Absurdity, Allegory and China

A trip between Beijing and Tianjin on the Beijing–Tianjin Intercity Rail is one that gets quite a lot of Twitter attention, especially on the weekends. The trip from Beijing South Railway Station to Tianjin Railway Station (aka Tianjin East) on the Hai He (River) in the city center takes 30 minutes.

A recent samplings of tweets include ass kicking, very cool and amazing. And it is all of the above, especially considering what it was before. A decade ago it took close to two hours, sometimes longer, and the exit scrums at both ends and the attempts to get taxis (or a subway tickets at the Beijing terminus) were battles that could go either way. For more than a year leading up to the Olympics the Tianjin end of the line got even worse, since the main train station, closed for renovation, meant that all trains were routed into a warehouse district in the eastern part of the city, a temporary situation that added several degrees of pain and inconvenience to the journey.

Though ingress and egress has been vastly improved at both ends, there are still no subway connections at either terminals and unless you want to deal with very crowded buses, a cab is still a must if you need to get away from the stations. At the Tianjin end of the line there is more to see with easier access if a leisurely stroll through the center of the hometown of mahua, goubuli baozi and Wen Jiabao is the point of your visit. Beijing South is quite a different deal, since it really is in the middle of nowhere. A subway line is coming, but I am not sure when. At one time Septembers 2009 was the target date, though a cab is still the only way I get away. I am sure there are buses, though I’m holding out for the subway.

The always informative and ever-exuberant David Feng (TechBlog 86) provided the following info for purchasing an express rail card for those who travel back and forth on a regular basis.

Head straight for the Tianjin Railway Station and ask station staff where to get the “kuai tong ka” (express rail card). Initial load is at CNY 1,000 for standard class (standard card; about 17 rides) and CNY 3,000 for first class (gold card), and the card’s good for two years. Be prepared to pay cash only in one lump sum.

Look for a blue/yellow arrow beneath a fare gate (often to the right in Tianjin, but at times left at Beijing South). Don’t insert your card on the fare gate, but instead, dip it over the bulls-eye icon. Your credit will be shown and doors will open.

Standard class gets car 6, seats 1-80 reserved; first class gets seats 1-10 reserved in the sole first class car. Within those seats you’re free to pick window or aisle. Show staff the express card when requested.

If upgrading from standard to first, be sure to pay the extra fare difference. Gold cardholders travelling standard do not get the fare difference credited. Cardholders do not have access to Deluxe Class, which are limited to eight per train and can only be bought at ticket counters and are only available for series CRH III trains.

So what does a trip between two sprawling east coast Chinese cities have to do with Tibet? It’s all about the ‘free’ water available to riders.

Tibet Spring water, part of the price of the Beijing-Tianjin bullet train ticket.

(To be continued)