It seems like a 1280-km (795-mi) journey can't be anything but a nightmare (unless you choose to travel by plane, of course). But a train ride along the Beijing to Hangzhou railway is a perfect example, illustrating that not everything is as simple as it seems. Although the promised flight time is only 2 hours 15 minutes, don't forget that you need to get to the airport a couple of hours before boarding, plus need extra time to reach the remotely located airport. While a fast Beijing to Hangzhou Fuxing train can take you between the city centers in just 4 and a half hours, providing the same level of comfort (if not more) than a modern plane!