Soft Sleeper Berth of Tibet Trains

What is the Soft Sleeper?

The Soft Sleeper (软卧), abbreviated RWor WR (CRH), is a passenger railway compartment class in the People’s Republic of China. Soft sleeper is the main class on most Z-series express trains, and are grouped in several carriages as part of slower trains. They are more expensive than hard sleepers but are generally more comfortable as there is more room to move around and the bunks tend to be, albeit not always, softer in firmness. In many soft sleeper compartments, there is entertainment available through headphones connected to an LCD screen, although this is by no means universal.

Generally, there are 2 lower berths and 2 upper berths in each cabin. Compared with the upper berths, it is more convenient for passengers to buy the lower berths. People who choose the lower berth can get in and off from beds frequently. What’s more, the lower berths are closer to the window, so passengers can have a great view of the outside scenery than from the upper berths.

Facilities in Soft Sleeper Cabin

Compared with hard seats and hard sleepers, you can only only enjoy the quieter, comfortable and private space and environment during the journey. Besides the wider and spacious berth with quality quit, pillow and sheet, there are these facilities in a cabin, such as

  • A small table with a tray
  • A heat-retaining vacuum flask
  • A trash can
  • A power socket under the table(220V, for foreigners, they need a Chinese power plug adapter)
  • A TV(sometimes, the TV is not available for watching in some trains)
  • An outlet of oxygen
  • Disposable slippers
  • Luggage closet
  • Two toilets(the left end and right end)
  • Washing Area
  • Drinking Water
  • Smoking Area

The soft sleeper ticket price is about 1.5 times that of a hard sleeper ticket, and a lower berth costs more than an upper berth.

Useful Tips on Soft Sleepers on Tibet Trains

  • If you are traveling to Lhasa from Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, you are strongly suggested to take the Soft Sleepers because you need to spend two nights on the train.
  • To travel to Tibet by train, you need to hold a Tibet Travel Permit.
  • If you feel uncomfortable with the environment of the compartment due to sharing the space with others who may be girls or boys, the opposite sex, you can also ask the conductor to change a compartment with the same gender.