Official media reports suggest Chinese leader appears to be taking bullet trains more often when he goes on tour, with sources and observers saying railway offers security and flexibility, and more opportunity to see what’s happening on the ground.

Unparalleled, nation-wide coverage has virtually turned China's high-speed rail network into a giant version of a city's metro grid.

These trains run at 300-350 km/h, while being both a lot cheaper and more convenient than flying.

When the next generation of 600-km/h maglev trains come fully into service, there's going to be no point in flying at all.