China's long anticipated high-speed train between Beijing and Shanghai isn't likely to put airlines on that route out of business.

Railway Ministry officials on Monday announced higher-than-expected ticket prices for the train, which is slated to begin running this summer. Spots on the train will be priced at between $63-270, depending on speed and the class of service. The fast trains will take roughly five hours to cover the distance between China's two most developed cities, while slower links will take seven-plus hours. The train journey now takes nearly 12 hours. Travelers have been waiting for the ticket pricing announcement for months, speculating that reasonably priced tickets on the fast train would provide serious competition for the airlines that run dozens of flights each day between the two cities. High-speed rail has already ended air links between some cities in China.

It takes two hours to fly from Beijing to Shanghai, and economy class flight tickets cost between $90-185.  But the country's airports are frequently besieged with delays and other problems that make the train an attractive alternative.