Tickets for the countrys new bullet train services went onsaleat the weekend, but there was nothing high-speed about thepublicsresponse.

　　Local media reported that just a handful of ticketcollectinghobbyists, media workers and youngsters attracted by thetrainshigh speed had bought advance tickets for the new service,which isidentified by the letter D.

　　The new trains come into service on Wednesday.

　　Railway officials, however, said that the indifferentmarketreaction was consistent with passengers normal buyinghabits.

　　Bullet trains are used on intercity routes for journeysthatgenerally take less than three hours. When passengers aretravelingsuch short distances, they seldom buy their tickets inadvance, anofficial said.

　　But thats unlikely to be the sole reason for the slowticketsales. There is also the issue of price.

　　While bullet trains can travel at up to 250 kph and cutjourneytimes by an average of 20-30 percent, the high-speedexperience isalso high-priced.

　　A seat on a bullet train costs about twice as much as one ontheprevious fastest service, which is identified with the letter TorZ.

　　For example, a passenger traveling from Beijing toZhengzhou,capital of Central Chinas Henan Province, would pay aminimum of213 yuan ($27.50) for the five-hour journey by bullettrain. Asoft-seat ticket for a T-type service, however, would costjust 94yuan but take 90 minutes longer.

　　However, insiders said peoples attitudes will change once theMay1 holiday arrives. Train tickets are hard to find during theGoldenWeek break, as people head off on holiday.

　　(China Daily 04/16/2007 page3)