China is about to launch a 450 km/h bullet train prototype

The latest bullet train model in the Fuxing series can reach speeds of 450 km/h, while being more environmentally friendly and energy efficient than previous versions.

China's current bullet trains have a speed of 350 km/h. Photo: Xinhua — China's current bullet trains have a speed of 350 km/h. Photo: *Xinhua*

China Railway (CR) announced on November 9 that it will complete production and testing of a prototype of what could become the world's fastest high-speed train this year. It will also further upgrade the country's massive rail network, according to CGTN . The development plan by CR, which operates the world's largest high-speed rail network, marks a breakthrough for the CR450 technology initiative launched three years ago.

The latest model in the Fuxing bullet train series has a test speed of 450 km/h and a commercial operating speed of 400 km/h. Current bullet trains in China can travel at 350 km/h, but the CR450 could cut the travel time between Beijing and Shanghai, one of the country's busiest passenger routes, from more than four hours to 2.5 hours.

China launched its first high-speed rail line in 2008, and the network is vital to the world’s second-largest economy and its 1.4 billion people. The CR450 is expected to be operational by 2025, with a nationwide research project focusing on key rail technologies from automatic control and wheel design to steering systems, track upgrades and safety measures.

In June 2023, CR completed performance testing of key new high-tech components of the CR450, setting a record of 453 km/h in a single test run. This is the fastest speed in the world, marking a special milestone in the development process. The test took place on the Meizhou Bay Sea Bridge, part of the high-speed rail network between Fuzhou and Xiamen in Fujian Province.

CR says the CR450 will be more environmentally friendly and fuel efficient than current Fuxing-class trains. Separate research by Chinese scientists concluded that the carbon emissions of high-speed rail are only 6% of those of air travel and 11% of those of cars.

China plans to expand its railway network to 165,000 km by 2025, including 50,000 km of high-speed rail. At the end of last year, the country's railway network was 159,000 km long, including 45,000 km of high-speed rail. The number of passengers using the national railway network will also increase by 4.7% year-on-year to 3.855 billion in 2024. Meanwhile, the volume of freight transported could reach 3.9 billion tons in 2024, up 0.5% from 2023.

An Khang (According to CGTN )

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