I know Wuhan is not in Yunnan, but I figured this is probably still the best place to ask.

I'm living in Kunming and I'm currently pondering about going to Wuhan next week(end) or on the 2nd Monday from now for 5 days to join an Esperanto conference.
I have no experiences in travelling through China (besides having gone to Thailand via Laos by bus), so I'm not sure what would be the most convenient way to go there.

Can someone suggest something or tell me of any travel experiences? Options are of course: train, bus(?) and airplane. I hope to not spend too much money on the trip there and back again, but I'm also a little afraid of a train ride where I have to stand in the hallways for 9 hours or something. ;) How're sleeper trains? Recommendable or awful? The sleeper bus to the Laos border wasn't bad, actually.

Any suggestions?

Greetings,
- André

Sleeper trains generally are not bad.

I prefer the soft sleeper as there are only 4 to a berth and the berth door locks. And the bed is softer. Toilets are cleaner, more to do with the class of passenger.

The hard sleeper is 6 to a berth but not much head room, and the end of the berth is open to the corridor. People may also play cards till late and drink.

I am not sure if there is a bullet train to Wuhan, CRH train.

The only other things I can say about the sleepers is.
Soft sleeper get the top bunk as the bottom bunk is also seating, and you have to wait for others to go to bed.
Hard sleeper, middle bunk as the top bunk has the least headroom.
Keep valuables inside your outer layer of clothing, including phones etc.
I never get much sleep on the sleeper and have a stiff neck and feel like crap for several days after a trip.

It depends a bit where your priorities are.

There are four trains a day from Kunming to Wuhan, at least according to www.huoche.biz/q.aspx (just type 'kunming wuhan' into the search box in the upper right corner, latin characters will do). The trains take about thirty hours and a soft sleeper will set you back some 600Y one way, hard-sleeper about 400. Book at the train station or several rail-ticket agencies in town.

For only a little more money you can fly, the cheapest tickets on ctrip sell for about 820Y one way. You can even book with an international credit card on ctrip and you will get an eticket. Otherwise all travel agents in town can organize the tickets for you at roughly the same price.

A bus to Wuhan would be my idea of hell, but if you want to try, busses to Hubei province go from the new northern bus terminal. You have been warned.