China high-speed rail network tops 50,000 km milestone

China high-speed rail network has moved past 50,000 kilometres (31,000 miles) in total operating distance after a new line opened on Friday, as reported by The Economic Times. State media said the system is the world’s largest rail network, around one-fifth longer than the Earth’s circumference.

State-owned China Railway said the network has expanded by around 32 percent compared to 2020, a figure also reflected in reporting carried by Xinhua via People.cn. Industry coverage has tracked the buildout as well, including Railway Supply.

The newest link is the Xi’an–Yan’an high-speed rail line in northern China’s Shaanxi province, CCTV reported. Xi’an—home to China’s famed Terracotta Warriors—connects with Yan’an to its north on a 299 kilometres route. CCTV said the shortest trip takes 68 minutes.

Service on the corridor includes the C9309 train, which CCTV said runs at 350 kilometres (217 miles) per hour. That is above Japan’s Shinkansen, which is cited as having a top speed of 320 kilometres (200 miles) per hour.

Construction on the Xi’an–Yan’an project started in 2020. Local authorities noted at the time that some homes were demolished, and displaced residents would receive 5,000 yuan ($700) per household to relocate.

At the same time, Beijing has been financing railways in other Asian countries under the Belt and Road Initiative, which funds infrastructure projects globally. However, the original report noted that a number of these plans have been stalled or mired in controversy.

News on railway transport, industry, and railway technologies from Railway Supply that you might have missed: