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Reanne and Ben, a British couple, are running late on a travel day in Xi'an. Their taxi to Xi'an North Railway Station takes about 40 minutes, they race through security and the passport check, and they are the last passengers to board, with 5 minutes to spare before the gates close. The train takes six and a half hours; the train car is cold and noisy. In Changsha, one of their favorite cities, they order a standard BYD taxi on Alipay to a candy shop that holds the Guinness World Record as the largest of its kind. It is Saturday, the busiest day, and they wait in line 41 minutes in the rain. Inside they rent charging pods for their dying phones and walk past giant snacks, a mirrored photo wall, drinks from all over China, a big beer section and Korean cheesy rice sticks. The register total is 148.10 yuan, about half their guess. They finish at a five-star hotel that costs 314 yuan per night and eat a delivered Beijing duck dinner for 98 yuan.
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It is ten past ten in Xi'an, the train leaves at 11:02 and the ride to the station takes about 40 minutes. Reanne has odd socks on and no time to do her hair. Then they cannot find taxi number 322 in a dark parking lot, and the two of them argue about who was actually ready.
Making the train at Xi'an North with minutes left
They reach Xi'an North Railway Station with about 12 minutes to go. The couple explain the rule that makes this tense: staff stop letting people through 8 minutes before departure. Before that you clear a security check and show your passport, then pass the ticket gate. They expect to get stuck, but it moves quickly. They are literally the last people on board and find car 11, seats 13 B and C, with 5 minutes to spare.
Six and a half hours south
A middle and aisle pair suits them, because the trip runs over 6 hours and they can stand up without disturbing anyone napping. Other passengers come with food, drinks and McDonald's. Reanne and Ben have two bottles of water and a cold coffee, and they joke about fasting until dinner. Someone streams the new Spider-Man on his phone, people play the same song out loud, and Ben spills coffee down his white t-shirt and has to change. The air conditioning is freezing, so Reanne changed into jeans. Outside in Changsha, where they arrive at five thirty, it is hot.
Taxi from the station
Ben has found a candy shop that is going viral in China, so they make a quick stop before the hotel. They skip the metro and book a car on Alipay. In rush hour the ride takes about 40 minutes and averages 40 to 50 yuan. Choosing the standard option still gets them a BYD.
The 41-minute line at the Changsha giant snack store
Police stand at the road crossing. A sign shows how busy the shop is, and Saturday is the busiest day. It is Saturday. They find the start of the line around the other side and see a 60-minute marker there, and barrier staff stop anyone slipping past. Their phones are down to 7% and about 18%, and then the rain starts. The line moves faster than they feared and they are inside after 41 minutes.
Giant Oreos, a mirrored wall, then beer
The first stop is the charging pods. After that comes a tunnel of snacks, a museum-like display of oversized lollipops, massive noodles, cotton candy and a huge Oreo, then vitamins, candy, sausages, toys, a bakery corner and another floor. Staff help them work out what things are. A photo wall with a mirror on top looks endless. The store claims 35,000 snacks and a Guinness World Record, and it is clearly aimed at adults too: drinks from all over China start at 2.9 yuan, malt wine is 9.9 yuan, and Ben is eventually found among German, craft and pale ale beers. A big tub of popcorn is 24.8 and an enormous hot dog snack is 59.9 yuan, though they wonder if the big packs are just lots of small ones. For tomorrow's luxury sleeper train they buy noodles at 4.7 yuan and Korean cheesy rice sticks, which they say are hard to find. At about 8:12 p.m. they reach the register, guess around 250 yuan and pay 148.10.
A 314-yuan five-star room and duck delivered to the door
The last stop is the hotel they stayed at about 2 years ago, a visit they say changed their lives. Room 1610 on the 16th floor faces a laundry room, and each room has its own design. At 314 yuan per night it is the most affordable five-star hotel they have stayed in; they point out that in London that would not even cover a hostel. They get a big double bed, a sitting area, a desk, a big TV, a kettle with tea, a fridge and a walk-in shower with a rainfall head, but no bath, plus one of their best views. Dinner is the same delivered Beijing duck they had here before: duck with cucumber, green onions, pancakes, plum and hoisin sauce, sausages and potatoes for 98 yuan. The carcass they expected never comes. Little paintbrushes arrive for the sauce, yet they say they learned to dip the duck instead. Ben opens one of his new beers to end the night.
FAQs (From the traveler's perspective)
- Q: How early do you need to be at the gate for a train in China?
- A: Reanne and Ben say staff stop letting passengers through 8 minutes before departure. Before the ticket gate you also pass a security check and show your passport, so they reached Xi'an North with about 12 minutes to go and only just made it.
- Q: How long is the train from Xi'an to Changsha?
- A: Their train from Xi'an North Railway Station was over 6 hours, and they arrived in Changsha after six and a half hours at five thirty.
- Q: How much is a taxi in Changsha?
- A: Their ride from the station in rush hour took about 40 minutes, and they say fares average around 40 to 50 yuan. They booked it on Alipay, and the standard option got them a BYD.
- Q: How long is the wait at the Changsha giant snack store?
- A: On a Saturday, the busiest day, they waited in line for 41 minutes, partly in the rain. A sign at the store shows how busy it is, and they saw a 60-minute marker at the end of the line.
- Q: How big is the snack shop in Changsha?
- A: The store claims 35,000 snacks and is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest of its kind. It has sections for kids and adults, including a big beer area.
- Q: Can you charge your phone inside?
- A: Yes. Their phones were on 7% and about 18% while they waited in line, and they picked up charging pods as soon as they got in.
- Q: Is it expensive?
- A: No. They saw drinks for 2.9 yuan and malt wine for 9.9 yuan, and their whole basket cost 148.10 yuan, about half the 250 yuan they had guessed.
- Q: How much is a five-star hotel in Changsha?
- A: Their five-star hotel cost 314 yuan per night for a room with a big double bed, a sitting area, a great view, a fridge and a walk-in shower, though no bath.
- Q: How much does Beijing duck delivery cost in Changsha?
- A: Their delivered Beijing duck with cucumber, green onions, pancakes, plum and hoisin sauce, sausages and potatoes came to 98 yuan. The carcass they expected was not included.
