Does China's vaunted high-speed rail system really live up to the hype?

Lucky for us, traveling influencer GainsDontStop (@gainsdontstop) went out and documented their experience in an immersive TikTok video.

@gainsdontstop Replying to @Pz Oz china's train #china #lifeinchina #livinginchina #city #train #transportation #publictransportation #highspeedtrain #usa ♬ original sound - GainsDontStop🇺🇸🇨🇳

The TikTok user went on a high-speed train for an approximately 111-mile journey from Shanghai to Hangzhou. While they likened the distance to a trip from New York City to Boston, Massachusetts, it's more like New York City to Hartford, Connecticut.

Nonetheless, the trip time of just one hour is mighty impressive for anyone that's ever sat in the traffic-laden East Coast or aboard an Amtrak. 

GainsDontStop also highlighted the train's features and schedule.

The route departs every 15 minutes, and there are 16 cabins with multiple seating tiers. The influencer praised the environment as "extremely clean and tidy with no weird smells."

The creator bought a second-class ticket for the equivalent of around $10. Those carriages contain five seats in a row. First class offers more space with four seats in a row, and business class has just two seats per row.

GainsDontStop offered praise for the train's peaceful atmosphere as it hummed along at around 170 miles per hour. The creator elaborated that the situation was ideal for resting or working, calling the experience "flawless." 

They concluded by noting that high-speed rail has greatly benefited the very populous Eastern Chinese cities, boosting efficiency and economic growth. Another video from GainsDontStop showed just how organized and efficient the system is when it comes to leaving and arriving on-time.

Overall, the video backed up why China's railway system is the envy of the world. That doesn't mean other countries haven't wowed travelers, with Japan's trains earning rave reviews. Meanwhile, high-speed rail is gaining traction in Europe as a preferred option for customers. The United States is also making moves with coveted routes finally coming to fruition.

Would having access to a high-speed train change how often you use public transit? Absolutely 💯 Probably a little 🤏 Not much 🤷 Not at all 🙅 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

The development is good for the planet, as a study from China revealed that high-speed rail creates just one-seventh of the pollution of air travel per passenger. The speed also offers major advantages when compared to sitting in traffic on crowded highways.

Viewers on TikTok were impressed.

"Absolutely remarkable," one user remarked.

While an imperfect comparison as noted, another viewer lamented, "It takes 4 hours and 35 min to go from New York to Boston by Amtrak."

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