Early birds catch the worm in dash for sleeper-train tickets

Tickets for the first high-speed sleeper trains setting off on June 15 from Hong Kong to Beijing and Shanghai were quickly snapped up - with very few remaining - just several minutes after sales started at noon yesterday.

According to the 12306 China Railway ticketing website, tickets for the sleeper train from Hong Kong to Beijing were sold out as of 12.10pm and only 14 tickets for second-class seats were available. But as of 8.30pm, nine more sleeper tickets and over 20 second-class seat tickets were available.

Tickets for the deluxe sleeper on the train to Shanghai on June 15 were also sold out as of 8.30pm while five tickets for the sleeper and over 20 second-class tickets were available.

People queued at counters at Hong Kong West Kowloon Station yesterday morning, with an 80-year-old citizen, Li, arriving as early as 9am.

Li usually drives to Beijing from Shenzhen, but he would like to try the new service.

"Taking the high-speed rail is more comfortable and safer," he added.

An 80-year-old couple arrived at the station at about 10.30am to purchase tickets to Shanghai to visit their children and tour.

"I was happy to hear the news and it would be something new and memorable to take the first sleeper train departing from HK," the husband, Ho, said.

He said the new train would save travelers a lot of time.

Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong president Wingco Lo Kam-wing said the services will help reduce costs, such as hotel expenses, for traveling local merchants and will be more convenient for them as they can also access the internet.

Lo suggested the government work on increasing the frequency of the overnight trains, which so far will only run on Fridays, Mondays and weekends.

Hong Kong Outbound Tour Operators' Association chairman Johnny So Tsz-yeung said he expects demand to exceed supply.

So said taking the sleeper train will provide a good experience for those going on local study tours or exchange groups to the mainland.

WWPKG chief executive Yuen Chun-ning said the travel agency "will decide whether to launch new tourism products, such as sleeper train tour groups, to Beijing and Shanghai, depending on the market response."

ayra.wang@singtaonewscorp.com