Latest news with #G87
National Geographic
28-07-2025
- National Geographic
7 bullet train journeys across China, from the Great Wall to Shangri-la
On a clear Beijing morning, I settle into my seat on board the G87 bullet train. Bound for Chengdu, we'll make the nearly 1,200-mile journey—about the distance from New York City to Kansas City—in just 7.5 hours. Through the window, buildings blur as we quietly pick up speed and soon we're sailing across the Yellow River, past Xi'an's ancient walls, and into the mountains of Sichuan. China is blazing a new future with its rail network, which includes more than 28,500 miles of high-speed tracks (for comparison, Europe's is around 7,450 miles), from Shanghai's leafy avenues to the soaring heights of the Himalayas and the surreal Terracotta Warrior Army. And, China just unveiled the world's fastest bullet train, topping out at 280 mph. These trains make crossing the country's huge landmass accessible and eco-friendly, even on a shorter visit. The Bund in Shanghai is a popular waterfront district. Photograph by Bodgan Lazar, Alamy Stock Photo 1. Golden triangle Best for: Imperial history and the Great Wall Route: Beijing to Shanghai via Xi'an Journey time: 10 hours (five hours per leg) Distance: 1,170 miles Best done as a journey of two halves, this train trip encompasses China's biggest sights, from Forbidden City in Beijing to the surreal terra-cotta warrior army at ancient capital Xi'an, finishing at the glittering city lights of the Bund in Shanghai. The first journey glides south out of Beijing West Station and across the vast plains of the Loess Plateau through China's industrial heartland before crossing the Yellow River to the ancient city walls of Xi'an. The second leg diverts west to Shanghai, passing the fifth-century Longmen Grottoes and Suzhou's classical gardens and canals on its way. 2. Tibetan Plateau Best for: Himalayan peaks and Buddhist temples Route: Xining to Lhasa Journey time: 20-hour night train Distance: 1,1215 miles Technically the only non-high-speed train on this list, the Qinghai-Tibet Railway is an engineering marvel built on permafrost and traversing challening terrain over some of the world's highest passes. Starting in Xining, the provincial capital of Qinghai province, this overnight journey first passes the blue waters of Qinghai Lake—China's largest—before chugging across the Tibetan Plateau (where you might spot antelope and other wildlife), and up into the Himalayas, arriving the next morning in the lofty Tibetan capital. (Our ancestors walked these trails hundreds of years ago. Now you can too.) On board, heated sleeper carriages and oxygen tanks keep passengers warm and safe from elevation sickness. Once in Lhasa, you can board a high-speed line (opened in 2021) that connects with the city of Nyingchi. To visit Tibet, international tourists need a regional travel permit and must book through registered agencies. Dunhuang was a primary stop along the Silk Road. Photograph by Horizon International Images, Alamy Stock Photo The colorful hills of Zhangye National Geopark are made up of colorful rock formations that look like art. Photograph by Boaz Rottem, Alamy Stock Photo 3. Silk Road Best for: Bazaars, dunes, Buddhist art Route: Lanzhou to Dunhuang Journey time: 8 hours Distance: 690 miles Stretching across the northwest deserts in Gansu province, this high-speed journey follows the camel trails that were used for centuries to trade silk, spices, and philosophy. Today, you can do the journey in a couple of days, or even better, break it up into several legs, allowing time to explore the grand Buddha statues, night markets, temples, and sweeping landscapes along the line. Starting in Lanzhou, home of the original hand-pulled lamian noodles, the train sails through the Hexi Corridor, through Zhangye with its colorful rainbow hills, Wuwei, where the famous Flying Horse of Gansu was uncovered, and Jiayuguan, the western end of the Great Wall, before finally arriving in the desert outpost of Dunhuang, home to giant dunes and the Mogao Caves—one of the most important caches of Buddhist art in the world. 4. Mountains of Shangri-la Best for: Mountains, gorges, ancient architecture Route: Kunming to Shangri-La Journey time: 5 hours Distance: 385 miles This mountainous journey zips across southwest China from Kunming, the provincial capital of Yunnan, to the high mountain town of Shangri-la, named after the mythical Himalayan valley in James Hilton's 1933 book, Lost Horizon. One of China's highest railway lines, it tunnels through the Himalayan foothills and up across the Tibetan Plateau. The journey can be done as a series of stops at towns like Dali and Lijiang, both known for their ancient architecture and minority cultures, or you can speed straight through in about five hours. Passing Lijiang, the region's best-known peak, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, spikes into a perfect triangle in the distance, and later the train crosses a high bridge over the glacial blue waters of the Jinsha River, which carves through Qinghai and Sichuan and into Yunnan. The ice sculptures at the Harbin Ice and Snow Festival in Harbin, China. Photograph by Gavin Hellier, Getty Images 5. Wintery northeast Best for: Ice festivals and a cultural mix Route: Beijing to Harbin Journey time: 4.5 hours Distance: 771 miles This sleek, high-speed route shoots northeast from Beijing through the vast plains of Dongbei, a region shaped by heavy snowfalls, dumplings, and faded traces of the Qing dynasty. You'll pass through Shenyang, once an imperial Manchu capital, before reaching Harbin, a city with onion-domed churches, frozen rivers, and a mix of cultures and influences, including from China, Russia, Mongolia, and beyond. Time your journey for January or February and you'll arrive just in time for the Harbin Ice and Snow Festival, where entire palaces and pagodas are carved from blocks of ice and lit up in neon hues. The route follows part of the old Trans-Manchurian corridor, once used by Soviet and Chinese railways heading for Moscow. 6. Rivers and rice terraces Best for: Karst peaks and lush forests Route: Guiyang to Guangzhou Journey time: 3.5 hours Distance: 540 miles This scenic journey traverses the karst landscapes of southern China, including the dramatic limestone peaks near Guilin and the subtropical scenery of Guizhou. This route blends mountainous terrain with modern viaducts and tunnels, which are great for dramatic vistas.
Miami Herald
12-06-2025
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
The Kyza Creates A Concept To Make The M2 CS Look Tame
Khyzyl Saleem, better known as 'The Kyza,' is a sometimes controversial character. He's designed wacky cars for videogames, some of which occasionally come to life, and he's part of the TWR Supercat project that gives the old Jaguar XJS a whole new attitude far beyond anything the original creators could have imagined. Some love his work, and others hate it - something he's fine with, by the way. The same goes for BMW M cars, and the oddly styled G87 M2, in particular. So what happens when a controversial virtual render artist and designer tries to improve one of the most controversial designs of the modern era? Perhaps somewhat surprisingly, something racier than even the new M2 CS, yet also something more elegant. It sounds like a contradiction, and it is to a degree, but just look at what The Kyza has dubbed the M2-KS. It's hardcore, yet stylish. Back in 2016, BMW created the 2002 Hommage Concept for its annual Villa d'Este showcase, which, as its name implies, paid tribute to the brilliant 2002, which arrived in 1971 (though the 02 series of cars with smaller engines had been around since 1966). With his new render, Saleem has maintained most of the underlying structure of the G87, but in replacing the box flares that come standard on the M2, he's also widened the track. This widening has been applied to the front and rear fascias, too, and that's how the 2002 influence is injected; new shrouds for the headlights create a sleeker, more aggressive look. The squared intake vents and false rear vents have been swapped for more angular and aggressive pieces, and the sides of the car gain additional vents and intakes. Finally, a wider and larger set of concave 827M wheels fills he arches in the same bronze as current CS-badged Bimmers. The NACA duct on the hood, the vents behind it, the massive rear spoiler, and the excessive vents along the side of the vehicle (and even below the taillights) are too much for BMW to ever embrace, but something must be said for how much better the M2 can look with some softer lines. Someday, the eventual replacement for the G87 will have a cleaner look, with inspiration from the Vision Neue Klasse concept. Until then, all we can do is wait. Unless, of course, The Kyza gets enough interest in this look. After all, his Live To Offend bodykit brand has brought wild interpretations of the E36 to life, as well as the E30. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
