chornedsnorkack

High Speed South Manchuria Railway opened on 1st instant.

The D train times are:

Dalian-Harbin - 5:18 to 5:42
Harbin-Beijing - 7:57 to 8:04
Changchun-Beijing - 6:29 to 6:45
Dalian-Beijing - 7:37
Jilin-Beijing - 7:28

Harbin-Changchun - 1:18 to 1:55
Harbin-Shenyang - 2:58 to 4:20
Harbin-Jilin - 2:05 to 2:50
Changchun-Shenyang - 1:32 to 3:05
Changchun-Dalian - 3:52 to 4:25

Jilin-Shenyang - 2:21 to 3:50
Jilin-Dalian - 4:53 to 5:00
Shenyang-Dalian - 2:07 to 2:40

Any trip reports yet?

FLLDL

Great news. Always a pain trying to get between the Northeastern cities - old railway was too slow, flights too unreliable. This is a big improvement.

jiejie

Chorned, your times are confusing. Are you giving out sample arrival and departure times for a single journey, or are you giving a range of departure times through the day? Also, when discussing pm times, could you edit post to 24-hour clock, which is consistent with Chinese practice?

anacapamalibu

Here's a bit more info from Chorned


http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showpo...postcount=4942


The Dalian - Harbin is scenic with the snowfall.
Might think about editing the bathroom footage.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXJ_bUSQz_Y

chornedsnorkack

For example, Harbin-Changchun:
42 daily trains on old South Manchuria Railway
30 D trains on South Manchuria High Speed Railway

of which fastest are several nonstop trains Harbin West to Changchun West, 240 km in 1:18.
and slowest is also nonstop D114, Harbin to Changchun, 246 km in 1:55 (16:40 to 18:35)

Of these 30 D trains, 3 continue to Jilin
fastest is D1382, Harbin West to Jilin, 351 km in 2:05 (10:02 to 12:07)
and slowest is D114/D111, Harbin to Jilin, 357 km in 2:50 (16:40 to 19:30)

and 25 continue to Shenyang
fastest is D1354, Harbin West to Shenyang North, 538 km in 2:58 (8:50 to 11:48)
slowest is D174, Harbin to Shenyang North, 546 km in 4:20 (13:35 to 17:55)

mediator

OP, use of "South Manchuria Railway" is fairly offending to the local people as the old railway was built during the Japan invasion. In fact this new high speed railway is constructed along as a parallel route.

chornedsnorkack

See:
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2...t_15983930.htm

The train in question departs Shenyang North at 9:08, makes 1 stop at Haicheng West, and is scheduled to complete the 383 km trip to Dalian North in 2:11, arriving 11:19 if not delayed by smokers.

The RMB 200 fine compares with 2nd class ticket of RMB 113, 1st class ticket of RMB 190 and VIP seat ticket of RMB 213.

chornedsnorkack

The prices of buses competing with High Speed Railways are reported to have fallen:
http://news.gaotie.cn/pinglun/2012-12-10/52190.html

Are the buses going to close altogether?

chornedsnorkack

It is claimed that the speed should be increased from 200 km/h to 300 km/h from 21th of April, 2013:
http://www.ln.xinhuanet.com/newscent..._115155097.htm

What shall the trip times be?

chornedsnorkack

Sped up on 21st instant.
None left.
G - 3:30 to 4:17
7:09 to 8:01
6:03 to 6:54
Same.
7:20
1:03 to 1:43
G - 0:54 to 1:11
2:22 to 3:14
G - 1:58 to 2:27
None left
G - 1:47 to 1:55
1:16 to 2:04
G - 1:02 to 1:38
None left
G - 2:34 to 3:47
2:24
G - 2:00 to 2:21
None left
G - 4:06 to 4:20
2:31 to 2:55
G - 1:30 to 2:17

Any trip reports yet?

Chinatrvl

After the third private message eventually something for the public. So there's actually anybody interested in Dongbei...

But what is there to say, it's a standard CRH.

Stations:
- Dalian Bei is in the middle of the sticks, far from the center (trains also to DL station)
- Shenyang Bei is in the city center with metro access (trains also to SY station)
- Changchun Xi is outside the city, but still ok. Due to all the construction around Changchun main station, Xi is probably even easier to access during rush hours (trains also to CC station)
- Haerbin Xi is half way to the airport, but still in the city. 30 mins from the pedestrian street

Worth of note is also
- Longjia station at Changchun airport, one of the few CRH airport stations. Athough not on the Haerbin-Dalian route and older, some trains go there and therefore it gives easy access to cities without airports.

Trains are standard CRHs, I hate trains.
- 2nd class, standard
- 1st class, standard
- Tedeng, a disappointment. While this class makes a train ride bearable on other routes, they've stuffed too many seats in there making the seat pitch smaller than in first, no power outlets on every row and row 2 AC is without a window. If empty still good, if full, first class is the better evil.

moondog

During the past month alone, I have faced several ~4 hour delays when flying, but zero on my train travels. Furthermore, the new train routes have created substantial business opportunities in cities that few of us even knew existed (e.g. Xuzhou, Zhengzhou, Changsha).

Chinatrvl

I have a pretty good on time record over this calendar year�s� 68 flights.

Very astounding to see huge provincial capitals with very good infrastructure, Zhengzhou and Changsha, as examples of unknown cities...

moondog

Of course you and I know about these cities because we happen to live in China, but what percentage of Europeans or Americans could point to either on a map? (My guess is less than 5%.)

mosburger

Agree fully on both accounts. The only thing I'm missing now are the old "VIP" lounges...