Another link to the Wall
BEIJING – Beijing has unveiled the “Great Wall Express”, a new train service that will speed visitors to the foot of the World Heritage site.
The Great Wall winds across more than 6400 km and receives an estimated 10 million visitors a year, mostly to the mere 10 km open to tourists at Badaling, the nearest stretch to Beijing.
Reuters reports the train will cut in half, to one hour, the time it generally takes to get to Badaling. More importantly, it will avoid the traffic jams visitors routinely face on their return into the city.
“You look at Europe, for example Switzerland, they have their own famous sightseeing trains,” Zhou Zhengyu, vice head of the Beijing Municipal Committee of Communication, told reporters aboard the train.
“We want to make this into Beijing’s own tourist train.”
The train service was formally launched ahead of the Olympics opening ceremony last week, but regular services will only begin later this week after cycling events in the area are finished.
Visitors will like the ticket prices: just 17 yuan ($2.50) for first class and 14 yuan for regular seats.
Ian Jarrett
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