Last time, we explored east China's Shandong Province on Jinan-Qingdao high-speed train which saw its inaugural operation on December 26, 2018. There is another railway that was put into operation on the same day – Qingdao-Yancheng Railway. The opening of the Qingdao-Yancheng Railway marks that two cities – Lianyungang and Yancheng –are officially integrated into the national high-speed train network.

The 428-kilometer-long railway links the coastal Qingdao City with Yancheng in east China's Jiangsu Province within a 4-hour journey. Thanks to its operation, a trip from Yancheng or Lianyungang to cities like Beijing by high-speed trains will be cut by nearly four hours than ordinary trains.

Starting from Qingdao North Station, the bullet train travels through 16 railway stations, finally making its stop at Yancheng. The ticket price of the second-class seat for the whole journey costs 158 yuan (23.3 U.S. dollars). Let's get on the bullet train together with CGTN, and enjoy a water adventure along the rail route.

Qingdao North Railway Station

The adventure starts at Qingdao. Apart from the popular tourist attractions introduced last time – May Fourth Square, Mount Laoshan and Qingdao Beer Museum, there is a perfect place for coastal views – Zhan Bridge, or Zhanqiao in Chinese.

Known as the icon of Qingdao City, Zhan Bridge was originally built in 1892 with a length of 200 meters and a width of 10 meters. It was the earliest military pier in Qingdao City.

With soft waves blowing the bridge, crowds of seagulls screeching here and there, visitors often lose track of time when admiring the boundless sea. Also, it is completely free of charge for the bridge with an extra four yuan (60 U.S. cents) for the Huilan Pavilion nestled at the end of the bridge. The peak time usually falls from May to October. 

Three subway stations away from the Zhan Bridge is the Qingdao Underwater World. The aquarium is home to several interesting landscapes, such as the inter-tidal zones, underwater tunnel, performance hall and exhibition areas. It will satisfy all your needs for an adventure in the marine world.

The recommended itinerary is to take Subway Line 3 from Qingdao North Railway Station and get off at Huiquan Square Station where you can easily find Qingdao Underwater World within a 10-minute walk. After that, you can return back to Qingdao Station, via subway, and enjoy a stroll around the Zhan Bridge.

Lianyungang Railway Station

Then we make another important stop at Lianyungang, a prefecture-level city in northeastern Jiangsu Province. Noted for its pleasant climate and beautiful natural scenery, Lianyungang has everything you need throughout the year – the flourishing flowers in spring, sunny beach and festivities in summer, a wonderful hiking trip in autumn, and relaxing hot springs in winter. 

Located inside Haizhou Bay in the Yellow Sea, Lian Island is the largest island of its kind in Lianyungang, covering an area of 7.6 square kilometers. It is also one of the hottest tourist attractions that get extremely busy in the summer season.

Lian Island opens to public from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day with a ticket price of 30 yuan (U.S. 4.42 dollars) during low season and 50 yuan (U.S. 7.37 dollars) during peak season. The peak time starts from April 28 to October 27.

Yancheng North Railway Station

The bullet train finally brings us to Yancheng, seated in the central coastal area of Jiangsu Province. Yancheng is home to several nature reserves, ranging from wetland, river and lake to the animal breeding site.

Jiulongkou Scenic Region is our last stop. The Chinese characters "Jiulongkou" literally refer to the "mouth of nine dragons." Its name originated from the fact that there are nine rivers converge together and form a widely opened surface, just like nine dragons meeting in a point.

Listed as a national 4-A level scenic resort, Jiulongkou Scenic Region, too, offers awesome sightseeing views all around the year. Its ecosystem is well preserved, and the authority has launched numerous programs for tourism. The admission fee is 50 yuan (U.S. 7.37 dollars) only.