SLEEPER CHOICE — PERSONAL PRIORITIES
Check date and passenger reference:
Exact train, travel date and station pair:
Class name shown by the booking channel:
Carriage model or layout confirmed from:
Berth level needed / preferred / flexible:
Climbing or assistance question to resolve:
Companions and required proximity:
Bag count, measurements and handling plan:
Fare, service fee and acceptable alternative:
Unresolved detail and official next question:

SLEEPER ORDER — CHECK THE ACTUAL ALLOCATION
Booking channel and current status:
Passenger record checked privately:
Departure station, date and time:
Arrival station, date and time:
Exact train and booked accommodation class:
Assigned carriage and berth designation:
Confirmed level, or level still unknown:
Companions' allocations checked separately:
Applicable change/refund information checked:
Required document and travel-day help plan:

SIX FICTIONAL BOOKING CHECKS
Case 1
Two travellers buy soft-sleeper berths in the same four-berth compartment. Have they automatically bought a private compartment?
No. Two assigned places do not reserve the other places.
Ordinary soft-sleeper accommodation can be shared. Check the actual allocation and applicable booking rules; do not promise privacy from the class name.

Case 2
A traveller needs to avoid climbing but has only requested a lower berth. Is selecting soft sleeper enough to settle the access question?
No. Check the confirmed level and the actual access arrangement.
Soft sleeper has upper as well as lower berths in the common layout. A preference is not a confirmed allocation, and a lower berth does not establish accessible station and toilet facilities.

Case 3
The train identifier starts with D. Can you assume every sleeper place is in the same four-berth compartment layout?
No. Verify the class and carriage on this service.
The reviewed layout guide describes variation among D-category sleeper trains, including individual curtained arrangements and a type with hard sleepers. A letter is not a complete interior specification.

Case 4
Four companions submitted one request for soft sleeper. Must all four confirmed berths be in one compartment?
No. Read every actual carriage and berth allocation.
A shared request expresses a preference, while the confirmed order establishes the assigned places. If proximity matters, check it before depending on the arrangement.

Case 5
Soft sleeper costs more in your quote. Does that prove a larger suitcase will fit or qualify for a larger allowance?
No. Check the current allowance and real storage arrangement separately.
Price is not a measurement of bag space or permission. Keep bag dimensions, handling and the railway's applicable rules separate from your accommodation preference.

Case 6
An agency says it has requested your preferred lower berth, but the order is still unconfirmed. Can you treat that message as a confirmed lower-berth booking?
No. Check the actual booking status and allocation.
A request, pending payment or wait for allocation does not establish the outcome. Resolve the requirement through the booking channel and keep an alternative if it cannot be met.

REFERENCES
https://www.12306.cn/en/faq.html
https://www.12306.cn/en/train-tickets.html
https://english.shanghai.gov.cn/en-Transportation/20240110/f69efb3643094385a0efeb62f594200f.html
https://english.shanghai.gov.cn/en-Latest-WhatsNew/20240618/2b2bf75739c642bc8c310c9775d3bac1.html
https://www.seat61.com/China.htm

Original records and teaching examples. Not a ticket, confirmed allocation, carriage specification, accessibility assessment or promised railway outcome. Check current official instructions for your actual journey.