Beijing and Shanghai, China are separated by nearly 820 miles. That’s only 28 miles longer than the distance between New York City and Chicago. On an Amtrak train it will take passengers 19 hours to arrive in the windy city. But with China’s new high-speed train travelers can make the same trip in less than five hours. The first bullet train departed Beijing last week in what marks a new age in Chinese travel. The project took just over three years to complete, a construction timeline unheard of in America. With a top speed of 217 mph, the train will run at a more modest 186 mph for safety reasons. To reach such speeds the train does not run on traditional tracks. Instead, it literally floats in the air, suspended by a system of magnets. Officials expect more than 80 million people a year will use the train line. It is expected that the new train will boost foreign passengers by 20 percent a year, in addition to boosting economic prosperity in Shanghai. Tickets will cost travelers about $86 to make the full journey. Or, if they wish, can disembark at any of the 21 stops along the way.
New train adds to reasons for travelers to visit China
As China continues to modernize and open its doors to the world, travel to the country of more than a billion people is also getting easier. China’s historical regions and monuments – such as the Great Wall and the Forbidden City – have traditionally lured travelers, but now the cities that are attracting attention. Getting from Beijing to Shanghai, known as the new Hong Kong, will be easy with new high-speed train.
