At precisely 7:45 a.m. on January 28, 2007, train D653 pulled out of the Shanghai South Station bound for Hangzhou. With the maiden voyage of his gleaming white streamlined electric train, the high speed era was born. Trains would no longer be the province of the tourist on a leisurely holiday, but a convenient new option for today’s business traveler.

As late as last year, China was still very much the land of Paul Theroux’s Iron Rooster. Antiquated trains of leviathan length clanked along at little more than 50 kilometers per hour. Riding one was a communal experience punctuated by rounds of poker and baijiu drinking. You met locals and talked to them at length. You had no choice: You were trapped in the same cubby hole. China hands held that you didn’t know anything about China until you’d spent 36 hours in a hard seat during Spring Festival. These days look to be numbered.

Ironically, China already boasts the world’s fastest train, the much-vaunted and woefully-underused maglev which rockets 30 km in just under eight minutes out to the Pudong airport, completed in 2003. There were whispers about a maglev between Beijing and Shanghai, but cost projections of 400 billion yuan, coupled with technological problems pushed decision-makers toward the conventional high speed networks, the kind which criss-cross Europe and Japan. Australian Julie Lim, a long-term China expat, frequently uses the new CRH (China Rail High Speed) trains and says they are “beautiful like one of the European trains and have plenty of space.”

The CRH trains have revolutionized domestic travel, cutting times on popular routes in half. Shanghai to Suzhou now takes 39 minutes, while Shanghai to Nanjing can be done in less than two hours. The Tianjin waterfront and gorgeous colonial architecture is now an easy day trip from Beijing. Amenities on these lines rival those of the Amtrak web connecting up the East Coast of the United States. Seating in first class on these new trains is two plus two while some trains feature seats that can swivel and recline. Top of the line CRH trains boast drop-down ceiling-mounted video monitors and armrest headphone controls. Today’s train experience caters to coffee drinking laptop jockeys for whom time is money. Tourism industry veteran, John Mckenna, who runs Travel the Real China, points out “the new trains are fantastic for businessmen.”

China plans to have a thousand trains on the rails zooming around at 200 kilometers per hour by 2015. Massive line construction is already underway. Originally meant to coincide with the Olympics, the new Beijing to Tianjin line has been pushed back for a 2009 debut. With travel time slashed to half and hour and trains pulling out every three minutes, commuting into the capital will suddenly be a real possibility. Meanwhile, travel time between Beijing and Shanghai will be cut from 10 hours to five in 2010, providing a real alternative to flying. A new high speed line will link Nanning with Guangzhou, allowing the 12 hour journey to be done in three.

It’s just a matter of time before the Iron Rooster ends up on China’s endangered species list.

5 Train Trips You Don't Want to Miss

Beijing-Harbin

7 hours 50 minutes

Before:

11 hours 19 minutes CW Itinerary: Harbin is further north than Vladivostok and one of China’s most revered winter destinations whose annual Ice Festival (which starts on January 5) attracts tourists from all over the world. Take the heated D27 which leaves at a comfortable 1:50 p.m. and absorb the icy beauty and gothic splendor north China's rust belt. Get in at 9:30 p.m. just in time to see the immense and radiant ice sculptures. Travel first class for ?463.

Beijing-Beidaihe

1 hour 50 minutes

Before:

4 hour 47 minutes CW Itinerary: The introduction of high speed trains to Beidaihe this summer was a mixed blessing. Sure it cut travel time by two-thirds, but it also meant record numbers of holiday-goers. We're going to beat the system by bivouacking on the beach this winter (in a five-star hotel) and taking long, lonely strolls next to the slate grey sea. Travel first class for ?86.

Beijing-Qingdao

5 hours 53 minutes

Before:

8 hours 34 minutes CW Itinerary: Hop the D55 which pulls out at 11:20 a.m. and get an eyeful of Shandong's lovely wine country along the way. Pull into Qingdao at 5:20 p.m. in time for beer, barbecue and a beach sunset. Travel first class for ?327.

Shanghai-Nanjing

2 hours 7 minutes

Before:

3 hours 10 minutes CW Itinerary: Shaving an hour off the travel time puts Nanjing within reach as a day trip. Nanjing has as much history as Beijing and a great set of museums to boot. Hop the D408 which pulls out at 8:53 a.m., tool around the southern capital for the day, then head back on the D450, the last express of the day, which leaves at 8:09 p.m. You’ll be home in bed by 11 p.m. Travel first class for ?112.

Shanghai-Hangzhou

1 hour 18 minutes

Before:

2 hours 30 minutes CW Itinerary: With travel time slashed to little over an hour, the most romantic city in China is perfect for an after work surprise getaway with someone you love and hope will love you in return. Hop the 6:18 p.m. train and arrive in time for a romantic dinner at Provence on West Lake (Tel: 0571-8797-6115). Unfortunately the last express leaves for Shanghai at 8:41 p.m., so we suggest coughing up ?300 for a cab ride back home. Sounds like a lot, but you can’t put a price on back seat cuddling. Bring an iPod and share the magic. Travel first class for ?65.

by Mark Andrews