People traveling long distances frequently have to decide whether they would prefer to go by land, sea, or air. Hardly can anyone positively enjoy sitting in a train for mort than a few hours. Train compartments soon get cramped and stuffy. Reading is only a partial solution for the monotonous rhythm of the wheels clicking on the rails soon lulls you to sleep. During the day, sleep comes in snatches. At night when you really wish to go to sleep you rarely manage to do so. Inevitably you arrive at your destination almost exhausted.

Long car journey are even less pleasant for it is quite impossible even to read. On motorways you can at least, travel fairly safely at high speeds, but more often than not, the greater pan of the journey is spent on narrow bumpy roads which are crowded wich traffic.

By comparison, trips by sea offer a great variety of civilized comforts. You can stretch your legs on the spacious decks, play games, swim, meet interesting people and enjoy good food-always assuming, of course, that the sea is calm. If it is not and you are likely to get seasick; no form of transport could be worse. Even if you travel in ideal weather, sea journeys take a long time. Relatively few people are prepared to sacrifice up to a third of their holidays for the pleasure of traveling on a ship.

Airplanes have the reputation of being dangerous and expensive. But nothing can match them for speed and comfort. Traveling at a height of 30,000 feet far above the clouds, and at over 500 miles an hour is an exhilarating experience. For a few hours, you settle back in a deep armchair to enjoy the flight. The real escapist can watch a free film show and sip champagne on some services. But even when such refinements are not available, there is plenty to keep you occupied. An airplane offers you an unusual and breathtaking view of the world. You soar effortlessly over high mountains and deep valleys. You really see the shape of the land. If the landscape is hidden from the view. you can enjoy the extraordinary sight of unbroken cloud plains that stretch om for miles before you, while the sun shines brilliantly in a clear sky. The journey is so smooth that there is nothing to prevent you from reading or sleeping. However you decide to spend your time, one thing is certain: you will arrive at your destination fresh and uncrumpled.

To see the future of high-speed railways, you need to go to China.

At the beginning of the 21st century, China had no high-speed railways. Slow and often uncomfortable trains ran across this vast country, with low average speeds making journeys such as Shanghai-Beijing a test of travel endurance (忍耐力). Today, it’s a completely different picture. The populous nation has the world’s largest network of high-speed railways.

With the highest speed of 350 kph on many lines, intercity travel has been completely changed and the dominance (主导地位) of airlines has been broken on the busiest routes. China’s ambition is to make high-speed rail the popular choice for domestic long-distance travel, but these new railways have a much great importance. They are a symbol of the country’s economic power, rapid modernization, growing technological skills and increasing prosperity (繁荣).

It’s hard not to be impressed by the size of some of the new stations, and by the efficiency (效率) with which the system moves vast numbers of people, all with a booked seat and increasingly without the need for paper tickets, just a scan of an ID card at the ticket gates.

Not satisfied with pushing the boundaries of speed, endurance and civil engineering, Chinese companies are among the first in the world to introduce new technology such as autonomous (driverless) train operation and advanced signaling and control technology.

The driverless “bullet trains” connecting Beijing and Zhangjiakou in northern Hebei Province are capable of hitting speeds up to 350 kph, making them the world’s fastest autonomous trains.

Four Bike-Friendly Cities

Amsterdam, The Netherlands

With more bikes than people, the city is structured with cyclists in mind. Low-speed limits in the centre limit the impact of cars, while bike racks on public transport make it easy to travel long distances, Rental shops are everywhere. The terrain (地热) is famously flat, and an online bike route planner makes it easy.

Berlin, Germany

With over 1, 000 km of bike paths, the vast majority of which are protected lanes. It’s no wonder Berliners love to get around by bike. For the traveller, the major sights are within easy reach on a bicycle. The “Call A Bike ”share system allows you to simply lock the bike to any fixed object and call in a code to “return’ it.

Paris, France

Home to the Velib’ public bike sharing system that has over 20, 000 bikes, and with 500 km of bike paths, Paris cyclists can enjoy the city safe from motorists. A Velib’ stationis almost always within sight, or just around the next corner.   

Tokyo, Japan

Despite being home to one of the most expansive public transport networks on the planet, Tokyo residents still cycle in large numbers. Though the extent of bike lanes is limited, safe drivers ease the tension between car and cyclist. Unique automatic underground bike parking garages are provided when you need to store your bike.