Starting early next month, the Shanghai Maglev Line, the world's first magnetically levitated train in commercial use, will begin regular daily transportation, a Shanghai Maglev Transportation Development Co official told Shanghai Daily yesterday.

"We are planning to start the line's daily traffic operation prior to the Spring Festival, which falls on January 22 next year," said Chen Yifan, an official of the company's managing department.

The departure timetable for the Maglev hasn't been finalized but it is very likely to follow the current timetable with a few adjustments, he added.

At present, the train has 23 departures from Longyang Road Station to the Pudong International Airport on weekends from 9 am to 5:20 pm, and 23 in the opposite direction from 9:23 am to 5:43 pm.

"Normally, the interval between trains will be about 20 minutes," Chen said.

With a total investment of 10 billion yuan (US$1.2 billion), the 30 km Maglev line, which uses German technologies, has carried 200,000 passengers, mostly for sightseeing purposes, since it started trial operation on January 1 this year.

It only takes eight minutes for a Maglev train to reach the airport from the station with its peak speed hitting 430 kilometers per hour. Tickets are 75 yuan (US$9), or 150 yuan for VIPs, for a one-way trip.

Most people contacted by Shanghai Daily yesterday said they wouldn't take the Maglev to get to the airport due to the cost.

Zhao Wei, an employee of Holiday Inn Vista Shanghai, said: "I won't take the Maglev because it charges too much and won't take me right to my destinations in the city downtown.

"Nor will it be very convenient if I bring much luggage."

(Shanghai Daily December 5, 2003)