moondog

First class and second class are standard products across many trains. It was necessary to call the top class on g trains something different in order to preserve these standards. I'm perplexed by how often this topic comes up.

EchoVictor

These linguistic shenanigans are at least going on in other sectors such as aviation. Apparently China Southern took a different tack by renaming classes of travel in response to a backlash. While this article doesn't specifically mention trains, it supports what I heard while traveling in China.

I would bet some real $$s that top gov't workers aren't allowed to travel first on trains but are allowed to travel business, similar to the newish policies when it comes to air travel.

http://www.economist.com/blogs/gulli...rruption-drive

"The Financial Times summed it up best:

'Beijing’s crusade against corruption claimed a linguistic victory on Tuesday when state-owned China Southern Airlines said it would change the name of its first-class cabin to business class, an apparent ploy to win back government officials who are banned from travelling first class in the new Chinese age of austerity.'"

moondog

The rebranding of domestic first to business (on airplanes) has been slowly unfolding since before xi was even on the map, and the same goes for g trains. As such, I'm inclined to dismiss the conspiracy theories.

warakorn

Try to get a (legal) taxi during the rainy summer season at Beijing South - it's a nightmare.

moondog

I've never had to wait in the queue for more than 20 minutes or so, but it is an exceptionally unpleasant queue (inside the parking structure, so lots of exhaust fumes, and piping hot). Beijing Stn's queue during winter mornings is also no picnic for the opposite reason.

SPBanker

Great TR, thanks! Always nice to read about trains...

mosburger

Or the faster D carriage sleeper trains.

I have absolutely no interest in doing Beijing - Shanghai or vice versa any other way than in the (relatively) high speed sleeper if my customers and biz partners do not prefer other means.

The same goes for many other Chinese domestic connections and I'll switch Beijing/Shanghai to/from Hong Kong point-to-point trips completely to night trains once the Kowloon HSR terminal opens.

warakorn

After stopping a brief period in Xiamen, I was continueing to Shenzhen.
Passengers, who connect at one station, do not have to pass through security again.
They just go up the escalators from the rail platform to the departure waiting hall.

Some metadata on the journey:
From: Xiamen North, Fujian Province
To: Shenzhen North, Guangdong Province
Train No: D2319
Travel Class: First Class
Ticket price: 201 RMB
Distance: 514 km
Duration: 3 hours 56 minutes
Top speed: 208 km/h
Route: Chaoyang-Shantou, Shanwei, Houmen on the Hangzhou-Fuzhou-Shenzhen High-Speed Railway
Operator: China Railway High-Speed, Nanchang Railway Bureau
Trainset: CRH1A-1155 (8-car set)
Rolling stock family: Regina electric multiple unit passenger train
Manufacturer: Joint Venture Bombardier Sifang (Qingdao) Transportation



Xiamen North Railway Station - security checkpoint (which I was able to skip):





Departure waiting area:





Departure board with our train D2319 to Shenzhen North from track 8:





Scrum to board our train:





Xiamen North train platforms:





CRH2 train:





Our CRH1A train (CRH1A-1155), which will bring us to Shenzhen North. The trainset is operated by the Nanchang Railway Bureau.





First Class section in 2-2 configuration:





Leaving Xiamen:







Exploring the CRH1A trainset:









Unfortunately the weather was not really good on that day. Its not smog. We experienced a coastal layer, producing some sprinkles during the day.







Raoping Railway Station:





Crossing the Rongjiang River near Shantou:





South China Sea near Shantou:





Getting closer to Shenzhen after sunset:





Arrival at Shenzhen North Railway Station:







Here is the video on this journey:


Direct link:

Enjoy!