Beijing: With the recent launch of the Xi'an-Yan'an high-speed railway, China's expansive high-speed rail network has reached an operational length of over 50,000 kilometers. This milestone marks a significant achievement in the nation's railway transportation framework, as reported by Global Times from China Railway.
According to Emirates News Agency, China's high-speed rail services now connect 97 percent of cities with urban populations exceeding 500,000. The country not only leads globally in high-speed rail operating mileage, surpassing the combined total of all other nations, but also excels in commercial operating speeds for high-speed rail.
China's high-speed rail network is now considered the world's largest and most advanced. Major urban clusters within a 500-kilometer radius have formed efficient one- to two-hour travel circles. Cross-regional trips of approximately 1,000 kilometers are generally completed within four hours, while journeys nearing 2,000 kilometers increasingly allow for same-day round trips.
At peak capacity, the network can transport up to 16 million passengers in a single day, akin to the population of a megacity moving through the system, as noted by the company. The Xi'an-Yan'an high-speed railway, which spans 299 kilometers with a designed maximum speed of 350 kilometers per hour, starts in Xi'an, the capital of Northwest China's Shaanxi Province, and terminates at Yan'an station in Shaanxi, passing through Weinan and Tongchuan. This line was reported by China Central Television on Friday.
Initially, the Xi'an-Yan'an HSR will operate up to 38 EMU trains daily. With 10 stations in service, the fastest travel time between Xi'an and Yan'an will be reduced to 68 minutes, cutting 62 minutes off the conventional rail travel time.
Since the inception of the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25), China has constructed and operationalized approximately 12,000 kilometers of high-speed rail, marking a 32 percent increase in total operating mileage since the end of 2020 and extending access to 128 counties nationwide.
High-speed rail has enhanced the movement of people, information, and capital between cities, facilitating resource integration and complementary advantages. It has contributed to the formation of multiple economic corridors connected by high-speed rail lines, as noted by analysts.
Moreover, China has reached a world-leading status in high-speed rail technology, supported by an integrated system covering engineering construction, equipment manufacturing, and operational management.
In late 2024, China unveiled the CR450 EMU prototype, featuring internationally leading performance indicators such as operating speed, energy efficiency, interior noise levels, and braking distance. During testing, the train set a new record with a relative passing speed of 896 kilometers per hour between two EMUs, establishing the world's first top-level technical benchmark system for 400-kilometers-per-hour-class high-speed trains, according to the company.