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China opens railway to Olympic city of Tianjin
2008-08-03
BEIJING - China opened a high-speed rail link between Beijing and nearby Tianjin on Friday to provide easy access to Olympic football matches in the booming port city. The railway is part of China's heavy investment in new infrastructure for the Olympics, including a new Beijing airport and additional subway lines. The new train cuts the travel time for the 75-mile (120-kilometer) journey from 70 minutes to about 30 minutes, a notice on the Ministry of Railways said. The trains, which will travel at speeds up to 217 miles per hour (350 kilometers per hour), will depart from Beijing's revamped South Railway station -- also the departure point for high-speed trains to Shanghai. It is the country's first high-speed intercity train. A first-class ticket costs 69 yuan (US$10) and a second-class ticket 58 yuan (US$8.5). Regular service will begin Saturday.
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