I don't think these pictures do justice to how huge and intimidating Beijing West Railway Station is. (What i am trying to say is that i am very brave) When you arrive their are hundreds of people sitting with bags and suitcase outside. You can only get into the station if you have a ticket and ID that relates to that ticket.
Once you are in you then go through security, and once are passes security you need to find the waiting room for your trains departure. Another ticket check to get into your waiting room and then you wait for the departure to be called.... There is a massive scrum to get through the last ticket check and then you are able to get down onto the platform.
It is all very civilised actually. Much nicer to be in a waiting room with AC, toilets shops and hot and cold drinking water than a smelly hot platform.
And I wasn't the only one taking pictures of to the trains. A slight change from the Trans Sib. The top speed I noticed was 306 kph.
Five and a half hours later I was in Xian.