The first and last letters of the Greek alphabet are sometimes used to indicate the deity or - more down to earth - for superlative service or the best in anything.

The recently inaugurated "high-speed" railway service (with Chinese characteristics) by way of the gleaming new "Z" trains certainly comes close to being the Acme in travel.

While 200km/h, on selected stretches only, is not really anything to write home about, it is a vast improvement on the 120 or so km/h of the "T" trains and they do shave a cool two hours off the Shanghai to Beijing trip.

Not to mention the brand spanking new railway carriages and the service.

When one arrives at the platform, attractive and modishly adorned stewardesses usher you to your berth. Ankle submersing carpet is everywhere, panoramic windows enable you to soak up the forever changing vistas and the fittings are well-appointed and functional. There is even a focused reading light in every berth with its own individual switch. The inside of the door features a large mirror enabling one to see at a glance what the kids in the berth below are up to. Or your fellow passenger, if you brought no small tykes along.

A nicely designed and fully complimentary dinner box featuring some snacks that should sustain one for the next 12 hours is also thrown in with the deal.

The "Z" train's hi-tech toilets, this time around, are of the sitting variety, which fits in nicely with the slogan that "China Rail is with it".

Water faucets, this time round, are of the time delay type almost guaranteeing that last drop of water even when the train is wheeling into the terminal station.

Then the dining car, I mean, the restaurant and bar division of the "Z" train: Beautifully appointed, with good food in congenial surroundings, superlative service and reasonable prices.

And then the bartender: He is an absolute knockout to the ladies in his gold brocade livery that would not go astray in any of Shanghais' top notch nightclubs.

Well done China Railways.

Actually, rail travel should be a serious competitor to going by air if only linear speeds of 500 to 600km/h could be achieved. As a matter of fact, the German Maglev is getting pretty close. Safer too and less susceptible to sabotage.

Many rail trips can be slept through overnight and so, sleeping time is used to travel. What a bonus!

I should like to continue to wax on about the super job China Rail has done about their rolling stock but brickbats are due for the station arrangements in Shanghai.

Yes, the waiting hall in Shanghai for "Z" passengers is all new and comfortable, as are the departure gates.

Sadly though, it seems that the Shanghai authorities expect today's passengers, who are vacationing or traveling 1,500km or more, to carry a small rucksack with one change of underwear only and an apple.

I saw several elderly passengers having trouble getting their bags up the several flights of stairs in the "Z" division at Shanghai Railway Station and yours truly had to lug his valises weighing in excess of 30kg up and down the very same, seemingly interminable stairs, arriving huffing and puffing in the train and bathing in what seemed like horses' sweat. Not a single moving footpath or escalator in sight, neither was there any ramp for wheeling down heavy trolley bags.

With my usual luck, my carriage was right at the end of the train and with something like 25 extremely long wagons, that makes for quite a way to walk with heavy luggage and only three minutes to spare.

Then, in Shanghai, getting ON the train presents an additional hurdle as the carriage floor level is way up from the platform; no easy step for the elderly, the infirm and for people traveling with luggage, as most foreign visitors are likely to be.

Then, the contrast with the super Beijing Railway Station: the carriage door level is within millimeters of the Beijing platform; arrival (and departure) areas are at ground level and, conveniently, at the platform adjacent to station square: no stairs to climb or to descend. In one word: A breeze. - the Beijing boys certainly got it right, this time!

Soooooh, what needs to be done in Shanghai:

Firstly, there should be electrically operated moving stairs up, as well as down, at all places where ascends and descends present themselves from street level right up and down to the platform.

Then moving footpaths as in airports should be installed at the side of the platform both in Shanghai and Beijing. The trains are simply too long to traverse for passengers with luggage, small children, infirm people and the like.

Sure, porters, like shop assistants, are always around when one does not need them. However, when one arrives bogged down with heavy luggage, there is usually no porter in sight.

Come on, Shanghai rail, don't be outdone by those Beijing guys, just modify your train station a bit and install some moving footpaths alongside the trains and, at least a few moving stairs. Up and down.

That can't cost all that much. Besides, you are raking in 40 per cent or more in ticket charges, so there should be money to burn.

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