New "Harmony" Fast Trains

Train travel in China has been changing "Fast" with the new Bullet Trains dubbed the "Harmony" trains which travel 30% faster than the normal trains in China. These new sleek train's tickets do cost a bit more but well worth the money for several reasons. First they are faster competing with airlines on some routes and are very comfortable with extra leg room and are smoke free. For tourists thinking they would like to see the countryside by train, they were often disappointed as trains from Beijing to Shanghai or reverse all run at night taking 12 hours from 6:00 p.m. and arriving the next morning at 6:00 a.m. There are six trains running each way but at night. If they had a day train, it would arrive in the middle of the night which is not practical. Now there is just one day train so far in each direction leaving at mid morning and arriving just after 6:00 p.m. taking just 8.5 hours. Not all routes such as Beijing to Xian are available yet but where there is presently no air service like from Shanghai to Nanjing or Shanghai to Hangzhou, there are fast trains that make air service not necessary anyway. For more train information or ideas on travel in China contact me at interlak@eskimo.com or view my web site at www.interlakechinatours.com for more tour information. I love riding the trains myself and do it for the fun of meeting Chinese people and great experiences.