There are three large types of train tickets in general: standing-room-only ticket, seat ticket and sleeper ticket. Price of sleeper ticket is usually higher than that of the othe two types of tickets.
Seat Types of Chinese Train:
Hard seats. The carriages are always noisy and crowded with people, especially during peak times or the high travel season on the most popular railway routes. Usually, people holding standing-room-only tickets are arranged to stand along the aisles of hard-seat carriages. The toilets are usually unclean and cramped (only 1.2 square yards) and no toilet paper is supplied. For the adventurous or maybe just a short daytime journey this is acceptable as it is a wonderful way to experience something of the timelessness of the real China and its people.
Soft seats are not available at all trains, but often at the trains with number starting with D, which means China Railway High-speed (CRH). There are no bunks for sleeping, just a nice, comfortable cushioned seat. The carriages are clean and roomy.
Sleeper Types of Chinese Train:
Hard sleeper has 2-3 subtypes including upper hard sleeper, middle hard sleeper and bottom hard sleeper. Bottom sleeper usually has more space than the other two types and upper sleeper makes passenger feel more crowded in the composed compartment. For Sleeper carriage, it is divided into several rows and each row has 6 beds for 6 passengers to sleep.
Soft Sleeper are more comfortable than Hard sleeper because the bed is wider and there are only 4 beds in one row for Soft Sleeper carriage. it has 2-3 subtypes including upper soft sleeper, middle soft sleeper and bottom soft sleeper. Bottom sleeper has the highest ticket price as it has more space than the other two types and upper sleeper, with the lowest price, makes passenger feel more crowded in the composed compartment.
Luxurious cabin is most comfortable and costs the most too. Two passengers share one cabin, and each cabin is facilitated with 2 comfortable beds, a table, a chair, two TVs and a private toilet. But luxurious cabin is only available on certain trains, such as the train T43 (Beijing to Xian train) and the train T140 (running between Shanghai and Xian) etc.
Chinese train tickets will appear to be the two variants as mentioned below, but there will be the odd exceptions.
THE PINK PAPER TICKET
The most oft-seen train ticket in China. Available everywhere outside high speed rail hubs or the main stations in big cities. If you got your ticket at a ticket sales agent, you probably ended up with this ticket.
These tickets will not go through an automated ticket gate at high speed railway stations. If you have a pink ticket good for HSR travel (which is perfectly normal), use the manned ticket check queues instead (which are usually just next to the automated ticket gates).
THE BLUE PAPER TICKET
A 2007/2008 debut, the blue paper ticket is the long-awaited upgrade to the conventional paper ticket in pink. It is only the only ticket that you can insert into a ticket gate at HSR stations (or regular rail stations where HSR services are available).
The ticket shows a CRH2 bullet train in the background.
In some stations with high traffic, station staff will also allow riders to have their blue tickets checked by hand instead of by machine.