China debuts prototypes of world's fastest high-speed train

Prototypes of the CR450 bullet train, with a test speed of up to 450 kilometers per hour and an operational speed of 400 kilometers per hour, were debuted in Beijing on Sunday, highlighting China's cutting-edge advancements in rail technology and contributions to the global rail industry.

The CR450 is significantly faster than the CR400 Fuxing high-speed trains currently in service, which operate at speeds of 350 kilometers per hour.

The China State Railway Group Co., Ltd. (China Railway) will arrange a series of line tests for the prototypes and optimize technical indicators to ensure the CR450 enters commercial service as soon as possible.

Innovation-driven

Compared to its predecessors, the overall operational resistance of the CR450 will be decreased by 22 percent and its weight will be cut by 10 percent, according to China Railway.

The new prototypes are two CR450 models: the CR450AF and the CR450BF, both featuring an eight-car formation with four powered and four non-powered carriages, according to CRRC Corporation Limited (CRRC), China's leading train maker.

The high-speed trains are characterized by an advanced, water-cooled, permanent magnet traction system, and a reliable, high-stability bogie system, ensuring excellent performance and safety throughout operations.

The trains are equipped with an advanced, multi-level emergency braking system and over 4,000 sensors for the real-time monitoring of key systems, including car body, high-voltage pantograph, train control and fire detection systems. An over-the-horizon system has also been utilized for improved emergency situation recognition, according to the CRRC.

The CR450 introduces a new bogie enclosure design to minimize air resistance at high speeds, along with a streamlined low-drag, sharp-nosed front, aerodynamic windshields and lightweight materials.

It integrates advanced noise reduction techniques across different areas and frequencies, reducing interior noise by 2 decibels and increasing passenger service space by 4 percent compared to its predecessors.

These innovations are set to breathe new life into the global advancement of high-speed rail technology, according to the CRRC.

Global reach

Since it launched the Beijing-Tianjin Intercity Railway in 2008 with designed speeds of 350 kilometers per hour, China has built the world's most extensive and advanced high-speed rail network.

Major projects such as the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link have significantly enhanced connectivity and regional development. To date, the total length of China's operational high-speed rail tracks has reached about 47,000 kilometers, as shown by data from the National Railway Administration.

The expansion of the national high-speed rail network has played a crucial role in the country's economic and social development, reducing travel times and boosting industrial development along railway routes.

China's high-speed trains -- a successful example of independent innovation -- are now seen as a Chinese calling card and have been welcomed globally.

It was noted in July this year that Indonesia's Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway had carried 4 million passengers since it began commercial operations on Oct. 17, 2023. Indonesian drivers have been operating trains at speeds of 350 kilometers per hour, in the first overseas high-speed railway project to fully utilize Chinese rail systems, technology and industrial components.

The Belgrade-Novi Sad high-speed railway, another Chinese-built project, celebrated its second anniversary in March. Over the past two years, the project has effectively enhanced local connectivity.

Initiated by the International Union of Railways (UIC) in 1992, the UIC World Congress on High-Speed Rail has been held every two to three years since. The 12th congress will be held in Beijing from July 8 to 11, 2025, and is set to be a powerful testament to China's progress in and contributions to the global high-speed rail industry.

China has spearheaded the development of all 13 system-level international high-speed rail standards set by the UIC, as announced at the influential 17th Zhan Tianyou Railway Science and Technology Award ceremony in November. Enditem