According to the press conference held by the railway office this morning, the high-speed railyway from Kunming to Shanghai and Kunming to Guangzhou will start to take passengers on Dec. 28.
The price for the second-class seat, from Kunming to Shanghai,is 897rmb.
The price for the second-class seat,
from Kunming to Guangzhou, is 440rmb.
Tickets will be ready to be booked online this evening, throught www.12306.cn
The station for the high-speed trains is in Chenggong district, Kunming South Railway Station. We can go to the station by subway line 1(branch).
Useful update, thanks :-)
Seems Jan 5th wasn't correct. Anyways, it'll all be sold out. I've noticed that newly opened high speed rail is always sold out for weeks. With the Chinese new year approaching, this one will possibly be sold out for months.
After Jan.5th, the section of Kunming to Guiyang(capital of Guizhou Province) will be connected to the section of Guiyang to Shanghai(which has already been in use for a long time). So, after Jan. 5th, Kunming to Shanghai directly.
You are right. Maybe it's hard to buy tickets. People always want to have a "taste" of new things.
There was main news coverage on Kunming TV, Yunnan TV and Shanghai TV today.
Train tickets on sale from today.
KM Sh 1st class 1475 one way.
Km Sh Standard 879 one way.
Three trains per day. Journey time 10hr 35 mins.
Depart Shanghai 07.22, 08.55, 11.16.
Can't find Kunming times yet.
Trains from Shanghai start on the 6th, apparently.
you can fly Hainan Air KMG->CAN in two hours for 328 rmb if you look. :-)
Ref. journey time comparisons.
Sometimes train goes closer into the city, and you don't need to check in an hour before. For some people the railway station is closer to home as well.
There is also journey time reliability. No fog bound trains, or delays because of some idiot passenger boarding at the last moment and the plane missing its takeoff slot. Or just the China Eastern mystery delay syndrome. I have also been on planes that leave the gate on time, then sit on the tarmac for 30 minutes +, and then there are those flights that add half an hour to the advertised flight time. You can also stretch your legs on the train, and not have to squeeze into a seat designed by accountants. All as you watch the world glide past the BIG window.
All things that need to be considered, along with price.
yeah, high speed trains are pretty comfortable. If you can afford the 1st class/ VIP carriage, you get a reclining chair, you can put your feet up, and a drink and snacks. It's more comfortable than your sofa.
