1148km at 350km an hour...but

Today we travel to the city of XiAn by high speed train. In this case, high speed really is to be taken literally. In 4 hours and 11 minutes, we cover 1148 km even with stops. Most of the time, we are moving at 350km/h.

That kind of speed, for such a distance, is unimaginable almost anywhere else, but here in China, it's not even exceptional. There are 40,000 km of high-speed track, and there are real plans to expand that to 70,000km.

It's an example of just how modern China is and how it follows a clear strategy . Some in Europe may complain that this cost nearly $900bn, but it's a huge asset. It's environmentally friendly and it has a good safety record. Its punctuality matches the Swiss. All in all, it's simply stunning.

Add to that a super metro in Beijing that has 16 lines, runs every 2 or 3 minutes, and costs 50c a ticket, and you have a fully integrated modern transport system. Same in Xi An.

Finally, for the last kilometres, there are on demand bicycles , or you can have your own (in Beijing electric only) scooter. The electric scooters and cars mean the city is quieter and the air is cleaner.

... but the housing for citizens has not kept up. Most live in rather faceless towers with little or no landscaping.Read more