China has begun testing the CR450 train, which is considered the fastest train in the world, on the eve of its entry into service.
During testing on the Shanghai–Chongqing–Chengdu high-speed rail line, the train reached speeds of 450 km/h.
The CR450 prototype was introduced in November last year as a high-speed train, capable of reaching up to 400 km/h, and has since been continuously tested in all parameters.
Now, in the final phase of testing, the train must travel 600 kilometers before receiving a license for commercial operation.
With its final attempt, the CR450 broke the current record of 350 km/h, held by the CR400 Fuxing trains.
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Designed in 2021 by the China State Railway Group, the train is expected to enter commercial service in 2026, after an evaluation phase. It is being manufactured by subsidiaries of the state-owned China Railway Corporation (CRRC).
The CR450 has had major structural improvements.
The front of the train has been extended from 12.5 meters, which is the length of existing trains that reach up to 350 km/h, to 15 meters, which significantly reduces air resistance.
The CR450 can accelerate from 0 to 350 km/h in 4 minutes and 40 seconds, which is 100 seconds faster than the existing Fuxing EMU trains, which take 6 minutes and 20 seconds to reach the same speed.
An EMU (Electric Multiple Unit) is a train composed of self-propelled electric wagons that do not need a separate locomotive.
The CR450 project is part of a broader initiative to expand and modernize China's transportation network, which is already the largest in the world.
The state operates an integrated rail and road system that stretches over six million kilometers.
Modern transport corridors connect over 80% of regions at the district level, encompassing over 90% of the country's economy and population.
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The size of this network was highlighted during the National Day celebrations, when 2.4 billion interregional trips were recorded.
Railways alone transported 213 million passengers, or an average of 18 million passengers per day.
