China Leapfrogs in High Speed Rail Development

中国高速铁路

In China, rapid economic growth has necessitated the demand for a more efficient and highly developed infrastructure. The greater connectivity at reduced time as offered by high speed rail ( HSR ) not only will enhance developments, help ease traffic congestion, but will also bring greater social and economic penetration into the more remote countryside.

Travel by HSR works very well in a country with a whooping population of 1.3 billion. By 2009, there were 773 HSR trains operating daily, enjoying occupancy rate of 101.7%! In 2008 alone, around 1.4 billion passenger trips were taken on China’s railways.

(Pic: It is this annual Chinese New Year home-coming culture  that creates the greatest human migration on earth. simple-chinese.com)

Until only a few years ago, China had no high-speed rail service and lacked the relevant technology.

In 2004, China decided to establish a network HSR. With the Central government's endorsement, injection of financial stimulus (amounting to $ 12 billion), R&D, and the much needed technology transfer from Germany, France, Japan, Canada and Sweden, (made available via export, joint venture on projects and rolling stock, and other business incentives), today China is able to build its own HSR.

Through its insatiable quests for innovations, China further improves on the technology, and  has transformed itself from a follower into a pace-setter of HSR in the world. These technologies integrate designing, construction, equipment manufacturing, train control and system integration, daily operation and management. There are several stages of development within the five years of innovations and up-grading, namely, introducing the 200 km/h technologies, developing its own 350 km/h and 380 km/h Harmony CRH.  

By 2009, China already boasts a rail network of more than 90,000 km, including both standard and high-speed rail. This includes the longest HSR network in the world, 6 500 km with train speeds of  200 - 350 km/h. At present, HSR lines under construction amounts to 30,000 km. Once the network is completed, it will cut travel time from Beijing to Hong Kong from 24 hours to 10.
By 2012, there will be a total of 110,000 km of railway coverage in China, including 13,000 km of HSR serving 42 passenger lines.
By 2020, the total railway network coverage will total 120,000 km (inclusive of upgraded, passenger and freight rails). HSR linkage will increase to 50,000 km. China plans to have HSR covering 80% of the current domestic flight network and 70% of the country’s key cities.

In 2004, China spent USD 12 billion on HSR.
In 2009, China spent USD 50 billion.
By 2020, a total of $ 300 billion will be invested in this mass public transit infrastructure, linking nearly all its provincial cities. This network will become the largest, fastest, and most advanced HSR system in the world. The large-scale plans to expand high speed rail in China emphasize its importance in the development of a country’s transportation energy use.

By 2013, China will have the world's most comprehensive high-speed railway network with 800 bullet trains. While it might be some time before the Chinese fully enjoy the convenience of an integrated subway, inter-city rail and high-speed national rail system, that network is well on the way.

Travel by HSR works very well in a country with a whooping population of 1.3 billion. China encourages tourism within the country during holidays and festive seasons. The most significant is the Chinese New Year, where a family reunion is of utmost importance. It is this home going culture that creates the greatest human migration on earth annually.

China’s rail way carries billions in weeks (pic: simple-chinese.com)

With the high cost of fuel, increasing traffic and airport congestion, tedious system of ticketing, extra check-in time and tight security scanning, more travelers are reverting to train- commuting. By 2009, there were 773 HSR trains operating daily, enjoying occupancy rate of 101.7%! Who said HSR is too costly for travelers?

 
 China's amazing new bullet  train money.cnn.com/2009/08/03

The Shanghai Maglev Rail Link for the Shanghai Pudong Airport, with average speed of 245 km per hour and topping at 431 km/h, covers 30 km in 7 minutes. The Shanghai Maglev also holds the record for the top speed in tests of 501 km/h.

In China, the Shanghai Maglev Train, a Transrapid maglev technology built in collaboration with Siemens of Germany, came into operation since March 2004. Shanghai Maglev Train (pic), the world's first high-speed commercial magnetic levitation (maglev) and fastest commercial train.

The Beijing-Tianjin Intercity Rail Link, an intercity express line, traveling at an averaging speed of 234 km/h and topping at 330 km/h, covers 115 km in 30 minutes. It started operation in 2008.

The Wuhan and Guangzhou Rail Link, the world's fastest commercial rail link, was opened in December 2009. The high speed train traveling at an average speed of  330 km/hr and topping at 370 km/h, reduces the travel time covering the 1060 km journey from 10 to 3 hours. From feedbacks, the ride is smooth, stable and quiet. The Wuhuan-Guangzhou HSR has traveled 3 million km with failure rate of  0.004%This figure represents the world’s best.

The Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed Railway will connect two of China's most prominent economic cities, and will be solely used as  passenger carriage, to reduce travel time and ease severe traffic congestion in both cities. (Pic left: Beijing traffic; Pic right: Shanghai by night)

The Zhengzhou and Xi'an Rail Link, connecting the two Chinese cities 505 km apart, travels with an average speed of 350 km/h (fastest average speed in the world). Included in the country's "Mid- and long-term railway network plan", with a total investment of $5.16  billion, it reduces the travel time between the two cities from 6 to 4 hours.

The Zhengzhou and Xi'an Rail, linking the city of the Terra Cotta in central and western China

The 6,000 Terra Cotta Warriors built by Emperor Qin (who also built the Great Wall ) at 221BC has put Xi'an on tourists map. It was declared a world cultural heritage by UNESCO in 1987 .

The Zhengzhou-Xi'an HSR will meet the growing demand of passenger and cargo transportation in central and western China, and help promote local development.  It was reported that air flights between the two cities, were suspended 48 days after the HSR line started operation.

In the past, air service was virtually irreplaceable for speedy and efficient travel, but the development of high-speed railways has posed increasing challenges to the survival of internal air flights, especially on shorter flights.