Shànghǎi: Riding on the Maglev.

Monday, 15th April, 2013.

Most of our tour group opted to take the high-speed Maglev train from the outskirts of Pǔdōng to the airport, where we were taking a flight to Yíchāng to begin our cruise of the Yangzi River.

 

On the way, we passed the Shànghǎi Stadium, also called the 80,000 People's Stadium.  The stadium was built in 1997, and is the third largest stadium in China.

It was used for football preliminaries at the 2008 Summer Olympics.  Shanghai Stadium was also the venue for the Opening Ceremony of the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games.

 

High-rise washing.

 

One of Shànghǎi’s many bridges.

 

Pat checks out the Maglev train as it arrives at the station.  The Shànghǎi Maglev is the first commercially operated high-speed magnetic levitation line in the world, and only the third Maglev line to be operated. It is the world's fastest train in regular commercial service since its opening in 2004.

The Maglev runs for 30 km, and the journey takes 7 minutes and 20 seconds to complete.

 

Pat on the Maglev.  It cost $1.2 billion to build.

 

Yuriy points to the speedo, which shows that we are doing 300 km/hour. 

The line is elevated, and you aren’t aware that you are doing that kind of speed.  That was, until we met another train going in the opposite direction, and it was just a blip.

 

Tatyana points out that we have now reached 301 km/hour.  The speed alternated between 300 and 301 km/hour for most of the journey.

The train ride was over in, well, 7 minutes and 20 seconds, and there we were at Shànghǎi’s Pǔdōng International Airport, ready for the next stage of our exciting visit to China.