China spending billions on bullet trains
As many readers know, travel to China can be challenging. And travel within the huge country can be a nightmare, given the language barrier, the traffic-choked highways, and the like.
But a recent article I stumbled across in Fortune magazine provided hope that travel between major Chinese cities will be a bit easier in the next few years.
The reason: a $300 billion, 16,000-mile high-speed rail network.
The project won’t be completed until 2020, but work already is well under way, and a line connecting Beijing and Shanghai should open in about two years.
According to the article, trains on that route will reach speeds of 220 mph and cut travel time about four hours. That’s not much longer than it takes to go by jet between the two cities now — not including time spent in security lines and passport lines.
Perhaps that’s one less excuse not to go to China.
Siegfred Dabon commented:
DEFINITELY!..when time commutes,are current taxi fleets enough to suck all commuters at a time in each and every train stops?, even buses ?.Must consider the huge traffic of populace during travel period like holidays and the ENDLESS LONG QUE's IN GETTING FARE TICKETS!!!!. Am 10yrs working here in Guangzhou, STILL!, a HUGE,BIG problem in this ONE issue,though they are computrized. THIS HUGE COUNTRY IS A BIG CHALLENGE IF YOU ARE A FIRST TIME TRAVELLER!.. U CANT EVEN HAV A GOOSE BUMPS,DUDE!!!!
Larry Thomas commented:
If you will take time to read the blog posting carefully, Sam, you'll see that I am making the same point you made. I said hi-speed trains will make travel EASIER within China. And because of that, furniture people may not dread going there quite as much. How does it make me a racist and a nut case to point out that travel to China can be challenging?
sam chuknew commented:
why are you stating thats 1 less excuse not to go to china,,yuo are a nut case,hi speed travel will make it easier to travel ,have you ever been to china,I have 100 trips under my seat and hi speed travel will entice me and millions to go to CHINA AND TAKE THIS SUPER FAST TRAIN ALL OVER THE COUNTRY , YOU SEEM TO BE A oddballRACIST
Pierce Sun commented:
Just remember,China is a developing country. ALL the challenging you menyioned are the reasons you come here for more business. Cheap goods, big market...
Roger Gao commented:
It is challenging, even to the chinese people ourselves.
By the time commutes through major cities is not that hard, parking will be a huge problem.
Looking forward to hear more comments on China from you~
