China’s High-Speed Rail Network Continues Rapid Expansion, Targeting Further Upgrades adn Cost Reductions
Following a period of important growth, China’s extensive high-speed rail network, already the world’s largest, is slated for further enhancements.Beijing has committed to improving services and lowering logistics costs over the next five years.
Between 2021 and 2024, China added 10,000 kilometers of operational high-speed rail tracks. This expansion puts the nation on course to achieve its objective of 50,000 kilometers of high-speed rail by the end of the current year, as announced by Minister of Transport Liu Wei at a press conference in Beijing. Liu stated that China’s high-speed rail network now spans 48,000 kilometers, representing over 70 percent of the global total and connecting 97 percent of cities with populations exceeding 500,000.
The network’s recent rapid advancement has expanded domestic travel options,decreased logistics expenses,and created avenues for exporting advanced Chinese technology. A new segment connecting Chongqing to Qianjiang in Hubei province commenced operations late last month. This section is part of a larger strategic route intended to link the southwestern city of Chongqing with Xiamen in the southeast, thereby improving connectivity between inland regions and the coastal areas.
Official data released last week indicates that China’s national railway system recorded a record 2.24 billion passenger trips in the first half of 2025, marking a 6.7 percent increase compared to the same period in the previous year. An Lusheng, deputy director of the National Railway Management, who was also present at the press conference, attributed this growth to increased travel demand driven by economic improvements, alongside enhanced service quality and greater network capacity.
