Transportation

Transportation in Taiwan

data2 — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 07:27:09 -0700

Railways:
total: 2,481 km (519 km electrified)
narrow gauge: 2,481 km 1.067-m (1999)

Taiwan's High Speed Rail:
It is currently under construction. It runs approximately 345 kilometer from Taipei to Kaohsiung. It adopted Japan's Shinkansen technology for the core system. It will use 700T Series Shinkansen.

Highways:
total: 34,901 km
paved: 31,271 km (including 538 km of expressways)
unpaved: 3,630 km (1998 est.)

Pipelines:
petroleum products 3,400 km; natural gas 1,800 km (1999)

Ports and harbors:
Chi-lung (Keelung), Hua-lien, Kao-hsiung, Su-ao, T'ai-chung

Merchant marine:
total: 175 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 4,944,166 GRT/7,710,891 DWT
ships by type: bulk 45, cargo 33, combination bulk 1, container 69, petroleum tanker 17, refrigerated cargo 8, roll-on/roll-off 2 (1999 est.)

Airports:
38 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
total: 35
over 3,047 m: 8
2,438 to 3,047 m: 9
1,524 to 2,437 m: 8
914 to 1,523 m: 7
under 914 m: 3 (1999 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
total: 3
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1
under 914 m: 2 (1999 est.)

Heliports:
2 (1999 est.)

Transportation

Transportation in China

data2 — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 07:23:56 -0700

Transportation in the People's Republic of China has improved remarkably starting in the late 1990s as part of a government effort to link the entire nation through a series of expressways known as the National Trunk Highway System. Private car ownership is increasing but remains uncommon, in large part due to government policies designed to make car ownership expensive through the use of taxes and toll roads.
Air travel has increased since the late-1990s but remains out of reach for most ordinary Chinese. Long distance transportation for most Chinese is still dominated by the railways and bus systems.

Transportation in China is overseen by the Ministry of Communication of the People's Republic of China.

Highways:

Total: 1.21 million km
Paved: 271,300 km (with at least 24,474 km of expressways)
Unpaved: 938,700 km (1998 est.)

Waterways:

110,000 km navigable (1999)

Navigable waterways include: Chang Jiang, Grand Canal of China, Huangpu river, Lijiang River

Pipelines:
crude oil 9,070 km; petroleum products 560 km; natural gas 9,383 km (1998)

A major project is the construction of a large natural gas pipeline from Xinjiang to eastern China. The government hopes that this will reduce the use of coal which is responsible for much air pollution.

Ports and harbors:
Dalian, Fuzhou, Guangzhou, Haikou, Huangpu, Lianyungang, Nanjing, Nantong, Ningbo, Qingdao, Qinhuangdao, Shanghai, Shantou, Tianjin, Xiamen, Xingang, Yantai, Zhanjiang

Merchant marine:
Total: 1,746 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 16,637,023 GRT/24,552,567 DWT
Ships by type: barge carrier 2, bulk 325, cargo 840, chemical tanker 21, combination bulk 11, combination ore/oil 1, container 125, liquified gas 20, multi-functional large load carrier 5, passenger 8, passenger/cargo 46, petroleum tanker 251, refrigerated cargo 24, roll-on/roll-off 21, short-sea passenger 43, specialized tanker 2, vehicle carrier 1 (1999 est.)

Airports: 206 (1996 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
Total: 192
Over 3,047 m: 18
2,438 to 3,047 m: 65
1,524 to 2,437 m: 90
914 to 1,523 m: 13
Under 914 m: 6 (1996 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
Total: 14
1,524 to 2,437 m: 8
914 to 1,523 m: 5
Under 914 m: 1 (1996 est.)

Transportation

Transportation in Macau

data2 — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 07:20:25 -0700

Roads and Bridges
Macau has 321 kilometers of public roads. Two highway bridges link Macau to Zhuhai, the most recent of which, the 1.3-kilometer-long, six-lane Lotus Bridge, opened in December 1999. Two bridges link peninsular Macau with Taipa. The first, a 2.6 kilometer-long highway bridge, was completed in 1974; the second, completed in 1994 to serve the new Macau International Airport, is 4.4 kilometers long and four lanes wide. An eight-kilometer-long dual-lane highway links the airport and the Zhuhai border crossing. Taipa is connected to Coloane with a 2.2-kilometer-long causeway. The 38-kilometer-long connector, to be called the Lingdingyang Bridge, has been proposed to link Macau and Zhuhai with Shenzhen and Hong Kong.

Buses and numerous taxicabs provide public transportation. Motorists in 1999 used some 55,114 automobiles and trucks and 58,116 motorcycles.

Highways:
total:50 km
paved: 50 km
unpaved: 0 km (1996 est.)

Sea Transportation
Jetfoils, turbo catamarans, and catamarans operate between the Macau Maritime Terminal and Hong Kong (Central or Kowloon, depending on type of craft). The trip between Macau and Hong Kong takes between 55 and 70 minutes depending on the type of craft. About 150 trips per day are made between Macau and Hong Kong. The Macau Maritime Terminal is located on the east shore of the Macau Peninsula (Macau outer harbor). The Macau Container Port, located near the Macau International Airport, was opened in 1991. Vessels leaving the port provide multiple daily round trips to Hong Kong and regular container ship service to Taiwan, Singapore, and to Chinese ports within the Zhujiang estuary. Macau's shallow harbor and channels, however, limit the size and number of ships that can enter the port.

Merchant marine:
none (1999 est.)

Air Transportation
Airports:1 (1999 est.) Airports - with paved runways: Macau International Airport
total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (1999 est.)

The Macau International Airport opened in December 1995 on reclaimed land on the east side of Taipa. It handles commercial and general aviation and accommodates all major aircraft up to Boeing 747-400s. There are two offshore runways (3,285 meters and 3,360 meters) and one taxiway (1,460 meters). Up to 6 million passengers per year capacity is available. Air Macau (established 1994 with 51 percent ownership by China) and more than twenty other airlines provide international flights to and from Singapore, Manila, Bangkok, Pyongyang, Anchorage, and Los Angeles; and domestic flights to and from Taiwan (Taipei and Kaohsiung), Beijing, Chongqing, Fuzhou, Guilin, Haikou, Kunming, Nanjing, Ningbo, Sanya, Shanghai, Wuhan, Xiamen, Xi'an, and Zhengzhou. Around 200 flights are scheduled per week. Helicopter service is available every 30 minutes during the day from the Macau Maritime Terminal to central Hong Kong.

Transportation

Transportation in Hong Kong

data2 — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 07:17:46 -0700

The main islands Hong Kong Island and Lantau are both connected to the Kowloon peninsula with bridges and tunnels, both for road and rail traffic. As public transport is well-developed, the rate of car ownership is fairly low.

Most mass and local transit takes advantage of the Octopus card for fare collection. The city is accessible by an efficient MTR subway system, buses, light buses, electric tram and taxi cabs.

Escalators and moving sidewalks
Hong Kong Island is dominated by steep, hilly terrain, which makes it the home of some rather unusual methods of transport up and down the slopes. In the Central and Western district there is an extensive system of escalators and moving sidewalks. The Midlevels Escalator is the longest outdoor covered escalator system in the world, operating downhill in the morning for commuters going to work, and working uphill the rest of the time.

The whole system is 800 meters long, the vertical climb is 135 meters. Total travel time is 20 minutes, but most people walk while the system moves to shorten the travel time. Due to its vertical climb, the same distance is equivalent to several miles of zigzagging roads if travelled by car. It consists of 20 escalators and 3 moving sidewalks. Daily traffic exceeds 35000 people. It has been operating since 1993. It cost HK$ 240 million (around US $30 million) to build.

Railways
Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation (KCRC) - 2 lines plus light rail
-East Rail: total 34 km, standard gauge (1.435-m gauge), all electrified. 13 stations connecting Lo Wu to Hung Hom.
-West Rail: total 30.5 km, 9 stations connecting Tuen Mun to Nam Cheong.
-Light Rail Transit: Light railway system totalling 36.15 km. 68 stations serving the northwest New Territories.
-Several extensions planned and under construction, including Ma On Shan Rail, Lok Ma Chau Spur line, Tsim Sha Tsui Extension, Kowloon Southern Link, and Sha Tin to Central Link.

Mass Transit Railway Corporation (MTR) - 6 lines, 50 stations
-Kwun Tong Line: between Yau Ma Tei and Tiu Keng Leng
-Tsuen Wan Line: between Tsuen Wan and Central
-Island Line: between Sheung Wan and Chai Wan - on Hong Kong Island
-Tseung Kwan O Line: between Po Lam and North Point
-Tung Chung Line: between Tung Chung and Hong Kong station (Central)
-Airport Express: between the Airport and Hong Kong station (Central)

Hong Kong Tramways - double-decker trams, operating in northern Hong Kong Island from Kennedy Town to Shaukeiwan.

Peak Tram - a cable car on rails with 5 stations, connecting Central and the Victoria Peak.

Highways
total: 1,831 km
paved: 1,831 km
unpaved: 0 km (1997)

Bridges and Tunnels
There are 12 vehicular tunnels in Hong Kong. They include 3 cross-harbor tunnels and 9 road tunnels. The cross-harbor tunnels are: Cross-Harbour Tunnel (opened 1972), Eastern Harbour Crossing (1989), Western Harbour Crossing (1997). They connect Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula across Victoria Harbour.

Bridges include:
Tsing Ma Bridge, part of the Lantau Link
Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge (in project)

Buses
Five companies operate franchised public bus services in Hong Kong:

Citybus Limited
New World First Bus Services Limited
Kowloon Motor Bus Company (1933) Limited (KMB)
Long Win Bus Company Limited
New Lantao Bus Company (1973) Limited
There are also a variety of non-franchised public buses services, including feeder bus services to railway stations operated by the railway companies, and residents' services for residential estates (particularly those in the New Territories).

Mini buses
Many minibuses (red roof) and maxicabs (green roof) typically serve areas less accessible by buses.

Mini buses only hold 16 passengers without any standing space. They are slightly more expensive than buses but run much more frequently and take a more direct route than buses.

Taxis
Taxis of different colours serve different areas:

Red: Hong Kong Island and Kowloon ("urban area")
Green: New Territories
Blue: Lantau Island
As of 2003, there are 18,138 taxis in Hong Kong, of which 15,250 are urban taxis, 2,838 are NT taxis and 50 are Lantau taxis. Everyday they serve about 1.1 million, 207,900 and 1,400 people respectively.

Private cars
There are 517,000 vehicles with license in Hong Kong, including 64% private cars.

Merchant marine:
total: 271 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 7,942,646 GRT/13,101,275 DWT
ships by type: barge carrier 1, bulk 157, cargo 28, chemical tanker 5, combination bulk 2, container 53, liquified gas 5, multi-functional large load carrier 2, petroleum tanker 14, short-sea passenger 1, vehicle carrier 3 (1999 est.)
note: a flag of convenience registry; includes ships from 13 countries among which are UK 16, South Africa 3, China 9, Japan 6, Bermuda 2, Germany 3, Canada 2, Cyprus 1, Belgium 1, and Norway 1 (1998 est.)

Ferries

Within Hong Kong
Most of the ferry services are provided by licensed ferry operators. As of September 2003, there were 27 regular licensed passenger ferry services operated by 11 licensees, serving outlying islands, new towns and inner-Victoria Harbour. The two routes operated by the Star Ferry are franchised (vs. licensed). Additionally, 78 "kaito" ferry services are licensed to serve remote coastal settlements.

In 2002, ferry passengers amounted to 55 million.

The following companies operate ferries in Hong Kong:

The Star Ferry:
Central to Tsim Sha Tsui
Wanchai to Tsim Sha Tsui
Central to Hung Hom
Wan Chai to Hung Hom
The First Ferry:
Central to Cheung Chau / Mui Wo (Lantau Island) / Peng Chau
Tsim Sha Tsui - Mui Wo - Cheung Chau (weekends only)
Peng Chau - Mui Wo - Chi Ma Wan (Lantau) - Cheung Chau
North Point to Hung Hom / Kowloon City
Hong Kong & Kowloon Ferry:
Lamma Island to Central / Aberdeen / Pak Kok Tsuen
HKR International Limited:
Discovery Bay to Central
Discovery Bay to Mui Wo
Central to Tsim Sha Tsui (East)
Park Island Transport Company Ltd.:
Ma Wan to Central
Ma Wan to Tsuen Wan

Between Hong Kong and other places
A ferry service by hydrofoil between Hong Kong and Macau is available 24 hours a day, every day. Gamblers from Hong Kong often take a one-day excursion to that city.

The following companies operate ferries to locations outside of Hong Kong:

Chu Kong Passenger Transport (CKS) connects Hong Kong to cities in Guangdong province, China, including Zhuhai (Jiuzhou), Zhongshan, Lianhua Shan, Jiangmen, Gongyi, Sanbu, Gaoming, Heshan, Humen, Nanhai, Shunde, Doumen, Zhaoqing.

Airports
3 (1999 est.)
Airports - with paved runways:
total: 3
over 3,047 m: 2
1,524 to 2,437 m: 1 (1999 est.)

Kai Tak International Airport was famous, but it was retired as an airport in favor of "Chek Lap Kok International Airport", which is another name for Hong Kong International Airport. The latter now serves as the region's main gateway.

Heliports
2 (1999 est.)

One heliport is located in the Hong Kong Macau Ferry Terminal, by the Shun Tak Centre, in Sheung Wan, on Hong Kong Island
Another is located in Admiralty, next to the CITIC Tower
East Asia Airlines operates a regular helicopter service between Macau Ferry Terminal and Shun Tak Centre. There are around 16 daily helicopter round-trips. Flights take approximately 20 minutes in the eight-seat aircraft.

There are also a number of helipads across the territory, including:

Roof of the Peninsula Hotel - the only rooftop helipad in the territory, excluding the rooftop heliport of Shun Tak Centre
Cheung Chau island, between Tung Wan Beach and Kwun Yam Beach
Ping Chau

Transportation

Railways in Mainland China

data2 — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 07:12:14 -0700

Transrapid (a German maglev company, which has a test track in Emsland, Germany), constructed the first operational maglev railway in the world, from Shanghai to its airport. It was inaugurated in 2002. Commercial exploitation is planned for 2003.

There is an ambitious plan for more high speed rail by 2005.

Qinghai-Tibet railroad
A 670 mile (1118 km) long Qinghai-Tibet railroad to Lhasa is currently under construction. It includes the now finished construction of the 3,345-meter long Yangbajain No. 1 tunnel which is 4,264 meters above sea level and located 80 kilometers away from the regional capital Lhasa.

More than 960 kilometers, or over four-fifths of the railway, will be built at an altitude of more than 4,000 meters, and over half of it will be laid on frozen earth.

The railway's highest point, the Tanggula Mountain Pass, is 5,072 meters above sea level.

Thirty railway stations are to be built, among them Tangula Mountain station, which at 4,500 m will be one of the highest-altitude railway stations in the world (after Cóndor station, at 4,786 m, on the Rio Mulatos-Potosí line, Bolivia, and La Galera at 4,781 m in Peru).

When the railway is complete (expected in 2006), it will be possible to travel from Lhasa to Beijing in 48 hours.

Metro
Cities with metro systems:

Beijing designed and built in the 1960s
Guangzhou
Hong Kong ("MTR" or Mass Transit Railway)
Shanghai designed and built in the 1990s
Tianjin currently suspended for construction of additional lines
Ditto under construction:

Chongqing City - most sections will be above ground.
Nanjing ( http://www.nj-dt.com/ )
Shenzhen

Transportation

Pu Dong International Airport

data2 — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 07:09:46 -0700

Pu Dong International Airport is an airport located in the Pudong district of Shanghai, People's Republic of China. Its IATA Airport Code is PVG.

Hongqiao Airport was at first Shanghai's primary international airport, but all of its international flights went to Pu Dong after it was completed.

Transrapid (a German maglev company, which has a test track in Emsland, Germany), constructed the first operational maglev railway in the world, from Shanghai, to the Pu Dong International Airport. It was inaugurated in 2002. It has a peak speed of 430 km/h and a track length of 30 km.

Transportation

National Trunk Highway System

data2 — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 07:08:09 -0700

The National Trunk Highway System is a system of freeways currently under construction in the People's Republic of China. It is similar in scope to the Interstate highway system in the United States.

Construction began in 1990 and it is scheduled to be complete in 2020. The scale of the project can be seen by the fact that in 1989, the PRC had 271 km of freeways, but by 2004, it had 29,800 km of freeway, 4600 km of which were built in 2003.

Unlike other freeway systems, almost all of the roads on the NTHS are toll roads which are largely financed by private companies under contract from provincial governments. The private companies raise money through bond and stock offerings and recover money through tolls.

Efforts to impose a national gasoline tax to finance construction of the tollways met with opposition and it has been very difficult for the government to pass such a tax through the National People's Congress of China.

Transportation

MTR

data2 — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 07:06:00 -0700

The MTR or Mass Transit Railway (HKSE:0066) is the subway train system of Hong Kong. It is operated by MTR Corporations Ltd., a company listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and included in the Hang Seng Index.

Routes
The network has 6 lines and 50 stations:

Kwun Tong Line: between Yau Ma Tei and Tiu Keng Leng
Tsuen Wan Line: between Tsuen Wan and Central
Island Line: between Sheung Wan and Chai Wan - on Hong Kong Island
Tseung Kwan O Line: between Po Lam and North Point
Tung Chung Line: between Tung Chung and Hong Kong station (Central)
Airport Express: between the Airport and Hong Kong station (Central)

Travel fare
The fares are divided into several categories of travellers: Adult, elderly, student and child. Except for adults, all can use a discount price for travel, but all with some restrictions. To qualify for the student rate, you need to be a full-time Hong Kong student with MTR student travel card, for the child rate, you have to be under 11 year's old, and to get the elderly rate you must be above 65 years old.

The adult travel fares are based on distance. For the discount price, it mainly ranges from $3 to $6, but if includes Tung Chung Line the fare can cost $13 dollars. For adult, it ranges from $4 to $13 dollars. If Tung Chung Line is includied, the fare will be $26 dollars.

Other than Tung Chung Line, if you also include the airport express, the adult fare costs $100 each time, while children and the elderly cost $50 per journey.

There are two payment methods: Octopus card or Single Journey fare. Extra discounts are given for using an Octopus card.

History of MTR corporation and its business scope
The Mass Transit Railway Corporation was established in 1975 as a government wholly owned statutory corporation and on June 30, 2000 was succeeded by MTR Corporation Limited. The principal business is to operate the mass transit railway system. With its reliable operation, business management and planning, it has become a safe, comfortable, fast and effective means of transportation that is widely used by Hong Kong people. Following a successful initial public offering, the shares of MTR were listed on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong on October 5, 2000.

Besides railway operations, the Corporation is also actively involved in the development of key residential and commercial projects above existing stations and along new line extensions as well as many other commercial activities associated with the railway. This includes rental of retail and poster advertising space, ATM banking facilities and personal telecommunication services. It also provides consultancy services to organizations worldwide.

History of the MTR system
During the 1960's, the Hong Kong government felt a need to accommodate the increasing traffic predicted for the coming decades and appointed British transport consultants Freeman, Fox, Wilbur Smith & Associates to study the transport system of Hong Kong. The consultants finished the "Hong Kong Mass Transport Study" in September 1967 with a proposal of the construction of an underground mass transit system.

In 1970, a network of underground system was laid with four lines -- the Kwun Tong Line, Tsuen Wan Line, Island Line and East Kowloon Line. The lines with the same name as the in the present network in the then proposed system was slightly different from the present system.

In 1972, the Hong Kong government authorized the construction of Kwun Tong Line, which was the initial system.

In 1973 the government slightly reduced the system and renamed it as the Modified Initial System. The HK government also set up the Mass Transit Railway Corporation to replace the Mass Transport Provisional Authority to supervise the whole construction. The East Kowloon Line was decided not to be built then.

In October 1, 1979, the MTR was partially opened, with trains running from Shek Kip Mei to Kwun Tong.

MTR Octopus Access Control System
Since 1997, the Corporation has launched the Octopus Access Control System and the firm became the pioneer in using this payment system. The octopus card is a rechargeable contact-less smart card. Money is "stored" in the card. The amount can be automatically calculated and deducted. You can check the remaining value by simply using the fare deducting processor in the station. The system has proven so popular, it has been extended to different services such as transportation, supermarkets and fast food restaurants. It has the potential to be further developed in other fields of services. The older, traditional ticketing system is still running at present.

Shopping Malls
The MTR Corporation invested heavily to develop large scale shopping centres around the MTR stations. An example is the Maritime Square at Tsing Yi station, a nautical-themed mall in which there are supermarkets, boutiques, bookstores, a cinema, and restaurants, etc. It is also easily accessible by other transportation means including buses and taxis. Other shopping centers developed and managed by the corporation include Paradise Mall, Telford Plaza, and Luk Yeung Galleria. It is one of the goals of the MTR Corporation to provide a high quality working and living environment around its railway stations.

Properties Management
Property is the main business of the Corporation. They try to develop suitable sites related to their new railway projects and their existing railway. For instance, the reclaimed land situated on the west Kowloon, will become an area with residential, office and retail development. Two banks in Hong Kong, HSBC and Bank of China, have office towers there. Furthermore, there are residential flats nearby, provided with more than 7000 flats. Recreational facilities, market, schools and transport interchanges are also available. This idea fulfills the aspiration of people nowadays. Such innovative concept achieves their goal to respond to customer's changing desire and with technological advances.

MTR Property Agency and Consultant Services
MTR Corporation extends their share in the properties field by establishing the one-stop property agency and consultant services. Well experienced, qualified and professional consultants are readily available to provide information about the new and second-hand market sales and rental issues for the buyers and sellers.

The firm also has their own team of professionals who are experts in the technology of construction, marketing, financing and any other fields. Hence they can maintain the quality of services by themselves.

Metropolis Dialy Newspaper
Metropolis Daily Hong Kong was launched on 15 April 2002 and was distributed for free in racks of 49 MTR stations.

Trains of Urban Routes
Trains of the urban routes of the MTR system can be divided into 2 catergories, the M-Stocks from Alstom Transport (formerly known as the Metro Cammell and the modern K-stocks from Korea Rolling Stock Company

Each train is composed of 8 cars, rail gauge is 1432mm, powered by 1500volt of direct ciruit electricity.

All cars running urban lines have 5 doors on each side.

M-Stock
The cars of the urban routes can be subdivided into four typess as follows:

A cars: cars with driver cab and motor, 22850mm in length. There are 191 M-Stock A cars in the MTR system in 2003.

B cars: cars with motor, 22000mm in length. There are 96 M-Stock B cars in MTR in 2003.
C cars: cars with motor and pantograph, 22000mm in length. There are 287 M-Stock C-cars in MTR in 2003.

D cars: trailers only, 23160mm in length. In 2003 MTR owns 188 M-Stock D cars.

The configuration of a service M-Stock train is A-C-D-B-C-D-C-A

Each car is 3000mm width over body panel, floor to rail is 1100mm high and roof to rail is 3700mm high.

A service train has an acceleration of 1.0m/s/s, service brake is regenerative blend with air-brake at the rate of 1.0m/s/s and emergency brake is air-brake at 1.4m/s/s. Maximum speed is 80km/h.

Primary suspension is Chevron Springs, secondary suspension is air bags.

Traction system of M-Stocks is gate turn off chopper control

Each car has 45 seats and capable of holding 268 standing passengers, with an additional space for wheelchair. Control systems are ATC (automatic train control and ATP automatic train protection.

K-Stock
K-Stock trains have 3 types of cars:

A cars: cars with driver cab and motor. In 2003 there are 26 K-Stock A cars in MTR system. B cars: cars with motor. In 2003 there are 39 K-Stock B cars in MTR system. C cars: cars with motor and pantograph. There are 39 K-Stock C cars in the MTR system in 2003.

Since it is much heavier than M-Stocks, it does not have any cars similar to D cars in M-Stocks. K-Stock cars currently only service the Kwun Tong Line, the configuration of a K-Stock train is A-C-B-C-B-B-C-A.

All K-Stock cars are 22000mm in length, 3118mm in width, 3698mm in height.

Maximum speed of K-Stock is 80km/h, maximum acceleration is 1.3m/s/s, maximum service deceleration rate is 0.8~1.35m/s/s, emergency deceleration is 1.4m/s/s

K-Stock train also installed ATC and ATP.

K-Stocks come into service for MTR since August, 2002. This modern train is equipped with the modern 4th generation IGBT (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor) VVVF converter from Hitachi.

Trains of Tung Chung Line and Airport Express Line
Trains of both Tung Chung Line (TCL) and Airport Express Line (AEL) are all manufactured jointly in Spain by ADTranz and CAF. Track gauge for these two lines are both 1432mm and power supply are both 1500 volt direct cicuit

Trains of TCL
Trains of TCL are made up of 7 cars up until 2003, but TCL trains are capable of running with 10 cars in total. Cars of TCL trains can be divided into 5 types:

V cars: cars with driver's cab, motor, pantograph. They are 24600mm in length, with 42 seats, 2 wheelchair spaces andcan hold up to 252 standing passengers. In 2003 MTR corporation owns 24 V-cars. W cars: cars with motor. They are 22500mm in length, with 48 seats and can hold up to 252 standing passengers. In 2003 there are 24 W cars in MTR system. X cars: X cars are trailers with auto-coupler, they are 22500mm in length, with 48 seats and can hold 252 standing passengers. In 2003 there are 24 cars in MTR system. Y cars: cars with motor and pantograph. Y cars are 22500mm in length. They have 48 seats and can hold 252 standing passengers. In 2003 there are 12 cars in MTR system. Z cars: cars with motor with auto-coupler. They are 22500mm in length, with 48 seats and capable of carrying 252 standing passengers. There are 12 Z cars in the MTR system in 2003.

The configuration of a TCL train is V-W-X-Y-X-Z-V.

Maximum train speed of a TCL train is 135km/h, maximum acceleration is 1m/s/s, maximum service brake rate is 1.1m/s/s, emergency brake has deceleration of 1.35m/s/s.

TCL trains are equipped with ATC and ATP.

Traction system of TCL trains is gate turn off thyristor (GTO thyristor)

Each car in TCL has 5 doors on each side.

Trains of the Airport Express Line
Trains of Airport Express Line (AEL) are made up of 7 cars up until 2003 although they can be running with 10 cars per train. Cars of AEL trains can be divided into 6 types:

E cars: cars with driver cab, motor and pantograph, they have length of 24600mm , with 60 seats, 1 wheelchair space and can hold 84 standing passengers. In 2003 MTR Corp. has 11 E cars.

F cars: cars with motor, they are 22500mm in length, they have 64 seats, 1 wheelchair space and can hold 84 standing passengers. There are 22 F cars in the MTR system in 2003.

G cars: G cars are trailers with auto-coupler, they are 22500mm in length and have the same passenger carrying capability as F cars. There are 22 G cars in the MTR system in 2003.

H cars: cars with motor, auto-coupler and pantograph. They are 22500mm in length and have the same passenger carrying capability as F cars. There are 11 H cars in the MTR system in 2003.

J cars: cars with motor and auto-coupler. They are 22500mm in length and with the same passenger carrying capability as F cars. In 2003 there are 11 J cars in MTR system.

K cars: cars with driver cab, motor and pantograph. Each K car is 24600mm in length, K cars do not hold passengers but can hold 13 luggage containers. In 2003 MTR Corp. owns 11 K cars.

Configuration of an AEL train is E-F-G-H-G-J-K

Except for K cars that have 5 doors on each side, all other cars in AEL have 2 door each side.

Maximum speed of AEL trains is 135km/h, maximum acceleration is 1m/s/s, maximum service deceleration is 1.1m/s/s, emergency brake can deliver deceleration of 1.35m/s/s.

All AEL trains have ATC and ATP installed. Traction of AEL trains are GTO Thyrsitor.

Transportation

Macau International Airport

data2 — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 06:56:44 -0700

The Macau International Airport, in Macau, a special administrative region of the People's Republic of China, is a small aviation center with jet operations every day. It uses the IATA Airport Code MFM.

The airport was built on land reclaimed from the sea, next to Taipa Island (considered part of it now). It started operation in 1995.

Macau International Airport is capable of handling Boeing 747s, which is convenient for the island because Macau is used by many manufacturers such as Mattel, which uses Macau's facilities to build its Hot Wheels toy car line.

Macau International Airport is the only airport that serves the territory of Macau. It is the hub for Air Macau.

Airlines flying there include:

Air Koryo
Air Macau
China Northwest
China Southwest
EVA Air
Hainan Airlines
Shanghai Airlines
Transasia
Xiamen Airlines
Yunnan Airlines

On the Cargo airline end, the airport is served by:
Singapore Airlines cargo

Transportation

Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation

data2 — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 06:55:06 -0700

Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation (KCRC) is wholly owned by the Hong Kong SAR government and based in Hong Kong. It owns and operates the Kowloon-Canton Railway (KCR) and the Light Rail Transit System.

KCRC has three major rail lines - the original Kowloon-Canton Railway - known as the 'East Rail', the 'Light Rail' system serving the 'New Towns' in northwestern New Territories, and the 'West Rail', which links the northwestern New Territories to the city.

KCR East Rail and Light Rail move more than one million people per day.

KCR offers domestic train services in Kowloon and the northeast New Territories, and a cross-boundary service into mainland China. The cross-boundary East Rail has been KCRC's dominant revenue generator and key growth area. It is the only rail link to mainland China, capturing over 70% of all passenger traffic.

KCRC generates income from property management, development and other commercial activities as well.

Commuters can buy tickets or use the Octopus card for fare payment.

Recently the company has introduced 20% discount for passengers using KCR return on the same day.

History
West Rail opened on December 20, 2003.

Future developments
Talk of a merger between KCRC and the MTR to make the territory's transport system more efficient has been a heated topic since 2002. MTRC, which was listed in 2000 with the government retaining a majority stake, backed a merger while government-owned KCRC opposed the plan.

KCRC is building a HKD 31 billion rail project linking the suburban new town of Shatin to the Central business district. The massive expansion will more than double its network by around 2009/10.

East Rail
The stations of the East Rail are (from South to North):

Hung Hom
Mong Kok
Kowloon Tong
Tai Wai
Sha Tin
Fo Tan
University
Tai Po Market
Tai Wo
Fanling
Sheung Shui

West Rail
The stations of the West Rail are (East to West):

Nam Cheong
Mei Foo
Tsuen Wan West
Kam Sheung Road
Yuen Long
Long Ping
Tin Shui Wai
Siu Hong
Tuen Mun

Transportation

Karakorum Highway

data2 — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 06:52:42 -0700

The Karakorum highway (KKH) is a road in northern Pakistan that links Islamabad with Kashgar, China over the Khunjerab Pass. It was built through some highly mountainous terrain between 1966 and 1982 (opened in 1986) by the Pakistani government with much Chinese assistance at a high human cost as well as financial ($3 bn), an estimated 25,000 worked and 1,300 died during construction (882 official). It is over 1,250 km in length and despite constant efforts the harsh climate, snow and regular landslides often interrupt travel.

In recent years, it has become something of a destination for adventure travel.

Rock art and petroglyphs are found all along the road.

Transportation

Hongqiao Airport

data2 — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 06:51:12 -0700

Hongqiao Airport is one of the two airports in Shanghai.

History
Hongqiao Airport once had the international flights into Shanghai. As soon as Pu Dong International Airport appeared, Hongqiao lost its international service.

Connecting transport
Two taxi ranks, divided in to long and short distance, service the airport.

A bus stop provides various services to other parts of the city. As of October 2003, one minibus route terminates at Jing An Temple station, and costs four renminbi.

Transportation

Hong Kong International Airport

data2 — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 06:48:51 -0700

Hong Kong International Airport is popularly referred to as Chek Lap Kok Airport, after Chek Lap Kok, one of the islands that make up the airport's 1,248-hectare platform reclaimed from sea. HKIA was built on an artificial island built with tons of landfill, and is connected to the north side of Lantau Island and the newly developed city of Tung Chung.

Chek Lap Kok is the replacement for the old Hong Kong International Airport, popularly known as Kai Tak International Airport, which had a spectacular urban approach, causing noise pollution for nearby residents. After complaints from residents and pilots flying to Hong Kong, Kai Tak was retired after operations were moved to Chek Lap Kok. Many aviation enthusiasts were upset with the death of Kai Tak, because of the unique approach. Pilots had to use a checkerboard on a hill to safely land at Kai Tak. Chep Lap Kok's landing is an ordinary landing.

HKIA is the hub of Cathay Pacific, the Hong Kong flag carrier. Its IATA Airport Code is HKG, which is the same as what Kai Tak once had.

History
Opened in July 6, 1998, it took six years and US $20 billion to build. For three to five months after its opening, it suffered various severe organizational, mechanical, and technical problems that almost crippled the airport. At one time, the government reopened the cargo terminal at Kai Tak Airport to handle freight traffic due to a breakdown at the new cargo terminal, named Super One. Luckily, things started to settle down after six months and the airport started to operate normally.

On 22 August 1999, Mandarin Airlines Flight 642, which was landing in Tropical Storm Sam at Hong Kong International Airport on a route from Don Muang International Airport in Bangkok to Hong Kong, rolled upside down on the runway. The plane came to rest upside down. 3 of the passengers died.

In May 25, 2002, China Airlines Flight 611 broke up in midflight on the way to Hong Kong International Airport from Chiang Kai Shek International Airport in Taipei, Taiwan. All of the passengers on board perished.

Transportation
The airport can be reached by the Airport Express, a dedicated high-speed rail link provided by MTR. It takes 23 minutes to reach the airport from Hong Kong Station which is located in Central, in the Central and Western district on Hong Kong Island. In-town check-in is available at Hong Kong Station for most airlines.

Check-in Aisles
Airline check-in at HKIA is divided into eight aisles as passengers enter the airport.

Aisle B
Cathay Pacific

Aisle C
Air Mauritius
Cathay Pacific
Royal Brunei
Vietnam Airlines

Aisle D
Biman Bangladesh
China Airlines
Malaysia Airlines
Mandarin Airlines
President Airlines
Royal Nepal
Singapore Airlines
South African Airways
Swiss International Airlines

Aisle E
Aeroflot
All Nippon Airways
Korean Air
Lufthansa
Malaysia Airlines
Singapore Airlines
Thai Airways International

Aisle F
Dragonair
EVA Airways
Mekong Airlines
Philippine Airlines
Virgin Atlantic

Aisle G
Air Canada
Air New Zealand
Air Philippines
Ethiopian Airlines
Finnair
Japan Airlines
Japan Asia Airways
Orient Thai Airlines
United Airlines

Aisle H
Air France
Air India
Asiana
Cebu Pacific
China Eastern Airlines
El Al
Emirates
Garuda Indonesia
KLM
Northwest Airlines
Pacific Airlines
Pakistan International Airlines
Turkish Airlines

Aisle J
Air China
Australian Airlines
British Airways
China Southern Airlines
Continental Airlines
Continental Micronesia
Emirates
Gulf Air
Qantas
SriLankan
Xiamen Airlines

Transportation

Dragonair

data2 — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 06:46:11 -0700

Dragonair (Pinyin: Ganglóng, literally "Dragon of Hong Kong") is a major airline based in Hong Kong. It is associated to Cathay Pacific.

History
Dragonair started flying in July of 1985, with a Boeing 737, in a flight from Kai Tak International Airport to Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia. At the time, Dragonair was only a small new player in the Asian skies, and the airline's name was Hong Kong Dragon Airlines. In 1986, the airline officially changed its name to Dragonair (although its Chinese name remained the same). In 1987, the airline began charter flights to mainland China. This was also the year that Dragonair became the first Hong Kong-based airline to join the IATA. The airline kept a slow but steady growth throught the 1990s, decade in which it became associated with Cathay Pacific. In 1993, Airbus A320's joined the fleet, followed by Airbus A330s in 1995. In 1998, Dragonair became the last airline to have a plane landing at Kai Tak International Airport. Nowadays, Dragonair flies to 29 destinations.

Livery
Dragonair's planes are basically all white, with a red dragon on the tail, and the name Dragonair written in English dark lettering under the front passenger windows, and in Chinese red lettering over the front passenger windows also.

Fleet
Dragonair currently operates Airbus A320, A321 and A330 jets.

Destinations
29 cities around China, the rest of Asia, the Middle East (cargo flights only), and Europe (also cargo flights only).

Transportation

China Southern Airlines

data2 — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 06:43:39 -0700

China Southern Airlines is an airline based in Guangzhou in the Guangdong province of the People's Republic of China. Its main operations hub is at Baiyun International Airport, although some of its international flights operate from Beijing Capital International Airport.

History
Accidents
On May 8, 1997, a China Southern Boeing 737 jetliner crashed on approach into Shenzhen's Huangtian Airport killing 35. On February 24, 1999, a China Southern Tupolev TU-154 airliner crashed on approach to Wenzhou Airport in eastern China killing 61. On May 7, 2002, a China Southern MD-82 plunged into the Yellow Sea killing 112 people.

Destinations
Asia
Changi International Airport
Don Muang Airport
Fukuoka Airport
Hanoi International Airport
Ho Chi Minh International Airport
Incheon International Airport
Jakarta Soekarno-Hatta Airport
Kansai International Airport
Kuala Lumpur International Airport
Ninoy Aquino International Airport
Penang International Airport
Surabaya International Airport
Vientiane International Airport

Other
Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (from Beijing)
Brisbane International Airport
Los Angeles International Airport
Sharjah International Airport (from Urumqi)

Transportation

China Airlines

data2 — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 06:40:21 -0700

China Airlines (CAL,commonly abbreviated) is the state-owned airline of the Republic of China and is based in Taipei, Taiwan (not to be confused with Air China, which is owned by the People's Republic of China).

The airline flies out of Chiang Kai Shek International Airport.

China Airlines currently flies to many destinations in Asia, Europe, North America and the South Pacific. Because of political obstacles due to the establishment of the three links, it does not have regularly scheduled flights into mainland China, and passengers to mainland China must to through Hong Kong, and transfer into another airline. In recent years, the airline has had to struggle with the negative public perception caused by a string of major crashes. Its main competitor is EVA Airlines.

It was established in 1959, with a total fleet of 2 PBY Amphibians. During the 1960s, China Airlines was able to establish its first domestic and international routes and in 1962, a flight from Taipei to Hualien became the airline's first domestic service. Growth continued and by 1966, service to Hanoi, (now Ho Chi Minh City) began, Vietnam thus becoming the airline's first international destination.

The next 22 years saw sporadic but large growth for the company. Routes were opened to Los Angeles International Airport, JFK International Airport, London Heathrow Airport and Charles De Gaulle International Airport among others. Jets were acquired, and China Airlines enjoyed such planes as the Boeing 747 on their fleet. Unfortunately, all the progress did not come without setbacks, and in 1970 August 12 became the first dark day in the history of the airline, when a YS-11 of the airline struck a ridge while landing at Taipei, killing 14 people. In 1971, a Caravelle airplane of China Airlines blew up after a bomb in it exploded, causing the deaths of 25 people over the Penghu Islands.

In 1985 a China Airlines 747 at San Francisco International Airport suffered engine trouble and two people were injured, and in 1986 another China Airlines Boeing product, this time a 737, crashed in Makung, Penghu. That time 13 people lost their lives.

In 1991 at Wanli, Taiwan, another China Airlines 747 hit a hillside after major engine trouble, killing five people.

1993 saw China Airlines listed in the Taiwan Stock Exchange.

In 1994 an Airbus A300 of the airline crashed at Nagoya, Japan, and 264 people died. This accident happened during landing. Searching for a fresh new identity, China Airlines in 1995 introduced the Blossoming Flower tail logo (replacing the ROC national colors) that has now reached worldwide fame among airline passengers.

In 1998 another tragedy had to be overcome when another China Airlines A300 crashed during landing in Taipei, killing 204.

In 2002, China Airlines Flight 611 broke up in midflight on the way to Hong Kong International Airport in Hong Kong from Chiang Kai Shek International Airport in Taiwan. All of the passengers and crew on board perished.

Transportation

Chiang Kai-shek International Airport

data2 — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 06:37:52 -0700

Chiang Kai-shek International Airport (pinyin: Zhongzhèng Gúoji Hángkongzhàn) is located in Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China and is one of two airports that serve Taipei. The other is Sungshan Domestic Airport, which is within the city limits and formerly served Taipei as its international airport before CKS's construction.

Chiang Kai-shek International Airport is a major hub for China Airlines and EVA Air, and has the IATA Airport Code TPE. It is also one of two international airports on Taiwan, and is by far the busiest international air entry point into Taiwan.

The airport is named after former President of the Republic of China Chiang Kai-shek. The airport's name is referred to in Chinese as Chung-cheng (Zhongzheng), his given name at birth, without his surname. In a situation which is similar to Ronald Reagan-Washington National Airport, local officials in Taoyuan and other members of the pan-Green coalition often refer to it as the Taoyuan International Airport.

If Project Bojinka had not been discovered after a fire in Manila, Philippines, one or more aircraft owned by a U.S. carrier/s in this airport would have blown up over the Pacific Ocean on January 21, 1995 as part of the project's first phase.

On October 31, 2000, Singapore Airlines Flight 6, which was on a Changi International Airport,Singapore-Taipei-Los Angeles International Airport, Los Angeles route crashed upon takeoff from Taipei.

In May 25, 2002, China Airlines Flight 611 broke up in midflight on the way to Hong Kong International Airport in Hong Kong from Chiang Kai Shek Airport. All of the passengers on board perished.

The airport has two terminals.

Terminal I
Air Macau
Australian Airlines
Cathay Pacific
China Airlines
Continental Micronesia
Far Eastern Air Transport
Garuda Indonesia
Japan Asia Airways
Malaysia Airlines
Mandarin Airlines
Northwest Airlines
Pacific Airlines
Palau National Airlines
Philippine Airlines
President Airlines
Royal Brunei Airlines
Thai Airways International
Transasia
Vietnam Airlines

Terminal II
Air New Zealand
Air Nippon
Dragonair
EVA Air
KLM
Qantas
Singapore Airlines
UNI Airways
United Airlines

Transportation

Cathay Pacific Airways

data2 — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 05:32:24 -0700

Cathay Pacific (Pinyin: Guótài Hánggong Youxiàn Gongsi, abbreviated) is an Asian commercial airline based in Hong Kong. Their hub is in Hong Kong International Airport, or "Chek Lap Kok International Airport". Kai Tak International Airport was used before Chek Lap Kok was built. Its IATA designator is CX.

The company flies around a million passengers a month to sixty-two destinations and carries around 80,000 tonnes of cargo through AHK (Air Hong Kong). In 2001 the airline had a turnover of HK$ 30,436 million and made a profit of HK$ 657 million. The operating fleet numbers 75 aircraft, a mixture of Airbus and Boeing aircraft, and employs 14,500 people (2001).

Cathay Pacific Airways was founded in Hong Kong on September 24, 1946 by an American and an Australian, Roy Farrell and Sydney de Kantzow, both ex-air force. They had a single Douglas C-47. The company initially flew routes between Hong Kong, Sydney, Manila, Singapore, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. In 1948 Butterfield & Swires took a minority stake in the airline and soon came to have complete control over the day-to-day management, later acquiring 52% of Cathay Pacific. The airline is still part of the Swire Group through Swire Pacific.

The airline prospered into the 1960s, buying rival Hong Kong Airways in 1959, recording double digit growth until 1967, acquiring its first jet engined aircraft (Convair 880) and beginning international routes to airports in Japan. In 1966 the airline had carried a million passengers. Expansion continued throughout the 1970s and especially the 1980s, when an industry-wide boom encouraged route growth to many European centres and Cathay Pacific went public in 1986. The company was hurt by the Asian recession of the late 1990s, undergoing a reorganization and developing a new identity.

In 1996 the Chinese CITIC bought a 25% stake in Cathay Pacific. The Swire Group holding was reduced to 44% as two other Chinese companies, CNAC and CTS also bought substantial holdings.

Transportation

Beijing Capital International Airport

data2 — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 05:30:40 -0700

Beijing Capital International Airport is an airport in Beijing, People's Republic of China. Its IATA Airport Code is PEK. The airport is a hub for Air China.

Transportation
The airport used to be remote when it was first created in the early days. Then, a solitary, narrow road served it from the area now known as Sanyuanqiao.

When China started opening up in the 1980s, the airport was full of activity and the tiny, narrow road that used to serve it was tested to the limit. As a result, in the early 1990s, a nearly 20 km. stretch of toll expressway -- the Airport Expressway -- connecting downtown Beijing from the Northeastern 3rd Ring Road at Sanyuanqiao directly to the airport was opened.

At least two other expressways linking to the airport are planned before 2008. One of them is a stretch of add-on expressway from the Jingcheng Expressway. Work is due to begin in 2004.

There are currently no light rail or underground routes serving the airport; however, a light rail extension to underground line 13 is in the works and will be completed in time for the 2008 Olympics.

Evolution
With the incessant influx of foreign visitors and increasing domestic air traffic, the then relatively small airport, expanded in the 1980s, was unable to handle the mass traffic efficiently.

In late 1999, to mark the 50th anniversary of the founding of the PRC, the airport was expanded again. (This is the Beijing airport of today.) Another, even more ambitious expansion, is in the works, due for completion in time for the 2008 Olympics.

Airlines
It is very difficult for airlines to get coveted rights into Mainland China. American Airlines and Delta Air Lines want rights into China, but at the last time that rights were given out, they went to Federal Express.

The following airlines fly to Beijing Capital International Airport:
* Air Canada
* Air China
* Air France
* Air Koryo
* Air Macau
* Air Russia
* Alitalia
* All Nippon Airways
* Asiana Airlines
* Austrian Airlines
* Belavia Airlines
* British Airways
* China Eastern
* China Great Wall Corporation
* China National Aviation Company
* China North Airlines
* China Northern
* China Northwest
* China Southern
* China Southwest
* China Yunnan
* Dragonair
* El Al
* Ethiopian Airlines
* Finnair
* Hainan Airlines
* Hina Xinhua Airlines
* Iran Air
* Japan Airlines
* Jat Airways
* Kazakhstan Airlines
* Kirkstan Airlines
* Korean Air
* KLM
* Lufthansa
* Malaysia Airlines
* MALEV Hungarian
* MIAT Mongolian
* Northwest Airlines
* Pakistan International Airlines
* Scandinavian Airlines System
* Shandong Airlines
* Shanxi Airlines
* Shannxi Airlines
* Shenzheng Airlines
* Siberian Airlines
* Sichuan Airlines
* Singapore Airlines
* Swiss International Airlines
* Thai Airways International
* Turkish Airlines
* Ukraine International
* United Airlines
* Uzbekistan Airways
* Wuhan Airlines
* Xiamen Airlines
* Zhongyuan Airlines

Transportation

Airlines That Fly To China

data2 — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 04:59:36 -0700

Transportation

Air China

data2 — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 04:46:46 -0700

Air China (literally "Chinese International Aviation Company", abbreviated) is the People's Republic of China's state owned and largest commercial airline (not to be confused with China Airlines, which is the Republic of China on Taiwan's state airline). It was setup in 1988 upon the sub-division of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) to fly international routes although it also operated a few domestic sectors. Its main hub is Beijing Capital International Airport. Further deregulation of the aviation business took place in 1994, enabling foreign investment in airports and facilitating the import of aircraft built outside mainland China. By 1996 the country had 108 airports with scheduled airline services and around 30 different airlines.

Air China's fleet is predominantly sourced from Boeing although some airliners have been acquired from Airbus, including examples of the long range A340. Seven of the airline's Boeing 747 fleet are cargo-carrying aircraft. A couple of Lockheed Hercules aircraft superseded Antonov 12s in the freighter role. Four British Aerospace 146 "Whisperjet" passenger aircraft were returned to the United Kingdom during 2003 and are parked at Southend Airport in Essex. Since the reunification of Hong Kong with the mainland, competition from Cathay Pacific Airways and Dragonair Cargo on international routes has been allowed to continue.

The company's address is Air China international, Capital International Airport, Beijing 100621, China. Telephone +86 1 456 3220 Facsimile +86 1 456 3348

Its logo is a phoenix in the form of the abbreviation VIP.

Transportation