I had to visit Changsha (长沙) in Hunan (湖南) province for a Kylin software
project for one week and thought what better way was there for me to travel
other than speed train as it commonly knows here.
Coming from Shenzhen (深圳), I took a train from Guangzhou
North Railway Station to Changsha South, this ride took 3 hours however one noticeable thing was that the train top speeds reached 345kph on my trip. This train stops at
particular railway stations along the route for some passengers to get on and off usually for
2-5 minutes brief stops.
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| Train LCD displays moving speed |
Prior to the stops, there are announcements through the speakers informing you about the next stop and warn you to be quick while disembarking. These are both in English and Chinese. The display screens also in the cabins are worth looking at as they display the same information in both Chinese and English.
The speed trains also have first class and second class coaches all fitted with toilets and smoking is not allowed on board, a restaurant is available on board just in case one needs a coffee or a coke.
I got to Changsha early and saved a couple of hours that I channeled to looking around the city and also managed to taste some hot Hunan food. The speed train is highly recommended for anyone who would like to experience the high speeds and also save some money as it is cheaper than air travel.
