Reference News Network, August 3 report: The U.S. "Wall Street Journal" website published an article titled "The Best Way to Explore China? Take a Futuristic, Punctual and Efficient Train" on August 1. The reporter is Matthew Kronsberg. The following is the translated version of the article:

As I boarded a train that was traveling at nearly 200 miles per hour (1 mile is approximately 1.6 kilometers - note from this newspaper), the trees outside the window turned into a blur of green due to the speed. I had a feeling of being out of body, as if I were fast-forwarding through China.

"We are no longer on Amtrak," I thought to myself.

Thus, I embarked on a one-week trip across China alone, covering over 2,000 miles without ever taking a plane. From efficiency, coverage, and the delicious food along the way, China's high-speed rail system - the world's largest and fastest-growing high-speed rail network - is the ideal way to explore this country.

The first day, I went to Wuyuan, then hired a car to go to the famous ancient village of Huangling. Exploring this terraced village among people taking selfies and wearing flower crowns gave me a glimpse of China's vast tourism market.

When I initially planned this trip, I was fascinated by videos circulating online that showed Chongqing's vertical, maze-like buildings. The train journey to this city, which was 750 miles long, took 10 hours, including a one-hour stopover.

That night, when I entered Chongqing's futuristic central business district, another major attraction of the city - spicy cuisine - hit me right in the face. On the 61st floor, the NOVA Planet High-Altitude River View Hotel with a space theme offered an unobstructed view.

For the next leg of my journey, I splurged by buying the highest class seat ticket on China's high-speed rail - the business class. A $180 ticket for a six-hour journey to Xi'an gave me a seat that could recline flat.

My conversations with the passenger sitting next to me followed a similar pattern. They used translation software on their phone to show me greetings, and I replied using Google Translate. We kept going back and forth until we switched to WeChat - a communication app that automatically translates our conversations.

Texting with the passenger next to me made me feel like a teenager, but this method worked very well. Despite the tariff news in the morning that might have caused political tensions, everyone I met was incredibly friendly and helpful.

I came to China to experience the most futuristic train travel, but I also wanted to feel the history of this country. So for the next leg of my journey, I chose a more traditional way - the green-sleeper train, which is slower than the streamlined high-speed trains. I booked a bed in a four-berth compartment for $50, preparing to embark on a 10-and-a-half-hour journey - while the high-speed rail would take less than half that time for the same distance.

Upon boarding, I found an elderly couple already asleep in the lower berth. I climbed up to my own berth, inserted earplugs, and had a sound sleep.

We arrived in Wuhan on time (even the Swiss could learn a few things from China's punctuality). Wuhan is known for its breakfast, and my plan was to enjoy the local famous breakfast, then take a train back to Shanghai in the afternoon.

But I stayed too long in a small coffee shop. When I finally got up to go to the station, I found that I was about to miss the train.

During the traffic jam, I changed my ticket on Ctrip to the train the next morning, and the operation was simple. The next morning, I arrived at the station early, with plenty of time. (Translated by Xu Yanhong)

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7534175924716110375/

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