China prepares for commercial operation of 400 km/h high-speed trains
China's National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) aims to implement 400 km/h operational speeds as part of its railway expansion strategy through 2030.
The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) announced plans to finalize technical standards for 400 km/h high-speed rail operations. This initiative is a core component of China’s infrastructure strategy for the upcoming five-year period, focusing on technological standardization and commercial deployment.
Development is centered on the CR450 bullet train, which has undergone successful testing at speeds of 450 km/h. Authorities intend to deploy this model to increase efficiency on high-traffic corridors, specifically highlighting the Chengdu-Chongqing line, where the upgraded speed is projected to reduce travel time to 50 minutes.
In addition to speed enhancements, the government plans to construct approximately 10,000 kilometers of new high-speed rail lines by 2030. The broader infrastructure program aims to finalize the national "eight vertical and eight horizontal" main network and address existing capacity bottlenecks in the national grid.