Answered by Tom | Jan. 06, 2013 20:06
To Yantai, there is only one train K1182/K1183 and it will take you about almost 26 hours to reach. The ticket price for hard seat is around 206 RMB and 377 for hard sleeper.
It is suggested to take a plane to reach direct. If you can get a disacount on the ticket, the price of the airplane may be cheaper than the train tickets.
To Xian, there is no direct trains and you need to transfer in Hangzhou. From Hangzhou to Xian, there are five trains and they will take you about 20 hours to reach.
Since you will go during February, which is the Spring Festival Rush period, it is better to book your train tickets in advance, otherwise, you may not get the tickets.