The Beijing-Tianjin Intercity express railway will soon celebrate its one year anniversary on August 1. And so far, the train has been a remarkable success.

According the Ministry of Railway, it has carried over 18 million passengers in the past year, 86 percent more people than the slower trains carried in the previous year. Their average occupancy rate is 70 percent, and the trains were on time a remarkable 98 percent of the time. The trains reach 300 km per hour on the line, and can reach a top speed of 350 km per hour, which cuts the journey time between the two cities to just half an hour.

As a result, the express railway has also helped accelerate economic integration between Beijing and Tianjin. The two are the only pair of large cities in the world with a straight-line distance of around 100 km.

"The two cities can complement each other in many aspects. Tianjin has a North China’s largest port and is competitive in logistics and industrial production while Beijing enjoys advantages in finance, high-tech industry, talents resources etcetera.” Dr Shan Jingjing, an expert with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said. “I believe more and more corporations, especially multi-national and large state-own corporations will set up their headquarters in Beijing and production bases in Tianjin.”

The train’s impact extends beyond business, however, to ordinary people like Han Qing, a Tianjin resident and fan of modern dramas. Tianjin’s cultural offerings, however, pale in comparison to Beijing’s, and the railway has enabled her to watch dramas in Beijing and return the same night.

"Big stars will show up in Beijing’s theaters on Friday night, but I could not make it after work before Beijing –Tianjin intercity express trains launched”, she said.

There are plans to further improve the rail system, however, by making it more convenient. Currently the express trains only depart from and arrive in Beijing South Station, which, while near to downtown Beijing, is often over half an hour from traveler’s destinations.

The ticket prices are also rather high. Experts have suggested the price of tickets fluctuate based on the time of travel, with lower prices at off-peak hours.

By 2010, however, Beijing and Tianjin will be connected even more thoroughly: travelers will be able to go directly from Tianjin subway lines 2, 3 and 9 to the Beijing-Tianjin Inter city Express Railway, and from there, walk right on to Beijing subway line 4 and 14.

By Guo Changdong