贸仲委:中国高铁的全方位体验

2010年 11月 15日 12:10
中国高铁的全方位体验
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高铁开通前需要10至16个小时车程的距离现在最短只需三小时十五分钟。
记
者弗朗格斯（Alex Frangos）乘坐世界上速度最快的城际列车，从其他乘客那里了解位于该线路两头的广州和武汉的吃喝玩乐。
高铁之所在：你可能不会相信世界上最快的客运列车修建于偏僻之隅，但对大多数游客来说去那里确实有点费劲。这条线路由国营的中国铁路旗下的中国铁路高速运营，于去年12月开通。列车时速为217英里，比法国巴黎和里昂之间的高速列车（TGV）和日本的新干线（Shinkansen）子弹头列车都快。该线路连接华南工业大都市广州和长江边的工业城市武汉。武汉因其夏季酷热被称为中国四大火炉之一。武汉拥有迷人的滨江美景，热闹的夜市大排档和殖民时期的风情建筑，这些建筑有些年久失修，有些被改建成了时尚的夜总会。
高铁之所见：在两个城市之间600英里的旅程中，可以看到中国风光的、现代的一面，同时也能一瞥其落后的偏远地带。在高速列车开通前需要10至16个小时车程。而现在最短只需三小时十五分钟，根据停车站数不同稍有区别。广州和武汉的车站都是由玻璃和钢制成的庞大穹顶结构，更像是机场而非火车站，昭示着中国建筑材料的更新换代。中国乘客都无比自豪，很多第一次乘坐这条线的乘客都停下来在高耸的穹顶正面之下拍照留念。不幸的是，两个车站都修建在偏远的郊区，从市中心来回打车或乘坐公交车需要很长时间。除了候车乘客，广场上杳无人迹。没有可逛的商店，也没有可消遣的咖啡厅。车票从机器里购买，就像一般的通勤地铁一样。单程二等座票价为75美元。145美元票价的座位更大，空间更宽敞。值得注目的是，每天对开的25趟列车中很多都是满座。除了大家好像都在往外跑的节假日，平时提前一小时应当足够剪票进站上车了。列车经过三个省：广东、湖南和湖北。车外景色变化很快，从这些景色中可以看出中国并非所有地区都在飞速发展。牛在稻田里犁地，村里的老人在传统的瓦房外面休息。有时还能看见农民在树下打盹儿。
Alex Frangos/The Wall Street Journal
车窗外，中国并非在飞速发展地区的风景。
高铁之所食：奇怪的是，广州站没有任何吃的，所以在出发前一定要填饱肚子。新泰乐（盘福路65号，电话+8620-8136-6559）是一个品尝经典广式鳝鱼砂锅和叉烧肉的好地方。车站里有备不时之需的开水机，可以用来泡从两个小便利店买的方便面。火车上有出售零食的车厢。有的车上还有女服务员推车卖袋装糖果、坚果、鱿鱼干和腌凤爪等。武汉有很棒的辣味街边小吃。GuoGuo餐厅（武昌区交通路，没有电话）最有特色的是猪肉蒸饺，蘸上辣椒油十分美味。GuoGuo所在的商业街也有很多传统的湖北火锅店。
Reporter Alex Frangos rides the world's fastest intercity train andcounsels other travelers on what to do and where to eat in Guangzhou andWuhan, China -- the route's end points.
Where it is: It'sstrange to say the fastest passenger train on earth is off the beatentrack, but for most travelers it will be an effort to get to. Operatedby China Railway High-Speed, a unit of state-owned China Railways, theline was opened in December. It features train speeds of 217 miles perhour -- faster than the train a grande vitesse (TGV) in France or theJapanese Shinkansen bullet train. It connects southern China's factorymegalopolis, Guangzhou, and the industrial Yangtze River city of Wuhan.The latter is known as one of the 'furnaces' of China, thanks to itssearing summer heat. Wuhan has a pleasing waterfront, vibrant night-timestreet life and colonial-era buildings, some of which are falling intodisrepair while others have been converted into trendy nightclubs.
Whatto do: The journey between the two cities is a 600-mile glimpse intoboth China's gleaming, modern side and its rougher edges. Before thefast train began operating, the trip took 10 to 16 hours. Now it can becompleted in as little as three hours and 15 minutes, depending on howmany stops the train makes. The stations in Guangzhou and Wuhan areglass and steel temples to China's material progress, more like airportsthan train stations. Proud Chinese riders, many taking the line for thefirst time, stop for photos under the soaring facades. Unfortunately,the stations were built on the outskirts of the cities, requiringlengthy taxi or bus rides to and from the center. And the concoursesshow little sign of life except for the transiting passengers. There arefew shops or cafes in which to dawdle. Tickets are bought frommachines, much like on a commuter rail line anywhere. A one-way,standard-class ticket costs $75. For $145, you get a somewhat biggerseat with more leg room. Remarkably, every day there are 25 trainsdeparting each way, and many are packed. Outside of holidays, wheneveryone seems to be on the move, you should be able to show up and geton a train within an hour or so. You pass through three provinces:Guangdong, Hunan and Hubei. While the views change quickly, the scenesflicking by outside reveal that not all of China is going at warp speed.Oxen pull plows through rice paddies and elderly villagers loungeoutdoors among traditional tile-roofed homes. From time to time, afarmer can be seen napping beneath a tree.
Where to eat: TheGuangzhou station is bizarrely devoid of food, so be sure to have asolid meal before you set out. Xin Tin Le, (65 Pan Fu Lu; +8620-8136-6559) satisfies with classic Cantonese eel casseroles andbarbecued pork. At the station, in a pinch, there are hot-waterdispensers to make instant noodles that can be bought at the two tinyconvenience stores. The trains have galleys that sell snacks. There arealso women aboard some trains who sell packaged sweets, nuts, driedsquid and pickled chicken feet from carts. Wuhan has excellent spicystreet food. GuoGuo restaurant (Jiaotong Lu Street; Wuchang section; nophone) specializes in delicious breaded pork dumplings slathered inchili oil. The mall that houses GuoGuo also has many traditional Hubeihot-pot joints.