Jinghu High Speed Train Opening Ceremony 30 June 2011

Ticket for the first train from Beijing South to Shanghai Hongqiao.

The train attendant shown is pouring drink for the invited reporters, about 70 of them travelling from Beijing to Shanghai on 17 June 2011.

On 17 June 2011 before the opening ceremony, reporters were invited to view and inspect the carriage of CRH380A’s facilities.

A gigantic view of Beijing South Railway Station at night.

Beijing Shanghai High Speed Train is also called Jinghu High Speed Train. “Jing 京” means “Capital” which indicates Beijing. “Hu 沪 or 滬” is an abbreviated name of Shanghai. Thus, Jinghu = Beijing Shanghai.

This is Beijing South Railway Station, the starting point of Beijing - Shanghai High Speed train

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (L) addresses the launching ceremony of Beijing-Shanghai High Speed Railway in Beijing, capital of China, June 30, 2011. The 1,318-kilometer railway, linking Beijing and Shanghai, opened to traffic on Thursday, cutting the single-way time between the two cities to under five hours. (Xinhua Photo)

Beijing-Shanghai high-speed train makes debut High-speed trains linking Beijing and Shanghai made their passenger debut on Thursday (June 30), extending China's high-speed rail network to nearly 10,000km. Premier Wen Jiabao declared the link "in operation" at Beijing South rail station before boarding the first sleek-nosed white train that will take passengers to Shanghai, the country's commercial hub, in less than five hours. He said the high-speed line -- launched on the eve of celebrations to mark the 90th birthday of China's communist party -- would be key to "improving the modern transport system... and satisfying people's travelling needs.“ The high-speed line, built in only 38 months and open to traffic one year ahead of schedule, marked a new chapter in China's railway history, he said. But railway operators must prioritize safety and improve management, as the line's "safe, scientific, orderly and efficient operation is a challenging task", he said. The line, designed for speeds of 350 km/h but running initially at 300 km/h, halves the travel time between the country's two main cities to just four hours and 48 minutes.

Presently world fastest train is ready to start.

Beijing South Railway Station has a history of more than 100 years, dating back to 1897, when it was called Majiabao Railway Station. In 1902, the station's name changed to Yongdingmen Station, then in 1988 it changed again to the Beijing South Railway Station. The station was under reconstruction between 2006 and 2008, and re-opened August 1st, 2008. The new Beijing South Railway Station mainly handles the bullet trains travelling to Taishan, Qingdao, Jinan, Shijiazhuang, Qinhuangdao, Suzhou, Hangzhou, and Shanghai, and the intercity trains to Tianjin and Tanggu District in Tianjin. The main building of Beijing South Railway Station is a two-story building with three floors underground.