40 Hours Across China in a Private Cabin | Shanghai to Xinjiang Urumqi

In today's video, I embarked on an epic long-distance train journey across China—40 hours, nearly 4,000 kilometers, traveling from Shanghai in the east to Urumqi in Xinjiang, almost spanning the entire country. I rode in a Premium Soft Sleeper, the most expensive class on China's conventional trains, which usually accommodates two passengers per cabin. However, I was incredibly lucky to have the entire cabin to myself (well, aside from my 2,200-year-old Terracotta Warrior travel buddy who guarded my snacks), making this journey even more special and immersive.

Train number: Z40/Z41
Distance: about 3981 km (2473 miles)
Total running time: 39h 48min

Timestamp:
0:00 Intro
0:41 Preparing My Food Supply
2:27 Finding Our Train in Shanghai Station
4:07 Touring My 40-Hour Micro-Apartment
7:41 Having dinner Without Leaving Bed
9:07 Surviving Night 1: Terracotta Warrior Pillow Talk
10:30 Xi'an Stopover: Where My Clay Army BFF Lives
11:53 Breakfast & Bold Experiments (Will My Laptop Survive?)
15:34 Loess Plateau Lunch: Yellow Views, Yellow Noodles
17:42 Lanzhou Layover: The Great Locomotive Change
19:28 Tea Ceremony Gone Wild: Leaf Confetti Everywhere
24:26 Hot Pot Chemistry: Playing With Food and Fire
29:09 Scenic Grand Finale: Snowy Peaks & Sunset Views
31:08 Arriving at the real Xinjiang Ürümqi

Fare Information:
Premium Soft Sleeper: 1961.5 CNY (270 USD / 250 EUR / 217 GBP / 29187 JPY / 430 AUD / 388 CAD / 239 CHF / 363 SGD / 2103 HKD / 396000 KRW / 8977 TWD)
Prices for other class seats:
Soft sleeper: 1008.5 CNY (139 USD / 128 EUR / 111 GBP / 15006 JPY / 221 AUD / 200 CAD / 123 CHF / 186 SGD / 1081 HKD / 203404 KRW / 4613 TWD)
Hard sleeper (Standard Sleeper): 636.5 CNY (88 USD / 81 EUR / 70 GBP / 9471 JPY / 139 AUD / 126 CAD / 77 CHF / 118 SGD / 682 HKD / 128376 KRW / 2912 TWD)
Hard Seat (Standard Seat): 376.5 CNY (52 USD / 48 EUR / 42 GBP / 5602 JPY / 82 AUD / 75 CAD / 46 CHF / 70 SGD / 403 HKD / 75936 KRW / 1722 TWD)
*Exchange rates are based on the video's release date and may not be accurate.

▶ I use automatic translation of subtitles, so please excuse me if some look a little weird.