The longest high-speed train service in the world, from Beijing to Guangzhou, starts operations today. The shortest service will be about 8 hours. It will be extended to Hong Kong in 2015.
Details of the service are as follows:
Distance: 2,298 kilometres
Design Speed: 350 kilometres per hour
Service Speed: 250/350 kilometres per hour
Tariffs: Economy: RMB865
Business: RMB2,727
Experts believe that this new railway will change the landscape of transportation in China. It is generally reckoned that the high-speed railway services will dominate any travelling within 1,000 kilometres.