4月18日“子弹头”列车拉来铁路高速时代

China Starts Selling Bullet Train Tickets

Statistics:
-On April 18, 280 bullet trains will be put into operation between the country's major cities.
-They can travel at speeds of up to 250 kilometers per hour.
-Travel time between major cities will be slashed by up to 50 percent.
-Raising the speed limit will help boost passenger and cargo capacity by 18 percent and 12 percent respectively.

Tickets for China's new high-speed trains have gone on sale as the first bullet trains will hit the track next Wednesday.

On April 18, 280 bullet trains, which can travel at speeds of up to 250 kilometers per hour, will be put into operation between the country's major cities. A total of 514 such trains will be in use by the end of this year.

The base price for the tickets is slightly higher than ordinary trains.

Travel time between major cities will be slashed by up to 50 percent. Currently, express trains in China travel at an average of 115 kilometers per hour. 

相关链接：
铁路第六次大提速子弹头列车解密

目前,我国旅客列车品种共有6种,即“直达特快列车”(“Z”字头)、“特快列车”(“T”字头)、“快速列车”(“K”字头、“N”字头)、“临时客车”(“L”字头、“A”字头)、“普通旅客列车”(四位数字编号)、旅游客车(“Y”字头)。铁路第六次大提速后,列车时刻表上新添一个品种,即“D”字头列车——动车组开行的列车。昨日记者采访了铁路部门有关人士,解密“子弹头”列车。

最高时速250公里

传统火车动力装置都安装在机车上,客车车厢由机车牵引而动。动车组是自带动力、可以两端驾驶、配备现代化服务设施的旅客列车。除了靠车头牵引外,部分车厢也自带动力,这样车体最高运行速度可达每小时200-250公里。

内部设施更人性化

不但运行速度快,动车组内部的设施也更加舒适和人性化。每把坐椅的扶手内都配备了可折叠的茶几,旅客可以像坐飞机时那样舒服地读书写字。据铁路部门有关负责人介绍,坐动车组列车其实和坐公交差不多,两端的车头和车厢本身都能产生动力,动车组列车上的旅客将不再面对面而坐,这样可以使旅客面对的方向始终与列车运行方向保持一致,从而避免旅客头晕。

前后都有驾驶室

动车组客车前后都有驾驶室,到终点站后,动车组客车可以直接往回开。由于椅背可以前后调节角度,列车员把所有坐椅调整方向,可保证行车时所有坐椅向前。