Guangzhou to Lanzhou: how plans for a perfect train journey got derailed

No one who's ever been on Facebook could have avoided seeing the incredible bird's-eye view of what looked like 90 per cent of the mainland's cars trying, but failing, to stampede into Beijing after the Golden Week extravaganza.

One would think nearly 50 lanes (50!) would be enough to accommodate the capital's cars, but no; there they stood, stuck on a road to nowhere.

I like a good road trip as much as the next man, but I find that the best way to get around the mainland, especially when covering vast distances, is by train.

Train travel used to be a piece of cake: nip up to Guangzhou station, stand in line for 20 minutes and emerge victoriously with tickets for the same evening.

If I didn't mind paying a bit more, I could swing around to China Travel, on Queen's Road, and book the tickets a couple of weeks in advance. Easy-peasy.

That's how I thought it would be the day I sauntered into China Travel to buy train tickets for E, K and me. We were going to Kazakhstan overland and wanted to kick off with a proper train trip: Guangzhou to Lanzhou, in one day and two nights. Three of us in soft sleeper (a "luxury" cabin for four) - fun! Relaxing!