(One Beijing-Tianjin intercity CRH arriving in Beijing)

Just a decade ago, if you want to go from Beijing to Shanghai by train, it would take you more than 15 hours. For people nowadays, when the pace of life has been much faster, it seems unacceptable to waste so much time on a journey. Fortunately, with the rapid development of railway, now people can ride the CRH, a high-speed train, covering the distance within only 5 hours. CRH trains, with its characteristic appearance like a white, double-ended bullet, has been an indispensable aspect of modern life ever since its birth.

(At dusk, the setting sun casts gold light on the tracks, and an intercity CRH from Tangshan arrives in Beijng.)

(Two different models, CRH380B and CRH380AL, meets each other at a railway crossing among apartment buildings)

Why CRH? Why not planes, or cars? Well, those bullet trains are much faster and safer than cars, while much more comfortable and cheaper than planes. We describe riding the CRH as ‘flying on the ground’. Looking out of the window, you can see those houses and fields rushing behind with a speed 300km/h, while still sitting steadily in your seat, maybe reading a book or enjoying a beverage, without any bumpiness or spill. The CRH represents utmost efficiency, convenience and stability. It is rarely affected by rains or snows, not like planes, and usually a CRH ticket in your hand gives you a sense of safeness, since you know you will most likely to arrive on time. In China, high-speed railways has stations in every counties it passes by, and even more than one station in big cities, which is unimaginable for airports. Thus the CRH can take you to your destination quite accurately. The ticket price, for sure, is higher than traditional trains, but still acceptable. Consequently, the CRH has attracted commuters, and formed a new lifestyle of living in one city and working in another. It’s always a pleasure to see the train you ride overtake those cars on a parallel freeway, and reach a nearby city within only 15 minutes. Train stations are located near the center of a city, so the CRH is also accessible enough for city dwellers. Even in a super metropolis like Beijing, you can always have a high-speed railway station within just several stops of subway.