China by Rail, 2nd; Includes City Guides to 40 Cities including Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong

by Douglas Streatfeild-James and Nick Hill

• ISBN13: 9781873756621
• ISBN10: 1873756623
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Trade Paper
• Publisher: Trail Blazer Pubns

Summary

The guide to China for rail travelers. Most visitors use the comprehensive rail system to get around so this guide will appeal to almost all travelers to China. This step by step guide follows four classic rail journeys around the country, visiting the most interesting cities, cultural sites and scenic spots en route. It takes in all the main attractions, with full details of where to stay and where to eat--for all budgets. Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, and 40 towns are covered in detail, and the route guides contain useful kilometer-by-kilometer strip maps.

Author Biography

Douglas Streatfeild-James grew up in Malta, Britain, and Canada. After graduating from Oxford University, he spent six years in the British army where he honed his map-reading skills. He has trekked in South America, canoed across France and motorcycled across Europe. Douglas is the author of Trekking in the Pyrenees (Trailblazer), the Goa guide, and co-author of South India guide (both from Lonely Planet). He lives in London, England.

Nick Hill updated this second edition of China by Rail. After completing a design degree at university, Nick headed off into Asia for a short trip; several fascinating years later he had crossed the continent overland four times. He has worked on other guides for Trailblazer, including two editions of the Trans-Siberian Handbook. He currently lives in Bangkok, Thailand.

Table of Contents

Planning Your Trip
Routes, costs and making a booking 7
Making a booking (from the UK 13, from Continental Europe 14, from USA and Canada 16, from Asia 18, from Australia and New Zealand 19)
What to take 20 - Vaccinations and health safeguards 23 Background reading	p. 25
China
Facts about the country	p. 28
Practical information for the visitor	p. 50
The Chinese Rail System
Using the railways	p. 61
Railway history	p. 65
Steam in China today	p. 70
Gateways
Beijing and Hong Kong
Beijing History	p. 72
What to see	p. 77
Orientation and services	p. 85
Local transport	p. 86
Where to stay	p. 87
Where to eat	p. 87
Moving on 89 Hong Kong History	p. 90
What to see	p. 92
Orientation and services	p. 94
Local transport	p. 94
Where to stay	p. 95
Where to eat	p. 96
Moving on	p. 96
The Eastern Provinces - Beijing to Hong Kong
Route guide	p. 97
Tai'an	p. 109
Qufu	p. 117
Nanjing	p. 125
Suzhou	p. 137
Shanghai	p. 146
Hangzhou	p. 158
Nanchang	p. 165
Lushan	p. 169
Changsha	p. 175
Guangzhou	p. 180
The Western Provinces- Hong Kong to Beijing
Route guide	p. 190
Guilin	p. 206
Yangshuo	p. 210
Nanning	p. 214
Kunming	p. 218
Emeishan and Baoguo	p. 227
Leshan	p. 234
Chengdu	p. 240
Taiyuan	p. 249
Datong	p. 256
Harbin to Beijing - The North East
Route guide	p. 266
Harbin	p. 271
Changchun	p. 277
Shenyang	p. 283
Shanhaiguan	p. 289
Beidahe	p. 295
Beijing to Uuml;RUuml;MQI - The North West
Route guide	p. 298
Luoyang	p. 310
Xi'an	p. 317
Tianshui	p. 327
Lanzhou	p. 331
Jiayuguan	p. 339
Dunhuang	p. 344
Turfan	p. 352
Uuml;ruuml;mqi	p. 359
Kashgar APPENDICES Timetables	p. 367
Chinese words and phrases	p. 376
Rail ticket booking form	p. 380
Index
Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.

Excerpts

China, with all its paradoxes and contradictions, is a country that often defies comprehension. It is the last great bastion of Communism yet it also has the world's fastest growing economy. It holds a quarter of the world's population but huge areas are practically uninhabited. Terraced paddy fields are still ploughed using water buffalo, while whole cities are crammed with high-rise buildings and satellite dishes. Literally tens of millions of peasants are still estimated to live below the poverty line, yet China is a nuclear superpower whose industries include commercial satellite launching. The juxtaposition of ancient and modern is fascinating and sometimes baffling.
For the last two centuries the Chinese have tried to keep the West at arm's length but now, after an era of wars and internal fighting, the world's third largest country is wide open and both tourists and business people are being welcomed. Though this doesn't mean you can go absolutely everywhere without restriction, probably more of China is accessible today than it has been at any other time. Increasingly, too, there's more to see when you get there; the Chinese have at last realized that their historical sites are of tremendous value. Artefacts are now being properly restored and displayed. Indeed, with its density of exciting new finds, China may well harbor the last and greatest archaeological sources in the world today.
The rapid development of tourist facilities means that the reputation of the People's Republic as a difficult place to travel is also being overcome. No one would describe a trip to China as relaxing but neither is it the case of unremitting hardship people imagine. There are luxurious hotels and fully-guided tours for those who want them, while the adventurous can explore independently.
There's something for everyone, from fabulous Buddhist cave sculptures to treks in remote national parks. You can savor the peace, color and variety of the minority areas. For the energetic, there's mountain climbing, caving and walking. More sedentary attractions include a night at the opera or a meal in a top class restaurant. There's even a thriving nightlife in some of the larger cities. Most importantly there are plenty of chances to meet and talk to the Chinese themselves. There have been enough Western tourists through most places now for the staring to have stopped and for local people to have become more confident about being open and friendly. Increasing numbers of Chinese are learning English and are only too keen to practise on any foreigner who comes to hand.
For those who are traveling between countries on a long trip, China is a natural stopover. Sharing borders with, among others, Vietnam, Laos, Nepal, Pakistan, Kazakhstan and Russia, there are numerous opportunities to travel through the Central Kingdom en route to, or from, other places.
Not only more accessible than it has ever been before, China is rapidly becoming one of the most important nations in the modern world....and yet side by side with the trappings of a new superpower rest the remains of one of the world's oldest and greatest civilizations.
A visit here is truly unforgettable.

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Excerpted from China by Rail: Includes City Guides to 40 Cities Including Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong by Douglas Streatfeild-James, Nick Hill
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