are at the heart of many journeys. Author and BBC journalist Michael Bristow knows China well – and the insight time on board offers * How to travel by high-speed train around China Michael Bristow -- China’s rail network has gone through enormous changes over the past 10 years or so. The country has embarked on an ambitious government-funded project to connect all the country’s main cities with high-speed rail lines. These already cover more than 15,000 miles, and more track is planned in the coming years. The Chinese government has earmarked more than £80bn for high-speed rail construction this year alone. By comparison, in Britain there are still arguments about the £56bn HS2 rail project connecting north and south. High-speed trains at a depot in Wuhan, China. Facebook Twitter Pinterest High-speed trains at a depot in Wuhan. The Chinese government has invested heavily in its high-speed rail network. Photograph: Xinhua/REX/Shutterstock China’s communist leaders have always been willing to embark on massive infrastructure projects, and building these new lines has involved some remarkable feats of engineering. In December, a high-speed track opened between the cities of Xi’an, where the terracotta warriors are on show, and Chengdu, home of the pandas. Travelling at more than 150mph, trains -- armies – for centuries. Chinese high-speed trains now deliver passengers to their destinations far more quickly but there is still something to be said for taking a slower train. China is a continent-sized country, which means many of -- hard, wooden seats that looked like church pews, shared my travelling space with chickens, and whooshed along at 200mph on a brand new high-speed train. Rail travel is not always the fastest but it is perhaps the most satisfying way to see China.