Symbolizing China’s DevelopmentChina entered the 21st century with no high-speed railway infrastructure. A mere 23 years later it has now managed to construct the la

China entered the 21st century with no high-speed railway infrastructure. A mere 23 years later it has now managed to construct the largest high-speed railway network in the world, rivaled by none. 

The grassroots of the network originated in 1990 when the first proposals for the construction of the high-speed railway were submitted as a project to ease transit between Beijing and Shanghai. Eventually, the approval for the first line of the High-Speed Rail project was granted in 1995. 

1995 marked the start of the “Speed-Up” campaigns in order to improve the speed of existing railway networks and the introduction of sub-high speed trains. It would take another 12 years for China to finally achieve its goals, and the first high-speed track was inaugurated in 2007.

Since the early days in 2007-08 when the network covered 3000 kilometers, this has now boomed to roughly 37,900 kilometers as of today and despite that it continues to expand annually. 

China’s high speed rail network is divided into three categories. These are the G, D, and C classes. G-Class tracks usually have electrical multiple unit type trains at high speeds from 300-350 km/h. D-Class tracks have the same type of trains, however these operate at comparatively slower speeds around 225 km/h. Finally, C-Class tracks operate at speeds around 300-350 km/h as well, but these are known as intercity tracks and therefore do not cover as much distance. 

The construction of the high speed network has contributed significantly to China's economic development. As per a study in 2019 conducted by the World Bank, the estimated rate of return from the network was 8%, placing it as one of the most profitable and successful development programmes in all of China. 

All-in-all, the development of high-speed rail in China has been rapid, and has allowed for significant improvements not only in economic regards but also in fields such as transport safety, environmental conservation and ease of transportation. 

The World’s Longest Bullet Train Network

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