Trains in Qingdao, China

[johnnychips]

It always amazes me where people on this forum have been, but this really is a long shot! I'm going to stay with a mate for two weeks in Qingdao (not sure about alternative spellings) at Easter. I know there is a station, obviously, but can anybody suggest any day trips or give me some idea what Chinese railways are like.

 

[upnorth71]

The train station itself is a stub end terminal, the original headhouse was built in the German style. You should be able to plan plenty of day trips based out of the city.

This may get you started:
http://www.seat61.com/China.htm

 

[LouJ]

Yes Qingdao is a terminus with a mainline heading west to Jinan. Traffic is not particularly busy although there is considerable freight. The only real option for a train ride is probably to Jinan and back.

First time I was there in 1976 all traffic was steam hauled with RM class Pacifics on express passenger trains which loaded to 16 or 18 coaches. Local stopping trains were hauled by QJ class 2-10-2's as were most of the freights with the occasional class JS 2-8-2 thrown in for good measure. In those days it was single line for most of the way but I assume it has been doubled tracked due to rapid rises in traffic in the last decade.

Qingdao was the German concession in China hence the construction of the brewery there! In the 1970s through to the early 1990s the town was full of German style architecture and they even had basket shaped windbreaks on the beach. Today there has been a lot of reconstruction with modern buildings predominant.

Its a good place for seafood - there are some wonderful items on the menus some of which are not for the feint-hearted!

 

[johnnychips]

Excellent, thank you!