A train trip from Shanghai to Beijing will be much shorter next year.

The trip will take 12 hours next year, two hours less than the current ride, said Shanghai Railway Administration Director Liu Lianqing. "We're now busy working on improving facilities along the whole line and will try every opportunity to reduce the number of stopovers that trains have to make during a trip," Liu said yesterday.

The move is part of the country's fifth train speed acceleration effort since 1991, which aims to raise train speeds in China to catch up with similar railway lines in developed countries.

Trains on trunk lines linking cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, together with major western and southeastern destinations will be accelerated next year.

By then, passenger trains will be able to run as fast as 200 kilometers per hour, up from the current 160 kph on the Shanghai-Beijing route.

Train produced by Canadian-based Bombardier, now dispatched on Shanghai-Nanjing line, will appear on the Shanghai-Beijing line by the upcoming National Day holiday.

Trips from the city to Hong Kong will also be easier in the future.

Starting October 1, travelers on the route will be able to go through customs clearance before they board trains in Shanghai, local railway officials announced yesterday.

The Shanghai Railway Administration has spent about 8.5 million yuan (US$1.02 million) to build a special hall for Hong Kong-bound travelers to handle all the baggage and customs procedures.

"The move is aimed at facilitating passengers traveling on the route as more are expected to take trains after locals are allowed to visit Hong Kong as individuals," said Liu.

In the past, passengers had to get off the train to clear customs in the southern city of Dongguan, Guangdong Province, during a stopover before entering Hong Kong.

Fang jiangen, head of Shanghai Railway Station, said officials at the special hall will start to handle luggage declaration and customs clearance about two hours before the trains' departure and stop 15 minutes before trains leave.

Shanghai now operates one route to Hong Kong every other day, which leaves the city at 12:25 pm. Officials expect the convenient service will also help boost passenger numbers. About 150 people took each train to Hong Kong last year.

About 133,000 passengers are expected to leave Shanghai by train between September 28 and October 7, about a 3.7 percent increase from last year's total.

(eastday.com September 24, 2003)