World's fastest bullet train officially runs in China

China increased the maximum speed of the Beijing-Shanghai bullet train to 350 km/h, setting a record for the world's fastest high-speed train.

Fuxing train running on the Beijing-Shanghai route. Video: CGTN.

Seven pairs of China's domestically produced Fuxing bullet trains officially entered service on the Beijing-Shanghai line yesterday, traveling at speeds of up to 350 km/h, according to Shanghaiist. Thanks to the speed increase, the 1,318 km journey between the two cities has been reduced from 4 hours 49 minutes to 4 hours 28 minutes.

The new generation of bullet trains developed by China was unveiled in June. The Fuxing, which means “Rejuvenation,” has a top speed of 400 km/h. China is planning to mass-produce the Fuxing trains in the future to replace the aging Hexie (Harmony) series.

The Fuxing train passes through Changzhou, Jiangsu on September 21. Photo: AFP.

The two current models in the Fuxing series are called the CR400AF and CR400BF. The sleek new bullet trains are also more comfortable than previous models, with free Wi-Fi and more legroom in all cars. The Fuxing’s integrated monitoring system is described as highly sensitive, and can automatically slow the train in the event of an emergency or abnormal situation.

The Fuxing train has received rave reviews from passengers for its smooth ride across the country. One passenger placed items by the window and took photos of the items standing still instead of moving or rolling, even as the train traveled at 350 km/h.

Objects do not move or tumble thanks to the smooth running of the train. Photo: Weibo.

Previously, the Hexie train had also tested a speed of 350 km/h, but the train's maximum speed was limited to 300 km/h after an accident in Wenzhou, Zhejiang in 2011 that killed 40 people.

When the Fuxing train was launched, Chinese authorities placed a special emphasis on safety. According to Xinhua, the bullet train is equipped with more than 2,500 sensors, 500 more than previous models. The sensors simultaneously collect 1,500 real-time readings from each carriage. If a problem occurs with the braking or air conditioning systems, an alarm will be triggered and the train can stop itself.

Chinese companies spent 13 years learning high-speed train technology from developed countries such as Japan, France, Germany and Canada. Workers from more than 20 companies joined together to form the core team to build the Fuxing train. The train model was developed and completed in three years. The operator of the new train is the China Railway Group in Beijing.

According to VNE