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World’s Fastest Train to be Launched in China Next Month | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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China High-Speed Railway at Fast Track exhibition in Jakarta. Reuters/Rivan Awal Lingga/Antara Foto


Beijing-The world’s fastest train with the maximum speed of 380kph will be launched in China next month. The train would run on Zhengzhou-Xuzhou high-speed track from next month.

Compared to the last generation bullet train, the new train’s continuous operating speed has increased from 50kph to 400kph. With the new train launch, the travel time between Zhengzhou, Central China’s Henan province, and Xuzhou, East China’s Jiangsu province, will be shortened from 2 hours, 33 minutes to about 80 minutes.

China has delayed its activity in the industry of high-speed rail development, and inaugurated the first line in 2008 to link the capital with the coastal regions. This industry has witnessed a swift development over the past years and the authorities intend to build a 30,000km rail by 2020.

China also has sought to export its high-speed rails industry to the world; The China Railway Corporation has been awarded a contract to implement the second phase of the Ankara-Istanbul rail line in 2005, in partnership with a number of companies. The Chinese corporation faced big challenges in the project due to its modest experience in the field and to the restricted Turkish management that insisted on the adoption of the higher global standards in the project’s implementation. But, the Turkish project has significantly contributed to enhancing the expertise level of the Chinese engineers in this field.

In October 2013, London Mayor Boris Johnson took the high-speed train on Beijing-Shanghai line during his visit to China. In an article he wrote in the Daily Telegraph newspaper, Johnson showcased his experience and said that the train is faster than a Maserati car and offers the traveler the opportunity of transportation without any noise or trembling while sitting in the train.