Hong Kong has for decades been in the top ten of the world’s most important financial centers. A British territory for close to 150 years, the city state reverted to mainland China in 1997. In some sense, this event could not have come at a better time – China was hurtling along a phenomenal economic growth and developmental path over the preceding 2 to 3 decades.

Today, this means that whereas the affluence and advancement in Hong Kong is still ahead of any city on mainland China, the boom on the mainland implies cities like Shanghai are fast approaching peer status with Hong Kong. In fact, Shanghai is mainland China’s most westernized city and often appears to have more in common with Hong Kong than much of the mainland.

You can travel between the two cities by road, air or train. Of the three, the 25-hour train trip may not be the fastest means but it probably provides the best blend of cost and a close-up experience of China’s countryside landscape. From Hong Kong, all Shanghai-bound trains depart from Kowloon’s Hung Hom train station. The departure point in China is Shanghai’s central train station. Note that the train runs every other day.

You have to however brace for the confusing timetable where departure days from Hong Kong depends in the month of the year. For instance, in January, April, May and August, the train departs on odd days of the month while it leaves on even days in February, March, June and July. Departure from Shanghai is on the following day i.e. odd when a Hong Kong departure date is even and vise versa.