Z-series trains

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Z-series trains (Chinese: 直达特快列车) are a sleeper train service offered by China National Railway. Z stands for Zhida Tekuai (lit. 'Direct Express'). Most Z-series trains do not have any intermediary stops, not even technical stops for changing locomotives or drivers. However, some of these trains later had a few stops added to their schedule to boost the number of passengers.

Generally, Z-series trains are overnight, all-sleeper trains that have travel time of around 10–14 hours, with an average speed of around 120 kilometres per hour (75 mph), and top speed up to 162 kilometres per hour (101 mph). The majority have both soft sleepers and hard sleepers, while some Z trains have only soft sleepers, few of them also have soft seat. Most of the Z-series trains stop at either Beijing, Beijing West and Shanghai railway station or Shanghai South.