Topic summary
Hard sleeper
The hard sleeper (Chinese: 硬卧; pinyin: yìng wò, abbreviated YW) is a passenger railway compartment class in the People's Republic of China. Hard sleeper is a class on most Z-series, T-series express trains and K-series rapid trains. It is usually the cheapest type of sleeper on Chinese trains.
Hard sleeper has long been popular with passengers travelling long distances at relatively low cost, especially before the large-scale expansion of high-speed rail in China and the wider availability of domestic air travel. Compared with hard-seat travel, it allows passengers to sleep rather than remain seated for the journey, while remaining cheaper than soft sleeper accommodation. As a result, tickets may be scarce on busy routes and during peak travel periods, and advance booking is often advisable.
The differences between hard and soft sleeper compartments are as follows:
- 6 bunks instead of 4, with three bunks on each side
- Usually no door, although the degree of enclosure varies by carriage type
- No blind on the window, although curtains may be provided
- Less comfortable bedding, such as only one pillow
- No individual TV screen
A typical hard-sleeper carriage has eleven semi-open six-berth sections, giving a capacity of 66 passengers. The bunks have a length of 180 cm (71 inches) and a width of 60 cm (24 inches). The head space for passengers on the upper and middle bunks is limited, with the middle bunk having 70 cm (28 inches) and the upper bunk having 65 cm (26 inches) of head space.
Despite its name, the bunks are padded, but less generously than soft-sleeper bunks. Like soft sleepers, hard-sleeper carriages usually have a small table, hot water and a rubbish bin. The lower bunk (下) is the roomiest, followed by the middle bunk (中). The upper bunk (上) has the least room and requires passengers to climb up to it, so it is usually slightly cheaper than the lower and middle bunks.
In addition, the carriage usually has a Chinese-style toilet at each end, whereas soft-sleeper carriages may have a Western-style toilet at one end.