A travel TikToker took to the platform to share his experience of riding the high-speed rail in China.
TikTok creator Cecil Travels (@ceciltravels) took the train to Beijing, saying he'd heard that the trains in China were amazing, "But as an American I had to see for myself."
@ceciltravels Train travel in China #beijing #chinatravel ♬ original sound - Cecil Travels
He got a $40 business class ticket, which got him a comfortable reclining seat with plenty of legroom, and a small door for some privacy during the hour-long trip. He was quick to point out that the train provided him with slippers for the journey.
The train left on time, and it wasn't long before they were "zooming through the Chinese countryside" at speeds of up to 234 kilometers per hour, or 145 miles per hour. He pointed out that at a height of six feet, four inches, he had enough room to fully recline his seat and stretch his legs out, even if his head did touch the back wall when he did.
"It was pretty nice, I give it five stars," he says.
High-speed rail is booming in China; the country has made upgrading and expanding its rail lines one of its biggest priorities in recent years. It has plans in place to spend $82 billion on expanding its high-speed rail network in the next six years, and is researching and testing trains that can exceed 600 miles per hour at their top speed.
High-speed rail is an appealing option as countries look to reduce their carbon impact. While they still take energy to run, they take less power than jets, and produce less harmful gases that contribute to our warming planet and changing climate. As speeds increase, they can even approach the travel times of planes for short and medium distance travel.
Commenters also sang the train's praises and lauded China's efforts to build out its rail system.
"China living in the future," said one.
"The Chinese have worked so hard to make their country a success," said another.
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"Wow $40," said a third. "America could never."
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