2023 marks the 25th year since David Feng got a Swiss general season ticket (GA/Generalabonnement) and 15 years since he travelled on the first national railway train in mainland China. It also marks 10 years after him he first became involved in the Everyday Rail English campaign to improve passenger rail English for Chinese trains, and five years since he and his wife crossed the border to Hong Kong by high speed rail.
The end of China’s calamitous Zero Covid policy means that free movement for China has been restored once again. In the immediate years to follow, starting in 2023, mileage will continue to rise.
David began his first journey on national railways this year with a 3-leg journey on the newly-opened Beijing-Tangshan Intercity Railway, with an extra stop on the “out” leg at Baodi railway station. This happened the day after Mainland China reopened its borders on 08 January 2023, scrapping inbound quarantine. Before Spring Festival 2023, he explored most of the High Speed lines starting around Beijing.
On 15 February 2023, he crossed went through Customs and Immigration in different jurisdictions a total number of 6 times in 12 hours, an all-time personal record, travelling on national rail, metro, and tram services in Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau, kicking off cross-border railway travel for 2023.
In mid-March 2023, David relaunched his Everyday Rail English lessons for rail crew, giving sessions to both station and onboard crew in different rail regions across Central China. He also travelled on new Metro systems for the first time, starting in Luoyang. This continued with journeys to Xi’an, Harbin, Qiqihar, and Daqing, in that order. He took some time off in late April and of May 2023 to retool, but returned to the rails in June 2023. Summer 2023 saw him travelling to Hangzhou, Laiwu, Qufu, and Taian, amongst many other places.
His international journeys restarted in 2023 with a journey on the China-Laos Railway. He ended the year on the first train from Tianjin West to Daxing Airport, as well as first-day trips on Tianjin Metro Line 11 and Beijing Subway Line 17 Northh.
2023 Travelogue
National/Territorial railway networks
China mainland: Beijing, Baoding, Chengde, Daqing, Hangzhou, Harbin, Ji’nan, Laiwu, Langfang, Luoyang, Pu’er, Qiqihar, Shijiazhuang, Sipsong Panna/Xishuangbanna, Taian, Tangshan, Tianjin, Xi’an, Xiongan, Zhangjiakou.
Hong Kong: by High Speed
Laos: Luang Prabang, Vientiane
Urban rail/Metro/Tram networks
China mainland: Beijing Subway, Harbin Metro, Hangzhou Metro, Luoyang Subway, Shijiazhuang Metro, Tianjin Metro, Xi’an Metro
Hong Kong: Hong Kong Tramways, MTR
Macao: Macao LRT