New Bullet Train to Cut Beijing-Inner Mongolia Travel to 3 Hours
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With the opening of Beijing's new airport and its myriad new routes just on the horizon, it seems like it's not just far-flung cities that will soon beckon us. Another tempting holiday spot is on its way, with Hohhot preparing to throw its hat in the ring as a weekend getaway for busy Beijingers.
A brand new Beijing-Inner Mongolia highspeed rail line is set to begin operation by the end of this year, cutting the current travel time of 9-10 hours to a mere 2.5. Trains departing from Beijing North station will pass Zhangjiakou, ground zero for the upcoming 2022 Winter Olympics, before reaching Hohhot, the capital of China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
A different kind of rush-hour
The rail route will provide a convenient and time-efficient way to access Inner Mongolia, (for now) a beautiful, crowd-free destination renowned for its outer-lying steppe, eye-catching temples, rich history, and abundant sheep, which in turn, means amazing lamb barbecue.
The new route will also speed up travel for those looking for onward travel to Ulan Bator in Mongolia, and even onto the Transiberian, which winds all the way to Russia's capital, Moscow.
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Given how inconvenient air travel can sometimes be, the new bullet train up north is a welcome addition to Beijing's growing arsenal of transit options, which earlier this year also cut travel time to Shandong's beachside city of Qingdao to just three hours. Watch this space for ticket times and prices once they're announced.
Images: Otis.com, Go Pack Up
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