Hard sleepers offer cosy weekends away

One of the main reasons why my family and friends are jealous of my life, living and working in Beijing, is the travel opportunities. There are endless natural wonders, historic sights and cultural activities to see on a weekend getaway. And I don't just spend the occasional long weekend away, I'm absent from Beijing more often than not. Traveling on overnight trains means I can get away frequently and avoid spending my hard earned kuai on taxis and airfares.

Overnight train travel is the perfect way to escape Beijing. It's cheaper than domestic planes; there is no waiting in airports for connections or departure times, and the stations are located in the center of the city; not in the middle of nowhere. An added bonus is most hostels and hotels will offer free transfer from the train station but not the airport.

There is also something extremely satisfying about waking up in an entirely new destination on a Saturday morning after I've had a hard day at work the previous day.