Cheapest Way to Travel between Beijing and Shanghai

The cheapest way to travel from Beijing to Shanghai and vice versa is a hard seat on the traditional-style old trains. It costs only CNY 152.5 / 177.5 (USD 22 - 25). The next cheapest are second class seats on D type high speed trains, costing CNY 293 - 316 (USD 42 - 45). However, it is quite exhausting to sit through a journey as long as 12 hours and the seat class cabin can be crowded and noisy. We recommend a sleeper so passengers can lie down to enjoy a more comfortable ride.

Beijing to Shanghai Normal Train: 1461: 12:00 / 06:45+, T109: 20:03 / 11:02+

Shanghai to Beijing Normal Train: 1462: 12:15 / 10:27+, T110: 16:30 / 08:32+

Note:
1. “+” indicates the second day.
2. The timetable and ticket fare above are for reference only and they may change on different days. Please search for the real-time schedule in the train column.
 

The overnight trains usually depart in the afternoon or in the evening and arrive the next morning. The duration of this trip is around 12 hours. In addition to the cheap ticket price, it saves you the cost of a hotel for one night.

Beijing to Shanghai Overnight Train: D7: 19:22 / 07:25+; D9: 19:36 / 07:46+; D5: 21:21 / 09:27+

Shanghai to Beijing Overnight Train: D8: 19:08 / 07:00+; D6: 21:15 / 09:26+; D10: 21:21 / 09:24+
 

Ticket Price:
T/1461&1462 Trains: CNY 296.5 - 325.5 (USD 42 - 46) for a hard sleeper
D Trains: CNY 514 - 632 (UDS 73 - 90) for a hard sleeper
 

1. The lower berth space is the largest and passengers do not need to climb up and down. However, it provides no privacy. The upper berth space is the narrowest but has the most privacy.
2. We suggest that passengers buy tickets for sleepers in advance because they are in great demand most of the time.
3. Passengers should bring their own toiletries, as they are not available onboard.
4. Bring a pair of earplugs in case somebody in your cabin snores.

 See more Overnight Trains in China 
 

Flight fares fluctuate from time to time. Learning some rules in advance may help you get cheaper flight tickets.
 

1. The fare is generally lower for flights that departs before 10 am or after 8 pm.
2. A round-trip ticket is cheaper than two one-way tickets.
3. Pay attention to the fare one to two months in advance. Many airlines issue highly discounted tickets every now and then based on their passenger flow.
4. Off-season discounts are bigger than peak season discounts. For example, passengers can usually get 30% - 60% off discount tickets from November to next March and 20% - 40% off discount tickets from April to October.
5. Ticket fares a few days before or after holidays are usually cheaper.
 

The ticket price for buses running between Beijing and Shanghai is CNY 286 - 354, as cheap as the overnight sleeper trains. But their travel time is around 14 hours. It is definitely not comfortable thing to stay on a bus for such a long time.

Further Reading:
How to Travel from Beijing to Shanghai
How to Travel from Shanghai to Beijing
Beijing - Shanghai High Speed Train
Shanghai - Beijing Train
Beijing - Shanghai Flights
Beijing - Shanghai Train vs. Plane
How to Get from Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station to the Bund
How to Get from Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station to People’s Square & Nanjing Road
How to Get from Beijing South Railway Station to Wangfujing
How to Get from Beijing South Railway Station to Capital Airport
How to Get from Beijing South Railway Station to Forbidden City & Tiananmen Square
How to Get from Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station to Pudong Airport