | ¥900 ($132) |
| 2nd class | ¥525.5 ($77) |
Children fares: For seat class, a child fare is 50% of the full ticket fare. Sleeper tickets on D-category overnight trains do not have children's tickets. Read more about children's tickets.
Overnight train from Shanghai to GuangzhouShanghai – Guangzhou Non-Bullet Train
- Duration: 16 to 23 hours
- Number of trains: 4 pairs of normal-speed overnight trains
- Terminals: Shanghai Railway Station (上海站), Shanghai South Station (上海南站), Guangzhou East Station (广州东), Guangzhou Railway Station (广州站)
Shanghai to Guangzhou Overnight Train Schedules
(Update on March 7th, 2025)
| Train Number | Departure Time | Arrival Time | Departure Station | Arrival Station | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T169 | 11:30 | 04:51+1 | Shanghai South | Guangzhou | 17h 21m |
| K511 | 17:16 | 14:56+1 | Shanghai Songjiang | Guangzhou Baiyun | 21h 40m |
| Z99 | 17:27 | 09:58+1 | Shanghai | Guangzhou | 16h 31m |
| K527 | 19:06 | 17:14+1 | Shanghai Songjiang | Guangzhou Baiyun | 22h 8m |
Guangzhou to Shanghai Overnight Train Schedules
(Update on March 7th, 2025)
| Train Number | Departure Time | Arrival Time | Departure Station | Arrival Station | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| K528 | 08:19 | 03:46+1 | Guangzhou Baiyun | Shanghai Songjiang | 19h 27m |
| T170 | 15:00 | 09:03+1 | Guangzhou | Shanghai South | 18h 3m |
| Z100 | 18:10 | 10:40+1 | Guangzhou | Shanghai | 16h 30m |
Shanghai – Guangzhou Overnight Train Ticket Fares
| Soft Sleeper | Hard Sleeper | Hard Seat |
|---|---|---|
| ¥640 ($95) | ¥363 ($52) | ¥213 ($32) |
Children fares: For sleeper class on normal trains, a child fare is about 75% of the full ticket price; For seat class, 50% of the full ticket fare. Children fares apply to children younger than 12 years of age and not taller than 1.5 m.
Which Train to Choose
Second class seat on Shanghai to Guangzhou high-speed train1. For a rail travel from Shanghai to Guangzhou, high-speed trains are much faster than normal-speed traisn with a travel time of 7 to 8.5 hours. But if don't prefer take such a long time sitting on your seat, or want to leave more time for sightseeing, normal-speed overnight trains are a better choice.
2. If take high-speed train between Shanghai and Guangzhou, train G817/G818 is recommended as they have the shortest travel time of around 6.5 hours, with the same ticket prices as other high-speed trains.
3. Normal-speed overnight trains are a good choice for travelers with limited budget, or who want to save a hotel's bill. Train Z99/Z100 is the best choice due to its shorest travel time and convenient departure/arrival time.
4. Different trains have different terminals in both cities, choose the train that departs from/arrives at the train stations which are close to your hotels would be more convenient.
Trains Vs Flights
1. Flying is the fastest way traveling between Shanghai and Guangzhou, flight time is only 2 and a half hours. The fastest high-speed train takes nearly 7 hours from Shanghai to Guangzhou.
2. It is recommended to take a flight when airline companies have good discount. Sometimes discounted air tickets are even cheaper than high-speed train ticket fares if you book early.
3. Overnight high-speed trains are also a very good choice of transportation between Shanghai and Guangzhou. They travel at night and arrive early in the morning, allowing you more daytime of sightseeing and can also save you a hotel's bill. Soft sleeper class is recommended if you take an overnight train.
4. Normal-speed trains are the cheapest way of tranportation between Shanghai and Guangzhou. But they are the slowest that takes more than 16 hours on the way. The advantage of taking a normal train is that the terminals are centrally located.