Hong Kong To Mainland China By Train Is Now Often The Fastest Way

The Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong, the first Hig Speed Rail Service in Hong Kong Rail was launched today (23 September 2018), bringing visitors from around the world the chance to travel quickly and conveniently between Hong Kong and cities across Mainland China. In particular, the new rail link puts Hong Kong in easy reach of nine neighbouring cities in Guangdong Province and heralds a major boost to tourism in the Greater Bay Area.

The 26-km rail link connects Hong Kong for the first time to Mainland China’s vast high-speed rail network, the world’s most extensive. Travellers will be able to ride from Hong Kong to 44 destinations in Mainland China destinations without changing trains, making the city an ideal starting point for multi-destination journeys through China. With frequent direct high-speed trains linking Hong Kong to Shenzhen and Guangzhou in as little as 48 minutes, travelling within the Greater Bay Area will be faster and more convenient than ever before

The Hong Kong section of the High Speed Rail network runs from West Kowloon Station, one of the world’s largest underground high-speed railway stations and a new must-see landmark for visitors to the city. The station’s design has already garnered a number of international design awards including one at the World Architecture Festival Awards, known as the “Oscars of architecture”. Visitors can enjoy views of iconic Victoria Harbour by walking along the Sky Corridor on the station’s rooftop. A three-hectare green area outside the station, meanwhile, provides a peaceful oasis in the heart of the city for residents and tourists alike.

Outside the station, there is a wealth of entertainment and attractions for visitors who want to enjoy shopping, dining, or a taste of traditional Hong Kong. The tourism hub of Tsim Sha Tsui with its world-renowned restaurants and shopping malls is a short walk away. The station is also connected by public transport to fascinating neighbourhoods including Sham Shui Po in Kowloon where visitors can experience authentic Hong Kong life, or Old Town Central on Hong Kong Island where visitors can enjoy history, arts, food, and culture in one of the city’s oldest and most idiosyncratic districts.

Directly outside the station is Hong Kong’s new arts and cultural hub, the West Kowloon Cultural District. It is directly outside the station, which will soon offer visitors the opportunity to enjoy a sumptuous array of exhibitions, performances, and cultural events as soon as they step off the High Speed Rail network.

There has never been a better time to get on the train and discover Hong Kong and cities across Mainland China. Tickets for the High Speed Rail network are available online, from ticket agents, and through a tele-ticketing hotline.

Amtrak Announces its May Northeast Regional 3 Day Sale, Fares As Low As $39 between New York City And Washington, D.C.

Get on board for your next exciting trip, as it’s time to travel for less, during Amtrak’s latest “Northeast Regional 3 Day Sale.” Starting Tuesday, May 8 through Thursday, May 10, customers can book their summer day trips, weekend getaways and longer vacations anywhere in the Northeast Corridor (between Virginia Beach and Boston), for travel from Tuesday, May 29 through Sunday, July 8, with no blackout dates. Exclusively available at Amtrak.com, the sale offers some of Amtrak’s lowest prices since 2012.

Customers can visit the most popular cities in the Northeast for their summer travel, whether it’s to catch a baseball game, explore a new city, experience a summer musical festival, have an outdoor biking or hiking adventure or take it easy and relax at a beach.

Some of the special prices available, in either direction, during the sale include:

Pairing Cities	Price	Pairing Cities	Price
Washington, D.C. – Richmond	$19	New York City – Providence	$39
Washington, D.C. – Philadelphia	$29	New York City – Wilmington	$39
New York City – Philadelphia	$29	Baltimore – New York City	$42
Boston. – New Haven	$29	Washington, D.C. – Virginia Beach	$44
Boston – New York	$39	New Haven – Washington, D.C.	$47
New York City – Washington, D.C.	$39	Boston – Philadelphia	$55

Amtrak has upgraded its free Wi-Fi on Northeast Corridor trains, and at select stations, has recently refreshed its train interiors, and offers the freedom to use phones and electronic devices at all times (no “airplane mode”), the ability to travel with small pets on many trains, large spacious seats with ample leg room, and no middle seat.

The sale is valid on all Northeast Regional train service, including Keystone and Pennsylvanian trains between New York and Philadelphia, and the Vermonter, between New Haven and Washington, D.C., and between Virginia Beach, and Norfolk, Virginia. All prices will be automatically discounted from the standard fare price. No discount code is needed; prices are as shown and can’t be combined with other discount codes. 

Sale prices are available exclusively for one-way Coach Class fares and upgrades to Business Class are not permitted. Space is limited as sale prices are not available on all trains or at all times. Once purchased, tickets are no refundable. Exchanges are permitted within the ticket validity period; a 25 percent cancellation fee applies. Others restrictions may apply.

Amtrak offers a more comfortable and convenient travel experience with free Wi-Fi on most trains, plenty of leg room and no middle seat. With our state and commuter partners, we move people, the economy and the nation forward, carrying more than 30 million Amtrak customers for each of the past seven years. Amtrak operates more than 300 trains daily, connecting more than 500 destinations in 46 states, the District of Columbia and three Canadian Provinces, and reaches 400 additional destinations via connecting bus routes. Learn more at Amtrak.com.

Amtrak Unveils National Spring Sale, Saving 33% For Purchase Available March 26th To March 29th – For Travel From April 15th To June 21st

Amtrak has announced its new, National Spring Sale campaign, encouraging travelers to take a trip to their favorite destination prior to the summer rush, by offering discounted travel from Sunday, April 15 to Thursday, June 21 with no blackout dates. The sale runs exclusively on Amtrak.com from Monday, March 26 through Thursday, March 29, and presents the lowest fares of the season. Fares are 33 percent off a typical fare, and requires no promotional code to purchase.

Customers can sit in comfort, instead of traffic, with large spacious seats, no middle seats, ample legroom, the freedom to move around, and Wi-Fi on most train services. Some of the trains and destinations customers can experience with this sale for a quick weekend getaway or a trip to their favorite destination are:

Pairing Cities	Train	Price	Pairing Cities	Train	Price
St. Louis - Kansas City, Mo.	Missouri River Runner	$22	Los Angeles – Portland, Ore.	Coast Starlight	$80
New York City – Washington, D.C.	Northeast Regional	$43	New York City - Miami	Silver Service	$103
New York City – Montreal	Adirondack	$46	New Orleans – Los Angeles	Sunset Limited	$115
Washington, D.C. – Chicago	Cardinal	$67	Chicago – Los Angeles	Southwest Chief	$118

Space is limited, and prices are not available on all trains at all times. Other restrictions apply. The National Spring Sale is valid only for coach seats, and upgrades to business class or sleeper upgrades are not included. One child, age 2-12, may accompany each adult at half the typical adult fee. Once travel has begun, no changes to the itinerary are allowed. Once ticketed, fares are non-refundable. Exchanges are permitted prior to scheduled departure, a 25 percent cancellation fee applies to all tickets.

About Amtrak®

Amtrak offers a more comfortable and convenient travel experience with free Wi-Fi on most trains, plenty of leg room and no middle seat. With our state and commuter partners, we move people, the economy and the nation forward, carrying more than 30 million Amtrak customers for each of the past seven years. Amtrak operates more than 300 trains daily, connecting more than 500 destinations in 46 states, the District of Columbia and three Canadian Provinces, and reaches 400 additional destinations via connecting bus routes. Learn more at Amtrak.com.

Amtrak Offers Double Points For Spring Travel With Double Days Promotion, March 18th-May 19th

Customers can earn free travel and other rewards faster

Amtrak customers will soon have the opportunity to see double with the return of the company’s popular Double Days promotion. Amtrak Guest Rewards members, who typically receive two points per dollar spent on Amtrak travel, will now see their points doubled on travel from Monday, March 19 to Saturday, May 19.

By earning double points, customers can unlock rewards faster, including free Amtrak travel, upgrades, hotel stays and more. During Double Days, Amtrak Guest Rewards members can also earn up to six times the points with special offers from Amtrak’s partners, including Enterprise Rent-A-Car®, Teleflora®, Choice Hotels® and many more.

Registration, required for participating in Double Days, began Monday, March 5, and is available through the end of the promotion. Amtrak Guest Rewards members can register at AmtrakGuestRewards.com/DoubleDays. Customers who are not yet members may also visit AmtrakGuestRewards.com/DoubleDays to join Amtrak Guest Rewards and register for the promotion in just one step. Terms and conditions apply.

Amtrak offers free Wi-Fi on most trains, the freedom to use phones and electronic devices at all times (no “airplane mode”), the ability to travel with small pets on many trains, large spacious seats with ample leg room, no middle seat, and some of the best views and sight-seeing opportunities in the United States.

About Amtrak®

Amtrak offers a more comfortable and convenient travel experience with free Wi-Fi on most trains, plenty of leg room and no middle seat. With our state and commuter partners, we move people, the economy and the nation forward, carrying more than 30 million Amtrak customers for each of the past seven years. Amtrak operates more than 300 trains daily, connecting more than 500 destinations in 46 states, the District of Columbia and three Canadian Provinces, and reaches 400 additional destinations via connecting bus routes. Learn more at Amtrak.com.

Indian Railways: 2 New ‘World Class’ Trains To Cut Travel Time By 20%

CHENNAI: By June this year, the railways will roll out a ‘first of its kind’ semi-high speed, self-propelled train set which will cut down the travel time by at least 20% in comparison to any train drawn by a loco due to faster acceleration and deceleration.

The Chennai-based Railways’ Integral Coach Factory (ICF) has designed the train sets and will manufacture the first with 16 fully air-conditioned coaches by June 2018.

Touted as Train 18, it will have ‘world-class’ passenger amenities such as on-board Wi-fi and infotainment, GPSbased passenger information system and plush interiors with diffused LED lighting.

The new train with aerodynamic nose for reduced drag and for improved aesthetics is likely to replace elite Shatabdi Trains currently used for superfast inter-city travel.

Another set of train, named Train 20, is likely to be launched in 2020. These will also be equipped with world class facilities to replace another elite train, Rajdhani Express, used in overnight travel. Both Train 18 and Train 20, ‘Make in India’ projects by ICF, will be manufactured for half the cost of imported train sets. The only difference will be that Train 20 will have an aluminium body while Train 18 will have stainless steel body.

The train sets (like EMUs), which will replace locomotive-hauled trains, will have continuous window glasses for a contemporary modern look; ‘automatic plug-type’ sliding doors and sliding footsteps which will open and close automatically at the stations and zero discharge vacuum-based bio-toilets.

ICF general manager S Mani said, “Train 18 can travel at speeds of up to 160 kmph. It will have worldclass facilities for passengers. First set of train will be ready by June 2018.”

A study shows the railways will be able to cut travel time by three hours and thirtyfive minutes on the 1,440-km Delhi-Howrah route. The Rajdhani and Shatabdi Express can go up to 150 kmph, but the average speed continues to be 90 kmph as there are several speed restrictions. Given that applying brakes and accelerating takes longer using locomotives, the ‘train sets’ will cut down on time. The reduction in journey time was calculated at a maximum permissible speed of 130 kmph and could come down further if the permissible limit is raised to 160 kmph.

contributed BY MAHENDRA K SINGH

Amtrak Reveals Northeast Regional 3 Day Sale For Travel Between February 5th And March 15th, 2018

Available exclusively online with prices ranging from $8 to $51

If your New Year’s Resolution is to travel more in 2018, Amtrak is doing its part by offering customers its “Northeast Regional 3 Day Sale” for travel between Monday, Feb. 5 and Thursday, Mar. 15, including holiday travel during President’s Day Weekend. Starting Tuesday, Jan. 16 through Thursday, Jan. 18, customers can receive discounts on one-way fares to visit the most popular cities in the Northeast, including New York City, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and more, with no blackout dates.

The sale is only available at  Amtrak.com, and all prices will be automatically discounted from the standard fare price. No discount code is needed; prices are as shown and can’t be combined with other discount codes. 

Below are some of the special prices available during the Northeast Regional Flash Sale. All prices reflect the cost of each trip in either direction.

Pairing Cities	Price	Pairing Cities	Price
Boston - Providence	$8	Boston - New York City	$40
New York City - New Haven	$22	New York City - Baltimore	$42
Boston - New Haven	$29	Metropark - Washington, D.C.	$44
Washington, D.C. - Philadelphia	$29	New York City - New Carrollton	$47
New York City - Providence	$34	New York City - Washington, D.C.	$47
New York City - Wilmington	$34	Boston - Philadelphia	$51

Amtrak offers large spacious seats with wide, comfortable reclining seats and ample legroom for comfort, as well as free Wi-Fi, the freedom to use phones and electronic devices at all times (no “airplane mode”), the ability to travel with small pets on many trains, no middle seat, and one of the most generous baggage policies in the travel industry.

Sale prices are available exclusively for one-way Coach Class fares and upgrades to Business Class are not permitted. The offer does not include travel to or from any intermediate cities. Space is limited as sale prices are not available on all trains or at all times. Once purchased, tickets are non-refundable. Others restrictions may apply.

About Amtrak®

Amtrak offers a more comfortable and convenient travel experience with free Wi-Fi on most trains, plenty of leg room and no middle seat. With our state and commuter partners, we move people, the economy and the nation forward, carrying more than 30 million Amtrak customers for each of the past seven years. Amtrak operates more than 300 trains daily, connecting more than 500 destinations in 46 states, the District of Columbia and three Canadian Provinces, and reaches 400 additional destinations via connecting bus routes. Learn more at Amtrak.com.

Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed Railway Is Once Again World’s Fastest Train

The new bullet train operating between Shanghai and Beijing has broken the speed record for a passenger service by traveling at 350 kilometers per hour (kph).

The Beijing-Shanghai high-speed railway once again became the world’s fastest train after it being limited to 300 kph six years age, reports China Daily.

The train called Fuxing, or rejuvenation in Chinese, offers features such as power outlets, USB ports, and free WiFi.

“These trains are so popular that the tickets for today’s services sold out a week ago,” Huang Xin, an official with China Railway Corporation (CR), said Thursday.

The railway connecting the Chinese capital in the north with the major business hub in the south sees about 100 million passengers a year.

The new train completes the 1,200-kilometer journey in just under four-and-a-half hours. The previous generation of trains did it in six hours.

“The Beijing-Shanghai high-speed railway was built to the world’s highest standards, and the Fuxing trains were designed to run at a maximum speed of 350 kph. Operating the Fuxing on this route at a speed of 350 kph is without question in terms of safety, reliability, and comfort,” said Lu Dongfu, CR general manager.

China has sold its high-speed trains to Indonesia, Russia, Iran, and India, according to the daily.

Developers claim the Fuxing trains can be used in extreme climates, making them more competitive on the global market.

A Luxury Hotel On tracks: Japan To Get Two New Trains Giving A High End Travelling Experience

Japan‘s rail travel will hit new heights of luxury next year with the launch of new cruise trains by JR East and JR West. The demand for both routes is expected to outstrip supply as the rail cars compare favourably with the luxury of top class hotels.

The train will run through unspoiled West Japan.

Twilight Express Mizukaze will run through the unspoiled landscape of West Japan. The trips will embark from Kyoto, Osaka and Shimonoseki and will be ten-cars long. Included on the Express are six sleeper cars, two sightseeing carriages, a dining car and a lounge car.

The train will have 17 lavish rooms or carriages

The train will have a capacity of 30 passengers. Top-class chefs will oversee the exclusive menus showcasing a variety of ingredients from along the route. All will be prepared from fresh produce while on board. Mizutake passengers will be able to savour as well as gain a deeper appreciation of washoku and other cuisine from the region through the specially designed menus.

A bath made of Japanese cypress will be in the highest grade suite

The other luxury train, JR East, ‘Train Suite Shiki-Shima’ will offer luxury trips from Tokyo’s Ueno station through Tohoku and up into Hokkaido. It will showcase a unique view of Japan’s beautiful natural scenery as well as the local foods, arts and crafts of each region. Passengers will be able to disembark from the train to explore areas along the route. This train will also comprise ten cars, with four being dedicated to dining lounge, and viewing areas.

The train will launch in 2017

It will have no more than 34 passengers for the 17 luxurious rooms in the six sleeping cars.  A bath in the top-grade suite will be made of Japanese cypress. For the four day/three night and two day/one night train cruises will start from just under St£2,000. Shiki-shima will begin operations next May.

Created by PJ Cunningham

Read more: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/news/2016/06/03/japan-new-luxury-trains/#ixzz4Ac8rTcaX

Flying Scotsman Makes Triumphant Return

 by Golden Eagle

We look back at the Flying Scotsman’s marvelled past, including Tim Littler’s first journey using the locomotive, as it returns to operation once again this week.

For many reasons, 2016 will be a nostalgic year for Golden Eagle’s President and Founder, Tim Littler. Not only does it mark the 100th anniversary of the Trans-Siberian Railway, but the Flying Scotsman will be making its first run in over 40 years after an extensive restoration.

Having a passion for trains from a young age, Tim and his friends would often go and visit Altrincham Railway Station, enjoying the procession of steam-hauled Express trains that passed through on journeys from London and the South, during the electrification of the Euston-Manchester main line.

Shortly after operating his first successful rail tour in 1966, Tim followed this up with tours from Kings Cross to Newcastle and St Pancras to Altrincham, both of which included use of the Flying Scotsman locomotive.

Ready to depart – the Flying Scotsman at York station on 22 October 1966. (Image: Golden Eagle Luxury Trains)

On Thursday 25th February, the Flying Scotsman will return to operation once more on its inaugural run between London Kings Cross and York. It has been given a complete overhaul, with £4.2 million spent during a decade of restoration. First built in Doncaster in 1923 for use on the London and North Eastern Railway (LNER), the locomotive is 70 feet in length, weighs 174 tonnes and can carry eight tonnes of coal and 5000 gallons of water.

The Flying Scotsman achieved many accolades during its years of activity; until the late 1930’s, it sometimes hauled the world’s longest non-stop rail service of the same name and in 1934 broke the world speed record by travelling over 100mph on a train from Leeds to London.

The Flying Scotsman 60103 on a test run in Bury on 17 January 2016. (Image: Golden Eagle Luxury Trains)

Upon retirement by British Rail in 1963, the locomotive had covered around two million miles. It was immediately bought for preservation, covering close to 500,000 miles more, visiting the likes of Australia and the USA.

The original design of the Flying Scotsman was produced by Sir Nigel Gresley. It was primarily painted Apple Green, in keeping with the other LNER passenger trains. This changed to black during the Second World War and once the war ended, it was painted Brunswick Green before changing to Apple Green in preservation.

The train returned to public ownership in 2004, when it was bought by the National Railway Museum (NRM), and its purchase was contributed to by Sir Richard Branson, along with avid public fundraising and a grant from the National Heritage Memorial Fund. It has been through a long and thorough restoration; eight years by the NRM and two years by the Bury-firm, Riley & Son, who will continue to manage its operation for the next two years.

Crowds of train enthusiasts flocked to Bury’s Bolton Street Station to witness the locomotive’s return to the tracks for its first public outing, in early January, as it conducted test runs in preparation for its inaugural journey from London King’s Cross this Thursday. The snowy scenes made for perfect photograph opportunities, pleasing the thousands of visitors, many who had travelled the length of the country to see the return of the world’s most famous locomotive.

In May, the locomotive will travel the length and breadth of the UK, hauling some 13 excursions, which will doubtless draw huge crowds. In between trips, it will return to the NRM for public display.