An article in the New York Times on accommodation and tickets for the Beijing Olympics says, “Unlike the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy, a city easily accessible from Milan by high-speed train, Beijing isn‚Äôt easily reached from other cities that could serve as an alternate base.”

Well what about Tianjin as an alternative base to Beijing? Tianjin is 115 kilometers south of Beijing. Train travel from Tianjin to Beijing currently takes around 70 minutes, but a new high speed bullet train is under construction and is due for completion for the Beijing Olympics in August.

The new high speed train will be able to carry 600 passengers and the trip will take just 30 minutes. If you are staying in the Chaoyang district where many hotels are located in Beijing, it can easily take more than an hour in a taxi to reach the main stadium located in the north of Beijing. By staying in a hotel near the station, Tianjin could be a good alternative to paying a small fortune for a weeks accommodation in central Beijing. A one-way trip on the train costs around 42 yuan or US$5.43.

Tianjin will also be hosting some Olympic football matches.

Here is link to a list of hotels in Tianjin where you can book online.