Mixed experience
This service is very convenient and takes the uncertainty out of buying train tickets. As promised the tickets were awaiting our arrival at our Beijing hotel. Our only criticism would be that the seats allocated to us seemed to be positioned with the worst possible viewing opportunities. The train trip from Beijing to X'ian had us seated at the very front of the carriage facing the wall and with only half a window. Our second trip had us with only half a window as well so they would not be the seats we would have chosen. It seems that the least popular seats are allocated to foreigners? We had a driver collect us from X'ian who had a very nice clean car and was most professional. Unfortunately the driver collecting us on arrival in Beijing was not waiting at the arrivals area but some distance between our disembarkation area and the car park. This caused a great deal of confusion and doubt, not to mention time wasted looking for him. The vehicle was a van and the driver spent some time arguing at the exit when payment was required. So two very different experiences with a huge contrast in service and satisfaction from our perspective. In charging significantly more than a taxi fare, our first trip delivered as expected. Not so the second journey.. We also had a day tour in Beijing and another in X'ian and could not fault the organization of the day, the knowledge of our guides the excellent lunch.